Local Special Education Committee - My Disability History Presentation

This is a speech I gave to a local Special Education Committee
(I also mailed a copy to all the area High School Assistant Principal and/or History Department Heads)


Virginia has a resolution designating the month of October as Disability History and Awareness Month. 
I’m here to seek your help in gathering all students for my Disability History presentation. It’s about 30 minutes long. It’s a powerpoint. I also have on DVD.


I know this need to be an inclusive event. I have a few suggestions on how to do this:

- Work with history teachers to make coming to the presentation extra credit.

- Have a $20 gift card raffle, Best Buy OR movies. I will provide the gift card.

- Investigate how the ****** SEAC can advertise it to all students.
Maybe in morning PA announcement? 

Disability 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.
Teaching Disability History to all students will promote inclusion and improve disability employment rates.

Thank you for your time.



UPDATE:  10/3/14 
I did receive a tiny bit of interest from the SE Committee in the form of emails, but I was not invited to give my presentation. I heard from a source they did recommend it to the school board without the gift card suggestion.
Thanks to a Partners in Policymaking connection, I'll be presenting to two classes at a local elementary. Click here to read how it went.


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