Virginia Employment First Summit - Virginia Beach October 4-5 2011

First I'd like to say, I'm grateful to have gone. The ARC gave me a scholarship. It was good to hang out with friends I don't see often and awesome stay in an ocean front room. As a self advocate I was urged to attend even though I was reluctant to go. Turns out my icky feelings were justified.

The summit did not renew my faith in employment for people with disabilities. My same opinion was firmly held in place; All the agencies (the service system) finds jobs for people with disabilities. If all people with disabilities had jobs THEY wouldn't. So at the start it's flawed.

I had been out of that loop for over ten years and it makes me furious to see 'they' are still spewing the same bullshit! Though there were good concepts sprinkled in here and there. Even my personal aide who knows nothing of that field pointed out twisted policies she overheard. I'm grateful I was able to give a bit of my opinion but just know I had to bite my tongue a lot!

One example of a backwards policy they were talking about was the concept of paying a co-worker to help the person with a disability on the job.

Who wants a friend that's paid for?

Not enough self-advocates were at the summit. The people who were there were on the same side of 'the game' patting themselves on the back, blowing hot air, and painting pictures of happy unicorns flying over rainbows. Who was missing? EMPLOYERS.

Inclusion in the classroom and teaching awareness and rights (in school curriculum and at businesses) was mentioned a little but not enough, which DO effect employment so much I believe. No talk of changing people's perception of disability, which I think is the linch pin to everything. It also seemed backward to me, no talk of inclusion in school but then 'they' expect integrated employment to just happen? Good luck with that!

Another thing that bothered me was somebody said, "Go find a person with a disability who wants to work and then go back to your network and find them work."

NO! Your network is not my network. Swamping is not going to work. Every person alive needs their own social network to draw from. If you're being PAID to refer people it takes the creditability out of it. Right?

Inclusion in the classroom will build social network. Segregating kids with disabilities has to end for many reasons, but simply for the reason of employment. In the real world for anybody many jobs are found by social networking.

There was hardly no talk of college at the summit which made me mad but they talked about person centered planing and about setting goals early in middle school which will cover college for some students with disabilities. If person centered planning is done right it will bypass putting people with disabilities in convenient, over used job categories. These present categories are so limiting and demeaning. As some call these categories the three f's: filth, food and flowers. I realize some people with disabilities can only do these, but we all don't have to! Really if you're creative about it ANYBODY with a disability can do jobs way beyond the three f's. Rather in employment or education, the expectations need to be raised for people with disabilities.

Tax dollars are paying for this, a twisted broken service system! The employment summit meant well but the people there are not thinking straight. I felt very out of place. Wait, am I the crazy person here or are they? I had that same feeling years ago when I was wrapped up in employment services. It is NOT a good feeling.

UPDATE 10.18.11: Kathie Snow author of Disability is Natural featured this (stay out of job services) on her 'Your stories' webpage Here

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Disability History and Awareness Month public comment to school board

I spoke to my local school board on 9.20.11 Here's my speech.

The biggest barrier facing people with disabilities is not something you can touch. Can you guess what it is?
It's people's attitude towards disability. I hope we can all agree that kids are more open minded than adults. Kids minds can be molded to have different perceptions very easily. Which is why I'm asking you to recognize October as Disability History and Awareness Month in schools. Awareness is important but I feel that you can't necessarily teach someone how to feel towards one another. Though by teaching about the history of a group it will lead to respect, compassion, understanding and breaking stereotypes about people with disabilities.

By teaching this to the younger generation it would change the future of people with disabilities. The awareness would also improve the future of everyone in the community. When a person knows more and is more educated the community can't help but benefit from this knowledge. It would lead to including everybody in the community. No more leaving one out or shunning them due to the fear of the unknown.

Virginia has a resolution designating the month of October as disability history and awareness month. There is a ton of curriculum published online for teaching disability history and awareness. I also have a lot of these links listed on my website ivykennedy.com

Teaching in schools as part of our history curriculum, the history of the disability rights movement and about the positive impact people with disabilities have had on technology and society, IS necessary. Teaching the history of other diverse groups in our school systems, has been proven to have a positive impact on the group and society as a whole.

Even PBS is getting in on it. On October 27th they are airing a documentary about the Disability Rights Movement.

Just think about it, nearly every group that has fought for their civil rights are mentioned in school textbooks. Why aren't people with disabilities? Please teach disability rights and history in all classrooms.

Senate Resolution for Disability History and Awareness Month HERE

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Why current perceptions and policy on disability are horrible for the economy

You don't see it in the press much. When cable news network argue about the budget, it's never mentioned. Yet it plays a huge role in our nations economy….. the disability unemployment rate. I believe perceptions about disability play a huge factor in the disability unemployment rate. I realize there's many other facets to Disability Economics other than employment. This blog entry is just the tip of the iceberg.

