Disability Awareness

Creature Discomforts is a new site by Leonard Cheshire Disability in the UK which supports and advocates for individuals with disabilities in the UK and around the world. The site features animations that use the real voices and words of those with disabilities as well as games, e-cards, quizzes and screensavers to teach people about disabilities. The games should work on an interactive white board or touch screen or with a mouse emulator such as a joy stick or head tracker. The Flyzz game comes in sight based or audio version and the Tim game works the best of all the games with a single switch (I spent quite a bit of time playing it with a single switch myself).

McDonald's

Today during community based education one of my students decided not to get off the bus at McDonald's. This was likely due to a lack of explanation on my part as McDonald's is a favorite place. We typically make only two stops in the community and McDonald's was a third, surprise stop because we had a little extra time (although only enough extra time for take out). This student needs to know the schedule and routine to be able to cope well. Thus when my question, "Do you want to go into McDonald's?" was met with a firm, "No!" I let it go, "That's fine. We can wait on the bus."

So we waited. About ten minutes passed (apparently there was a line) and the student began saying, "Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!..."

I again asked, "Hi. Do you want to go into McDonald's?" This time the non-verbal "yes" was apparent from the sheer joy and excitement on the her face.

We headed inside and while in line practiced ordering on the Dynavox. The student was literally jumping up and down by the time we were asked, "May I take your order?"

Click - "I would like a chicken sandwich please?"
"Really?" I asked, raising my eyebrows, since a chicken sandwich has never come up in practicing.
Click - "I want a hamburger please."
Click - "I want chicken nuggets."
Click - "Could I please have a cheeseburger?"
"Hold on," I said, "pick one thing."
Click - "I want a hamburger please."
"You sure?" I asked.
Click - "I want a hamburger please."
The clerk looked at me and I nodded. "Do you want anything else?"
Click - "I would like onion rings instead of fries."
"Sorry, buddy, you can't get onion rings here," I said.
Click - "May I have a small order of fries?"
The clerk glanced at me again and I nodded slightly.
Click - "I want milk instead of soda."
"Sorry, buddy, we have plenty of milk at school for you."
Click - "I want a medium diet coke."
I laughed. "And you have three half full diet cokes in the fridge in the classroom!"
The clerk smiles and asks if we just want a hamburger and small fries. I nod and assist my student in handing over some cash. My student jumps up and down a few times and grins.

Then the clerk says, "I have never seen anything like that before. That is how she talks?"
"Yes." I answer.
"She can hear, but she can't talk?" the clerk asks handing her the food and change.
"Yes, she uses that to talk, but just like you and me she doesn't always know what she wants to say." I reply.
Click - "going to hello and goodbye page"
Click - "See you later."

Sometimes McDonald's food is more important than disability awareness at McDonald's.

Black Armbands and Ribbons with Hearts

CAN Do, a group that works towards abuse prevention and intervention for people with disabilities posted a notice today calling for people to wear black armbands in memory of Brent Martin. Brent Martin was a man with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities who was murdered for sport in Britain by a gang of teenage boys who wagered they could know him down with one punch and then proceeded to chase, corner and assault him. The trial of his murderers continues.



Another trial continues here in the USA, Katie McCarron's non-custodial mother is on trial for suffocating her with a plastic. Katie McCarron was a three year old who had autism. Autism Vox has been covering the McCarron trial and reports that pink ribbons with hearts are being distributed in memory of Katie.

Such murders are nothing new, for example there was the 1993 murder of 12 year old Tracy Latimer which created an international uproar.

Those Looks

by Stacey Ahern

Over and over
Everyday
I see it.
I see those looks
Like I disappoint them
I see it in their eyes.
They think I’m weird, strange.
I know I am.
I want to apologize.
I don’t want to be like this.
When I came to it was there.
No it wasn’t. I worked for it
Like a fish born into a pond
But forced to swim in the sea.
To be like this though?
To be stared at?
Like that fish floundering
On land.
Treated like I have
A contagious disease?
I don’t though and
They’re not bad people
By the way.
Just listen. Listen to
What we have to say.
Try to hear.
Hear through
Your own glare.
We might be okay.

Stacey Ahern is entering her senior year at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY. She is a member of SLC's disability action group, Beyond Compliance. This poem is printed in their zine. She is a writer and an activist, who lives with brain injury. She is also my little sister and I am so proud of her.