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 Through discussion and hands-on activities, students will become familiar with various types of disabilities (their positive and negative effects).
 Students will brainstorm different ways to accommodate situations in which a disability becomes a handicap.
 Students will also explore their own disability in terms of what it is, why they have it, its effects, and strategies for overcoming it.
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

 Although many students recognize that they are “different” from their peers, they cannot explain what this difference is or why it exists. Students have no comprehension of their own disability and the implications involved.
 This unit is intended to facilitate open discussion with students as to what it means to have a disability. After acquiring basic information about disabilities, it is anticipated that students begin to explore their own uniqueness so that they can better understand their academic, social, and transitional strengths and weaknesses.
 It is only after one understands his/her own disability they s/he may develop self-efficacy and feel empowered to take control of his/her own life.
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

 Students of this Northeastern Ohio middle school
Language Arts classroom include both D/HH students, as well as hearing students with learning disabilities. Both groups of students are mainstreamed in all subject areas except Language Arts (where they are taught in a selfcontained classroom). Students range from 12-13 years old; grades 7-8.
 A closer look at the students who are D/HH:
 P-Levels: P-Levels range from 4-5. Students can talk about several different things at once and are able to relate separate topics together, but are not transitioning smoothly between the topics.
 Reading: Students are in the developing literacy stage- they read at the 3-4 grade level. Among their strengths is their ability to use effective reading strategies such as rereading and asking questions.
They are also able to retell stories accurately including the main characters and
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

 events (most of the time). An area that they need improvement in though is their ability to relate English text with ASL. Although they understand both languages on a basic level, they are unable to translate English stories into ASL
(when they read a story aloud, they sign English instead of ASL- this takes the overall meaning out of the story).
 Writing: Students write primarily at level 6. Their writing is easily understood and they use a variety of sentence patterns (though the patterns are not always correct). Students have become good at including detail in their writing and are beginning to demonstrate simple story structure (beginning, problem, solution).
However, students are struggling to include appropriate transitions between topics. Their various forms of writing include many details and different pieces of knowledge, but overall the writing does not flow as smoothly as it should.
 World Knowledge: Overall, students are unaware of their disabilities. Although they recognize that they are in a “special classroom” for Language Arts, they do not necessarily understand why. In addition, students lack knowledge of what a disability is in general. Their understanding of disabilities is limited mostly to physical disabilities (those that can be seen).
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training



 Determining what a disability is and what its implications are.

 What is a disability?
• Are their different types of disabilities?
• What causes disabilities?
 How will understanding my own disability help me to achieve more in life?
• What kinds of things can I learn from my disability?
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

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 Independently, students will be able to express the meaning of “disability” through various ways
• Verbal explanation
• Pictures
• What “disability” is and what it is not
 Students will be able to explain their own disability to someone else
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training


Facet
Facet 1:
Explanation
Description
Sophisticated explanations and theories
Activity
Brainstorming Web- students contribute ideas as to what
“disability” means (types, characteristics, implications, etc)
Facet 2:
Interpretation
Facet 3:
Application
Interpretations, narratives and translations
Use knowledge in new situations and contexts
Small Group Discussion- students split into groups and discuss their interpretations of various types of disabilities.
Facet 4:
Perspective
Critical and insightful points of view
Facet 5: Empathy
Facet 6: Selfknowledge
Fall 2003
Ability to get inside another person’s feelings
Disability Stations- students took turns rotating between 5 different disability stations. Each station simulated a different disability and students were to complete various tasks.
To know one’s ignorance, prejudice, and understanding
Reflection Papers- after completing each disability station, students reflected upon the activities as they recorded their insights about each activity (how they felt before, during, and after the activity; what was hard/easy about each activity).
Transition Services Preparation & Training

Facet
Facet 1: Explanation
Outcome
100% of the students contributed at least 3 ideas to brainstorming web.
100% of the students contributed at least 5 insights about various types of disabilities to their group discussion. All groups presented their ideas to the class.
Facet 2: Interpretation
Facet 3: Application
Facet 4: Perspective
Facet 5: Empathy
Facet 6: Self-knowledge
100% of the students (except those absent) fully completed all 5 disability stations.
100% of the students completed the reflection papers
Transition Services Preparation & Training Fall 2003

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 Multiple questions related to disabilities are asked daily

 They share personal experiences with classmates and the teacher
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

Don’t Look Down:
A
Student participates in the
“Mirror Maze” activity.
This activity, which simulates dyslexia, requires students to complete a maze by only looking at the maze’s reflection in a mirror.
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training
Negotiating the
Door: Students participate in the
“Wheelchair
Challenge” activity as they attempt to wheel around the classroom with a stack of books on their lap. Each time a book falls, students must pick it up without rising out of the chair or moving their feet.