Bottom line: When it is financially smarter to sit at home rather than work, something is terribly wrong.

There are many ways to change perceptions about disability. A few are: Ask your school to do something for Disability Awareness Month which is October. Molding kids perceptions would be a huge step forward. Read up on disability history. It's out there and (and until recently) it's not too hard to find, though still it's not in most school books. Advocate for Inclusion..... for students with disabilities to be in your child's classroom. I believe when kids are taught together no doubt the disability employment rate will improve.

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Published around the time of ADA's 20th anniversary

It's All About the Money by Bruce Blower

"Little more than two decades ago, once the U.S. Congress realized that it cost taxpayers almost as much as this entire nation’s defense budget to keep disabled persons at home on entitlements, out of the workforce passage of the ADA federal law became a sure bet. Congress had also then seen a Harris poll stating overwhelmingly that disabled people wanted to work."

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People with disabilities DO NOT COUNT.

The US national unemployment rate does not factor in people with disabilities.

What Is the REAL National U.S. Unemployment Rate – Why the Numbers Can Be Misleading

by Kalen Smith

"What’s most surprising is that the existence of this last group is completely ignored by the unemployment rate."

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A reverse twist on medical insurance

September 11, 2011

By Monica Yant Kinney, Inquirer Columnist

philly.com

"I want to work. I'm meant to work . . . but I'm being held hostage by a system that does not want to see me succeed," Curran tells anyone who will listen - a group that so far includes two state legislators, scores of state welfare officials, and a half-dozen advocates equally baffled by his dilemma.

Here is a young man eager to get off Social Security disability and become a productive tax-, rent-, and copaying member of society. And the government's trying to stop him?

This will be a waste of taxpayer money if he doesn't work," gripes Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery), who intervened for his constituent. Leach called the catch-22 "one of those boneheaded government policies" in dire need of a fix."

Long story short, when this young man switches over to his job's insurance the home care services won't be as good as it is on state services AND there's a wait list his name will be on the bottom of, meanwhile no home care for him. When he earns too much money (by being employed) he'll lose the state run home care.

Sounds like perpetual poverty to me and tax payers are footing the bill.

Why can't this young man continue to have the same level of care no matter what insurance plan he's on?

In my case....

What type of careers would pay a decent wage for home care, the price of a powerchair, the price of home modifications, and the everyday bills? I'm no Smarty McSmart, I doubt I could swing it. If I took out a loan to pay an aide to go to college, I'd have that and college loans to pay back. That's only saying if I could get hired in the first place.

And this infuriates me!

Some political groups say,

"The hand outs have to stop! Screw the freeloaders!"

It's offensive in the context of people with disabilities! Some can work and want to work.

Where is the American Dream for people with disabilities?

So you're telling me, in a capitalistic nation people with disabilities are limited to how much money they can earn. WTF?!

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Imparato speaks on future of disability policy at University of Pittsburgh

www.aapd.com

November 4, 2010

"Though its drafters and champions envisioned the ADA as a road to independent living, equal opportunity, and self-sufficiency, we are a long way from achieving those goals. Twenty years later, we spend 440 billion dollars per year on federal programs designed in the 50s, 60s and 70s to warehouse—not empower—people with disabilities.

Today—20 YEARS LATER—our country still requires 18-year-olds with disabilities to prove to the government that they cannot work in order to get income supports and the corollary acute and long-term care coverage provided by Medicaid. That’s right, 20 years after the ADA, our public policy continues to force young adults with disabilities to retire.

Every time we do this --every time a young person ends her bid for success before it starts—a piece of our civil rights mission fails. Independent living, equal opportunity, and hope for economic self-sufficiency die. We spend 440 billion dollars per year on giving up.

We spent a lot of money implementing that law, but because we didn't deal with the definition of disability the program was flawed from the get-go.

If you spend years proving to the government that you can't work, and they turn around and give you a ticket and say, here, take this ticket and go get a job, most people are going to mistrust that and assume that the government is testing them to see whether they are really disabled. So because of the definition, you have a program that undermines itself.

Until we deal with the baseline flaw in the definition of disability all this other stuff that we do around work incentives is window dressing.”

The Philly.com and AAPD articles can be read in their entirety HERE

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Read the April 2012 Report by The National Disability Rights Network: Beyond Segregated and Exploited - Update on the Employment of People with Disabilities HERE

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Did you know if you live in the USA you can be penalized for saving money? If you're a person with a disability this can happen to you. Currently person with a disability can loose Medicaid if they save too much. In a capitalistic country, people with disabilities can't earn and save like most American citizens. Go figure. 
To put it into perspective, does everybody pay for a power chair and home care assistants? No! 
So why is the freedom to save money being denied for people with disabilities?

The ABLE Act is working to change this. Ask your delegate to support it. Read more about it HERE


You can not have more than $2000 in your bank account on the last day of each month. All paychecks, SSA payments are considered income, even when put into an ABLE Account.

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Tax deductions, etc for hiring…..

Some of this money is a YEARLY payoff. Businesses are fools for not taking advantage. 
Our government can not fix the disability unemployment problem. (and I don't expect them to) The government can throw all the money it wants into this Hire People With Disabilities thing, not a damn thing will change though until attitudes change.

http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/TaxIncentivesForEmployers.htm

http://AskJAN.org/media/tax.html


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The ABLE Act passed in Congress!

On December 3, 2014 the bill passed the often-fractious House of Representatives, 404 to 17. 

On December 16, 2014 the bill passed the Senate as part of a bigger tax package by the only slightly less impressive margin of 76 to 16.


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At the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Independent Living in July 2014, a delegation of approximately 700 individuals with disabilities passed a resolution urging NCIL to push for a redefinition of disability as it relates to the Social Security Act.

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My Life Changing Experience

(The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not reflect the views and opinions of The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities and Partners in Policymaking)

Disability resource links gathered from this class HERE

For years people had been bugging me to take this class, Partners in Policymaking. I finally put in my application this year and got in. They tell us its hard to be accepted and many people resubmit applications year after year. First I wondered why they majority of the class was parents. They are the ones who need to be there the most I came to learn. I'm glad I sucked it up and finally took on the commitment of this class. Nine months, one Friday and Saturday a month, over 12 hours a session listening to amazing speakers.

I take great comfort in knowing each year Virginia turns out 30+ plus people who 'get it'. (each state has Partners in Policymaking)

This is a highlight of each class. I can not begin to cover what I truly gained from the class.

When I was younger and stupid I thought I could change everybody's perception about disability in the first ten minutes of meeting them, I had no idea this class existed. It is the only 'magic bullet' I know of that busts through ignorance about all things disability. This class reaffirmed that it's ok to be me!

Class 1: Heidi Lawyer, Jerry Adams, Ed Turner & Jack Brandt, Youth Leader Panel (Adam Amick, Mary McAdam, Matt Shapiro, and Erin Thompson)

When seeing the room full of my classmates for the first time I felt an intense joy that these people cared disability advocacy as much as I did. It was a relief to feel I wasn't alone in the fight. DRS (Department of Rehabilitation Services) will always have a job if people with disabilities don't. Think about the possibility of college for your child with a disability: Here's how: HERE

Class 2: Katherine Laswon, Steven Traubert, Jim Rothrock, Bobby Silverstein

You can't just advocate for what's good for you because you might be doing a large group of people a disservice. Now I won't advocate to get rid of options that I myself can't see myself ever using because there's a whole other group who need and like that option I despise. Instead I will advocate that the filters that help place people with disabilities stay strong and not pick the easy option when placing people. THAT'S what scares me. People need different options but as long as the options exists the filters will most likely place people where it's the easiest. Ex. I got placed at a vocational rehab after graduating high school. What, no college?

Right off the bat DRS (Department of Rehabilitation Services) speaker (Jim) made steam come out of my ears. He opened with something like, "Ya'll should receive a degree for this class." What the hell? The nerve! I didn't get one when completing my two year CAD drafting class. In my opinion DRS needs a overhaul. They should be doing community outreach to change perceptions about disability THEN focus on employment and/or college. I wanted to punch the him in the face because I was so mad at what he was saying. He painted a picture of roses and unicorns. It was all lies. The bar of expectation must be raised for sudents with disabilities.

Class 3: Fred Orelove, Charlie & Maria Girsch, Dana Yarbrough & Valerie Luther, Maureen Hollowell

Adult behavior hinders creativity. We become afraid to voice ideas because we slam them down before we can voice them. The best ideas are wild notions that are skimmed back. Adults must keep their brain opened to new ways of thinking by doing exercises.

Learn the ropes about any services before you request them. Offices that deliver services often don't know themselves. The only one that is going to keep you informed is you!

Class 4: Cyndi Pitonyak, Christina Gilley, Lynn Seagle, Kathie Snow

Special Education is a service not a place. Inclusion for all children is the way to go, no more special ed classrooms. As long as there's a special ed classroom in a school, there will be kids in it.

“Inclusion does not mean fitting students with special needs into regular schools. Inclusion means creating schools where everyone fits.” -Dr. Marti Snell

The world of Disability Services is a cash cow that needs to be gutted. ex. Group homes, institutions, job finding services, etc. Stay out of the system because it doesn't work. The disability unemployment rate is proof of that. If you start in special preschool you're likely never to be included in a regular classroom. EVERYBODY needs to read Disability is Natural by Kathie Snow (not just people touched by people with disabilities)

My blog about Kathie's book HERE

Class 5: Pete Wright, David Pitonyak

Even if a child with a disability is suspended from school he/or she is to have their IEP executed.