“Blindfolded Ice Cream”:
Students try eating ice cream blindfolded.
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training

Objective:
 Students will describe what they know about disabilities and what they want to learn about disabilities in the form of a KWL chart.
Procedures:
 Concept Diagram: The teacher will write the word “Disability” on the board and ask students what it means. The teacher will record all student responses on board. (“K” part of KWL Chart)
 The teacher will ask probing questions to facilitate discussion:
Fall 2003
 Students will record what they want to learn about disabilities
(“W” part of KWL chart).
 Fun Facts: The teacher will show the students three pictures of famous people. One of the celebrities will have a disability, and the other two will not. After looking at each picture, students will guess which person may have a disability. The teacher will then reveal the person who has the disability and share the celebrity’s story about their disability to the class. (This activity will happen throughout the unit at the end of each lesson).
 Can a person have a disability if they are not in a wheelchair?
 What does a person with a disability look like?
 Do you know anyone with a disability? What can/can’t they do?
Materials:




Overhead
 Large piece of bulletin board paper
Markers
Celebrity pictures
Story of celebrity with disability
 Do people with disabilities have jobs?
Transition Services Preparation & Training

Objectives:
 Students will complete the simulated station activities and the
“How I felt” chart.
Procedures:
 Five stations will be setup throughout the classroom. Each station will host a different activity simulating what it’s like to have various disabilities.
 Station #1: Learning Disability
“Z-A activity”
 Students will be instructed to write the alphabet backwards in under 45 seconds
 Station #2: Blindness
“Blindfolded ice cream”
 Students will be instructed to eat ice cream with a spoon while blindfolded
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training
 Station #3: Dyslexia “Mirror
Maze”
 Students will complete a written maze by only looking at the maze’s reflection in a mirror
 Station #4: Deafness “Stop and Go”
 Students will alternate wearing ear plugs while playing the “stop and go music game”
 Station #5: Physical Disability
“Wheelchair Challenge”
 Students will attempt to wheel around the classroom with a stack of books on their lap. Each time a book falls, the student must attempt to pick it up without rising out of the chair or moving their feet.

Procedures (cont.):
 After being divided into groups, students will rotate around the stations and complete each activity.
 After each activity, the students will reflect upon their experiences by filling out the “How I felt” chart
(specifically, students will complete the following statements:
" The most frustrating thing about this activity was…” and “The easiest thing about this activity was…” )
 Students will share their reflections with the class and engage in open discussion.
 Students will revisit their KWL charts by writing what they have learned about disabilities so far.
(The first part of “L” part of the
KWL chart)
Fall 2003
 The Teacher will end the lesson by presenting students with the day’s
“Fun Facts”.
Materials:
 “How I felt” handouts
 KWL chart from previous day
 Timer (for Z-A activity)
 Blindfolds
 Ice cream
 Bowls
 Spoons
 Maze handouts
 Mirror
 Radio
 Earplugs (cotton)
 Celebrity pictures
 Story of celebrity with disability
 1-2 Wheelchairs
 Stack of books from classroom
Transition Services Preparation & Training

Objective:
 Students will complete a checklist form (“What do you think?”) by independently making predictions based on prior knowledge, determining if their predictions are correct, and comparing their overall findings.
Procedures:
 A series of about 16 pictures will be posted in the front of the classroom on the board. Each card will have a picture of a random person who either has or does not have a disability.
 The teacher will begin by telling students that some of the people on the cards have disabilities and some do not. Their task will be to go through each card and guess if the person in the picture has a disability or not. After making their guess, students will flip the card over and see if they were right.
The backs of the cards will either say “yes” or “no”.
Fall 2003
 For the cards that say “yes”, students will read a short narrative about the person. Each narrative will briefly describe the person’s disability and their experiences related to it.
 During the activity, students will have a checklist handout (“What do you think?”) that they will use

 to record their guesses and findings on.
After students have completed the activity, the teacher will facilitate class discussion about their reactions to their findings.
Finally, students will be instructed to think about which person from the cards they most relate to and why. Students will use this information the following day to write short narratives describing how they relate to the person they chose and why.
Materials:
 16 pictures
 “What do you think?” checklist
Transition Services Preparation & Training

Objective:
 Students will compose a one-page narrative comparing how they relate to the person they chose
(from previous day). Students will follow the guidelines on a provided rubric.
Procedures:
 Students will complete a Venn diagram to brainstorm the similarities and differences between themselves and the person they chose from the day before.
 Students will use the Venn diagram to help guide them in writing a one-page narrative describing how their chosen disability relates/does not relate to their life.
Fall 2003
 During writing workshop, students will exchange papers and use appropriate editing marks to correct errors.
 After the papers are completed
(typed and printed), students will divide into small groups and will share and discuss their papers with each other.
Materials:
 Venn diagram handouts
 Picture cards (from day before)
 Editing marks transparency
(displayed on overhead)
 Writing paper
 “How I Relate” Rubric
Transition Services Preparation & Training

Directions: First, look at each picture on the board and guess if you think the person in the picture has a disability or not. Mark either “Yes” or “No” in the boxes below. Next, read each card to find out if your guess was correct. Now mark whether your guess was right or wrong by marking either “Yes” or “No” in the boxes below. Finally, in the “Your reaction” box, explain why you thought the person either had or did not have a disability.
Picture
#
Your guess
(Yes or No)
Were you right? (Yes or No)
Your reaction
3.
4.
1.
2.
5.
Fall 2003 Transition Services Preparation & Training