Positive reinforcement is not always the best way to modify their behavior. Never assume the behavior is caused by the disability. With people who can't talk a change in behavior may be because they're in physical pain. Don't take away the one thing/activity a person looks forward to as means of behavior modification. Some people need to be taught coping skills through repetition. A person may need help to learn ways to stay in the frontal lobe of the brain. When your brain switches to limbic things like speech can not take place. Limbic is where flight and fright happens and instincts kick in. Some people with disabilities have had horrific things happened to them so they stay in limbic. Always assume people with disabilities can understand what's being said to them. Most of the time when people do annoying behaviors it's because they're lonely. Did you know it's a fact that when studying the brain in say a CAT scan, the brain reacts the exact in same way: when a person is deliberately left out/rejected from a group activity & a person is physically punched in the nose? Make sure your child with a disability has true friends. People need to have choice to control their lives. No matter how insignificant the choice might be.

Class 6: Pat Carver, Mock testimony at State Capitol

People have the right to live how they want, where they want. Do not feel guilty for asking for want you want, no matter how small the detail is. Note to myself: You are not bossy and picky. You have the right.

Parents set the example to siblings how to treat siblings with disabilities. Building a strong community is the sure fire way to make sure you get the supports you need. When somebody goes into an institution they become institutionized. Their behavior and their physical appearance changes for the worse. It's sad for the families to witness so a lot of them stop visiting. When public speaking stick to one topic and keep it to three minutes. Practice with a video camera. The older parts of the State Capitol are scary in a power chair! Lol! Feels as if the floors will give out.

Class 7: Debra Ruh, Roy Grizzard, Susanne Croasdaile, Kelly Ligon, Ed Turner, Ginny Cooke

Positively Positive, People are mostly good.
Try not to take things personally, what people often say is a reflection of them and not you. Perceptions are based on a persons experiences. So you can only have so much control on the way you are perceived. There is no us Vs them. We are all rolling along making the changes we need at the time. All things that are set up for good reasons by nature derails and must be corrected or created new again.

“We cannot solve the significant social problems of the world at thee same level of thinking that created them in the first place.” - Albert Einstein

“As we think so shall we speak, as we speak, so shall it be.”

"Success is when preparation meets opportunity."

They're huge taxes incentives and paybacks if your hire people with disabilities for job accommodations.

Facts from national surveys about employees with disabilities: punctual and rarely miss work due to sickness, work safely, work independently, rarely seek special considerations, can be modestly accommodated, and considered assets by co-workers.

Class 8: Dr. Al Condeluci, Graduation! May 2011

Friendship and health are the two most important things many different cultures say. Average friends of "typical" adults: 150. Average number of friends for adults with disabilities: 20 (and half are family, other half are service providers) Any shared interest can start a friendship.

Social capitol gets you jobs. (not DRS, or workshops, etc) You yourself have to build social capitol.

(I'm so glad I'm naturally social! One of my nickname's is Social Butterfly)

We as a society are all connected. Look at the stats for disability, employment rate, housing, etc. We can make people's lives better and in turn that makes our lives better. If we claim health as so important we must try to change the sad stats of the uninsured.

Graduation was fabulous! I feel I have accomplished so much in the nine months than in ten years. I have made connections, seen people change their way of thinking, been offered and accepted a number of jobs, and MADE FRIENDS!


UPDATE 2.3.13
I'm still employed with Moms in Motion, a Medicaid Waiver Facilitator. The boss and I were PIP classmates.
I also have had many public speaking engagements because of networking through fellow PIP graduates.

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Inclusion: My experience as a student

Inclusion: My experience as a student

at

Regent University

speech video HERE OR HERE

slideshow video HERE

Hi, it's such a honor to be here today with you. My name is Ivy. I'm I disability rights advocate. I went to public school in the 80's and 90's in Williamsburg James City County. I went to Special Ed preschool but after that I went to regular classes with my non disabled peers. Back then it was called mainstreaming. Today the model is is a little different, it's called inclusion. I had an aide one on one to write for me and handle my books. She was there for me only. With inclusion I understand the Special Ed teacher is supposed to work together with the teacher to modify curriculum for students with disabilities.

I had an IEP and one of the things it stated that I was to have a computer with me at all times. Now this was the 80's. the computer was big and heavy and even though it was on a desk with wheels. Turned out that it didn't work for me to do my classwork on, because of time limits. Plus at that time Assistive Technology isn't what it is today. I didn't have the equipment to speed up my use of the computer. Truth be told I didn't the latest technology until I graduated high school at Woodrow Wilson Rehab.

IDEA is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities. There was no fighting over my IEP. I now see how lucky I was that there was no opposition to it. I'm not sure if it was because it was still early after the IDEA/Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 75, or if it was because I was surrounded by smart opened adults who saw my potential. I'm sure it helped that my disability was physical and not mental.

Inclusion is a collaboration to teach children, there is no set standard model. I suppose you can learn techniques, but what works best for one child may not and probably won't work for another child. You have to be open minded, patient and be very creative. In the inclusion process adults will be challenged to give their best and that effort will positively benefit every child in the school.

Teachers are molding tomorrows world, right? Think about the effects of inclusion in the long run. The disability employment rate is horrible and will remain horrible until students with disabilities are included with their peers in school. I believe teachers should think about these goals when educating children with disabilities: Preparation for employment, or college, or independent living. Sometimes all three, or a combination applies to a student. Parents need to be aware from the start if the path is going to lead to a regular or a modified high school diploma.

One thing that excites me about inclusion is when it's done well it will stop the need to pull some children out, for say reading or math help. Pulling a child out is not good. it singles them out from their peers, and disrupts attention spans. I was pulled out in elementary some. I hated it. Just think, how well does it benefit the child if the child doesn't even want to participate? A child shuts down when they're angry or embarrassed. It can be embarrassing to be pulled out of a class.

I had many creative minds in my education. from homemade splints to homemade worksheets that made it easier to trace my name. My teachers, therapists and my aide were always coming up with something so I could be included in class.

There were times where my peers helped me. At lunch my friend helped me eat. I used a special designed block. My aide and her husband designed it for me. I still use it to this day. My friends would set a sandwich or a piece of pizza on the block and I'd eat at my own pace. The block was eye level. It had a juice box holder on the side. Being alone with my peers was critical in my development. It allowed for bonds to be formed that never would have happened if there was an adult present. I remember in elementary school one of my aides kept following me around during recess. It took some courage for me to ask her to back off. She took it well thank goodness. Children act differently towards one another when there is adults around.

I did get teased some, but nothing like the bullying I hear about today. I'm sure it helped that there was my aide around for a lot of the time. I can't imagine being bullied by todays kids. The teasing I received didn't bother me much. Maybe because it never lasted long or my personality handled it well. I believe if inclusion is started young children with disabilities in the classroom will be the 'norm' as they should be. Bulling often exist because of perceived differences. Friends will stick up for friends when they are being bullied. Bullying can not be the sole reason not to include students with disabilities in the classroom. Bullies will do what they do regardless if there's a child with a disability present or not. The disability itself should not turn into the scapegoat to reason of bullying. Address the root of the problem, which is the bullying not the disability.

Some of my accommodations I can remember were, my one on one aide, PT and OT during PE, a homemade splint to keep my finger straight for computer typing in kindergarten also a board with cutout holes for the keyboard. Later on a head stick which I just LOVED wearing around teenaged boys in high school computer class. Now I have a Jouse that's 100% faster that mounts to the desk and not me. Book holders never worked. Either they were too bulky to carry or paperback books wouldn't stay open. The point is we tried them though. In high school I left classes 5 minutes early because the school was overcrowded and hallways became a nightmare. On some occasions I did have to maneuver through the crowd kids would line up and walk behind me because I happened to part the sea of people with my power chair which was funny. I gave answers verbally, so I whispered a lot. I took my test in the hallway. It wasn't until the new middle school opened until I had a room to go to take tests. In high school it was back to the hallway. My first power chair came from my IEP. I got it in kindergarten. Of course it belong to the school and I couldn't take it home. I didn't get my own power chair until third grade.

Inclusion needs the cooperation of teachers, student and parents. There was a time in my education where choices were made that had a negative outcome for me. Early in school when it was still simple enough I was teamed up with a friend of mine to complete classwork. In 8th grade science it was my friend Stephanie. She was so smart it was incredible. I did contribute to the class work, but the trouble happened when we moved to 9th grade. It was clear Stephanie needed to be placed in advance science, but did I? But that's what happened and it turned out to be a big mistake. I had failing grades for 3/4 of the year, before switching to regular science. I tried my best. I loved the teacher, but I did not belong in advance science. After the switch I made B's instead of F's.

Another thing that is positive about inclusion is children from the same family can go to the same school. No more segregating children into separate schools. Special Education is a service not a place. My younger brother is three and a half years younger than me. There weren't a lot of times we went to the same school. I did looked forward to riding the bus home with him and the neighborhood kids. There was a few years here and there when I rode the special ed bus. I hated it! I was alone by myself on a long ride because I lived in the country. I've heard bad stories about children with disabilities riding a special bus because they had to go to a special school. When there is no other eyes around to witness bad things can happen. Nothing bad happened to me but I do remember the bus aide and driver talking about unappropriated things and it gave me nightmares. Also I remember nightmares about being on a run away bus all by myself. Siblings should go to the same school and ride the same bus.

I graduated high school with a regular diploma. My IEP team knew from when I was young a regular diploma was my goal. We used the IEP once to allow for no foreign language for me and I still would earn a regular diploma. I took a year and a half of latin in high school. It was not good. Do I feel I sometimes 'cheated'? Yes. But my aide was very adamant that no shortcuts were to be taken if it could be helped. I owe her a lot. She kept my education fair as possible. In high school assignments were more heavy. Later on she told me some of my teachers came to her because they had a hard time grading me. They weren't sure how to take into account my disability and my school work. My technology wasn't that great and it cause me to be slow. So in classes like computer often the teacher had to grade me on what I had done. It was tough and I feel the same problems when it comes to employment. A boss needs things done in time to meet the bottom line. It's just a fact. Some employees with disabilities need extra time. So how does that fit in?

In high school there was no such push for me towards college. I do believe in options and choices BUT WHAT SCARES ME and what happened to me was I got placed the easiest, safest, most exercised option. I was not challenged to go to college. I was placed in a vocational training with all the other kids with a disability. The vocational rehab gave out certificates, not degrees which is what I needed to be taken seriously in job interviews. It always puzzled me as to why all this effort and resources had been put into including me in public school just to be dropped after graduation? What a colossal waste! After high school I was too busy learning the ropes of organizing my independent living and my home care to worry about college. Years later I'm still learning how to manage my home care. Why is this not taught at Woodrow Wilson Rehab (Vocational Training) or better yet in high school? Why wasn't there somebody at my high school to help me plan for managing aides for college?

I believe children eyes are opened up to knew ways of thinking when students with disabilities are included in the classroom. In 8th grade computer class I used a stick that was attached to head gear to type. I used sticky keys and mouse keys to operate the computer. The numeric pad was used as a type of compass to move the cursor and to act as a mouse. One day the boy beside me said to me, “The way you're doing it is better. You can be more precise with the drawing because with my mouse it moves all over the place.” That made me feel better, because as I said before I was slow in computer class. It never occurred to me I may have had an advantage over my non-disabled classmates. We both taught each other something that day.

To this day it's not kids attitudes that are a barrier to me, it's adult's. Society has to change its perception of disability and a big part of that is how society chooses to educate children with disabilities. The first time I was made aware of perception barriers was in 6th grade. The teachers had to choose who they thought would do the best job showing the upcoming 5th graders around the school. I was chosen from my class. Apparently one of the Guidance Counselors thought otherwise. It hurt me very much. It was my first time I was aware of a person discriminating towards me. My teacher thought I'd be the best to show them around. I was chosen for a reason. Clearly this meant nothing to the Guide Counselor. On a side note, the Guidance Counselor was African American. I never understand why a group that was once discriminated against... and still is would practice discrimination towards another group? Long story short my aide strongly advocated for me and I got to show the 5th graders around school.

I've noticed the Principals that practice inclusion don't see it have anything to do with special education. They see as a way of educating their students on a whole. No one is singled out as getting a 'modified' education. To achieve to best education for a child the teacher, special ed teacher, the parent, and student should give their all. At times it can be hard working together. People must keep a level head.

Of course every child with a disability is not going to be able to earn a regular diplomas but teachers need to push every child to their maximum. The expectations for students with disabilities need to be higher. Some of us CAN go to college. Teachers need to recognize the potential in kids with disabilities. Teachers can open up the world to an amazing future if they push and expect more from students with disabilities.

Each child with a disability's education should be individualized. What works for one child may not work for another and that's ok. I hope you realize that's the case for children without disabilities too. Long term goals should be set early on. Does the future hold college, or are learning basic independent living skills more practical? At each IEP meeting the parent should be making sure if their child is being challenged. An IEP is a work in process and should be edited regularly. Inclusion a collaboration between, student, teacher, and parent at every IEP meeting. Don't have an IEP without the student present.

T/TAC online ttaconline.org is Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Centers serving children and youth with disabilities. Every principal, assistant principal and teacher should know about T/TAC. They provide services to increase the abilities of schools, school personnel, service providers, and families to meet the needs of children and youth.

I believe the end of segregating people with disables in society starts with inclusion in school. When children grow up together perceptions about disability change. I'm proof inclusion can work. I still keep in touch with a lot of my classmates. Recently I gave public comment on inclusion to my local school board. I had the opportunity to ask my classmates what it was like being in the classroom with me. They were kind enough to allow me to read their comments to the school board.

Inclusion has provided me with lifetime friends. That's a huge gift that has made my quality of life more meaningful. Friendship and health are the two most important things many different cultures say. Average friends of "typical" adults: 150. Average number of friends for adults with disabilities: 20 (and half are family, other half are service providers) By segregating children with disabilities from their peers it's depriving them the gift of friendship.

I've seen teachers and administrators get caught up on the logistics of inclusion such as having never ending conversations about the cost. That is important but meanwhile guess who is loosing out? …. the student waiting to be educated. There is no one size fits all to inclusion. You have to jump in, be open-minded, work together, be creative to reach success.

A good example of successful inclusion is in Montgomery County Virginia's public schools.

For your homework, rent and watch the documentary “Including Samuel”. Also go to youtube and watch the clip from that documentary about Keith Jones. Kathie Snow has excellent chapter on education in her book, “Disability is Natural”

Inclusion speech at local school board meeting

Hello. It's a pleasure to be here tonight. My name's Ivy Kennedy. I live here now but grew up in Williamsburg James-City County. I was included in class with my non-disabled peers Kindergarten through 12th grade. I had an assistant write for me and handle my books in class. I graduated with a regular diploma.

I believe if you're included in school, you will stay included throughout life. Inclusion is not impossible. I am proof.

Many of my friends with disabilities have told me they were not challenged in Special Ed. To quote they were given, “Busy work”. The bar of expectation needs to be raised for students with disabilities. All children in public schools deserve a quality education. I believe by including kids with disabilities it will benefit all kids.

Schools are mirrors of our community. By not including students with disabilities you are saying it's ok to segregate. This has to end. We as a society can do better.

The disability employment rate is horrible and will remain horrible until students with disabilities are included with their peers in school.

I had lots friends in school. I'm sure that I would not have had as nearly as many of them if I had been kept in a Special Ed classroom. Friends are the most important in life if you ask me and by keeping children in Special Ed you are depriving them of that gift. Young kids are so opened minded. If you start inclusion young bonds will develop. These bonds will protect kids from bullying and build a strong community.

I realize every child is different. I believe we have the brain power to be creative so every child can be included in the classroom. In the inclusion process adults will be challenged to give their best and that effort will positively benefit every child in the school.

People with disabilities have been around since the beginning of man. It's way pass time to stop segregating them. …..and it starts with our children.

________________

on 6/21/11 I went back to the school board.

I spoke at the last meeting on my experience with inclusion. I'll read a condensed version of what a few of my peers had to say about sharing the classroom with me. I have left their comments in their entirety with the clerk.

Joseph - If it wasn't for "Inclusion", I would not have had the chance to meet and work with such a wonderful person. Ivy was not the only person that had a disability or mental challenge that I attended classes with. It is amazing how well she got along with her fellow students, what she had learned and with her disability.

Joshua - I know having you in my life has affected the way I've treated disabled folks up to this point in life, and will for the rest of my life.

Danita - You showed and continue to show me a life full of friends, activities, education! Now as a parent of a child with a disability I look at (Ivy) as an example of how full my own disabled daughter's life can be.

Katie - Having you in class was beneficial to me, in that I did not look at you as being different from my other peers, which in turn, helped to mold my opinion of disabled people that I would meet later in life. You were part of the class, while you might have had different learning obstacles than I did, so did a lot of people in class.

Shannon - As I was growing up, I've always let what people say about my differences shadow my confidence. I am so glad that Ivy and I shared a couple of classes, lunch tables and graduated together. She has shown me that no matter what our differences, we can take the opportunities we've had and make them blossom in our own way.

Brandie – Others.... mainly adults viewed her as having a disability but not us! Being friends taught me life skills that not even the best college could have taught me … to have compassion and not turn a blind eye to those with a disability.

Stephanie - Just because people are in a wheelchair or are different doesn't mean they aren't awesome people. In fact most of these folks just as Ivy taught me are way cooler and more awesome than most other folks!

Christopher - No mater how bad of a day I had, seeing Ivy smile and the way she tackled life. Always made my day better.

Bertelle - (because of Ivy) I was inspired me to go into the career field of Rec. Therapy. My favorite part of that job is showing others with disabilities that they can do anything they want if they put their mind to it, just like (Ivy) showed me.

Billy - (Her disability) was no big deal to her...always positive. That positivity transcended through me and the rest of my classmates in ways immeasurable. She essentially provided me with the social gift of equality that I now use on a daily basis as an adult.

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Mock Testimony at the Virginia State Capitol

Hello. My name is Ivy Kennedy. I live in ***. I have lived in *** all my life. Although I've been told numerous times that I look like I'm in my 20's I graduated High School in 1997. (that was supposed to be a joke) I went to K thru 12 grade with my non disabled peers. So I feel I'm a living testimony for how positive inclusion can be in school. I would also like to say after a graduated I felt like I was basically forgotten about. I was lumped in with all the other disabled kids at a vocational school were there there was no hope of earning a regular degree. You need a degree to be able to be taken seriously. If kids with disabilities are included when they're young, they'll stay included all their lives which will ultimately lead to a change in the disability employment rate.

The biggest barrier facing people with disabilities is not something you can touch. Can you guess what it is? It's people's attitude towards disability. I hope we can all agree that kids are more open minded than adults. I feel that you can't necessarily teach someone how to feel towards one another, but by teaching about the history of a group, it will lead to compassion and understanding. Virginia has a resolution designating the month of October as disability history and awareness month. Now this was made in 2009... I don't know what or if any other schools are doing anything to promote this, but I tried to get the **** School Board interested a few years ago. There is curriculum publish online for teaching disability history and awareness. Teaching this important subject is the first step to breaking stereotypes about people with disabilities.

Lastly, I'd like to share with you about something I'm sure you've heard about before. It has to do with Virginia's budget and institutions for people with disabilities. It's a fact that is cheaper to care for someone in their home. It is a fact 13 states across the country have closed their institutions for people with disabilities. It is a fact that the Olmstead Decision by the Supreme Court declared people with disabilities have the right to live in their community.

On a personal note, it makes me angry that my personal aides pay is being shared with the institutions. If there were no institutions, my aides could be paid more. That would result in me having more freedom and being able to get a job (pause) AND giving back to Virginia's economy.... because better pay would mean less turn over and better quality aides.

Thank you for listening.

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A few of my favorite parts of Kathie Snow's book Disability is Natural

I met Kathie Snow at my last Partners in Policymaking class.
When I asked her to sign my copy of her book this is what I said to her:

"Your book was validating and infuriating at the same time."
She knew exactly what I meant.
"You had to live through that didn't you?"
"Yes, and I like to read books to escape what you wrote about, not the opposite!"
We both smiled.

Her book is basically what (by my mid 20's) I got tired of trying to tell/show/prove to people.
It's not me, it's you with the problem!
you=society
I'd recommend this book to anybody. I mean everybody. I also suggest you ask your public library to order a copy, so even more people can read it.
I'd like to share a few of my favorite passages. Actually there's many parts I love, but i'll just share a some.

Snow, Kathie. Disability Is Natural: Revolutionary Common Sense for Raising Successful Children With Disabilities. Woodland Park, CO:BraveHeart Press, 2005

http://www.amazon.com/Disability-Natural-Revolutionary-Successful-Disabilities/dp/0970763662

http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/



“There have always been people with disabilities in the world and there will always be. One of every five Americans is a person with a disability. People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the United States, and it’s the only group that anyone can join at anytime—like in the split of the second of birth, in an accident or through an illness. It’s the most inclusive minority group; disability does not discriminate! People of both genders, and from any age group, ethnic background, socioeconomic level, religious faith, and sexual orientation may experience disability. And the incidence of disability is on the increase, because of advances of medical technology. Not too many years ago, premature babies often died shortly after birth. Today, they survive, but may have disabilities. Once upon a time, many children and adults died from accidental injuries or serious illness; today they live, but with a disability. And many of us will live to a ripe old age but with some type of disability. Contrary to Conventional Wisdom, it’s as natural or normal to have a disability as it is to not have one.”


“I found that there were only two categories of people that no one was willing to trade places with for a day: inmates and people with disabilities.

A brief discussion with participants reveals why they feel this way: it's not know you've committed a crime or the presence of a disability (having to use a wheelchair, for example) that makes people reluctant to trade places with those two groups of people. The overriding factor is the environment. Where and how these groups of people spend their time! So I wrap up that part of my presentation by asking conference participants to do whatever it takes – to create change – so they would be willing to trade places with an adult or a child with a disability for one day.”


“More progress has been made in disability issues in the Untied States in the last fifty years than in hundreds of previous years. We have more laws, programs, entitlements, and services than ever before. Yet individuals with disabilities are still excluded, segregated, marginalized, and devalued. How can this be? Because we can't legislate attitudes or ethical behavior.

There is no doubt that – as Ed Roberts believed – old attitudes and paternalistic authority constitute the greatest barriers facing people with disabilities, including your child and mine. Until attitudes and perceptions change, little progress will be made toward the inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of society.”


Kathie Snow quotes Joyce Rebeta-Burditt:
“Do you know what it's like to feel wrong 24-hours a day? Do you know what it's like to be disapproved of, not only for what you do and say and think, but for who you are?


I'll paraphrase the rest:
Get your child the Assistive Technology he or she needs now.
If you think your child practices enough with a walker one day they'll walk, you're wrong. If they are struggling YOU need to get over it. Your kid needs a power chair.
If you child can't talk getting a communication device will not prolong them from talking. Every human being needs to communicate.
While i understand why parents hope for a healthy baby, the way it's expressed could be sending the wrong message from the start without even realizing it. "Oh, I just want my baby to be healthy!" Of course you do, but will you love your baby any less if it has a disability? (I hope the answer is No) I'm sure I was considered a sick baby, but I turned out wonderfully. Didn't I?
The chapter on education is my favorite in the book! To sum it up, if the disability employment rate hasn't improved after all these years then the way we are educating children with disabilities is wrong. Inclusion in schools, leads to inclusion throughout life!

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