An Interview with Patricia Wright: Free Curriculum Materials

Michael F. Shaughnessy - August 4, 2009
Senior Columnist EducationNews.org
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, New Mexico 

1) Patricia, I understand that the Easter Seals has just updated one of your award winning programs. Could you tell us a bit about it?

Easter Seals, with support from long-time partner Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, has recently updated the award winning disability awareness curriculum Friends Who Care.  Friends Who Care is designed to help children better understand what it means and how it feels to be a young person with a disability. This educational program gives students the opportunity to learn what is involved when someone has a disability and how they adapt to live life, go to school, or work as independently as possible.

2) What specific exceptionalities, or handicaps or disabilities are covered?

The curriculum explores a range of disabilities and includes specially crafted learning activities, hands-on exercises, guided discussions and guest speaker guidelines. It starts with an introduction to disability, and looks at vision, hearing, and physical disabilities attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and intellectual disabilities.

3) I know that there are 50 states and that terms vary across this great nation of ours. What seems to be the generally accepted term- exceptionality, disability or handicap? Which do you prefer?

Easter Seals prefers the term disability.  Easter Seals emphasizes the person, not the disability or condition. Ergo you will see person first language (e.g. person with a disability, student with autism, individual with a visual impairment) in the Friends Who Care curriculum and in any other material created by Easter Seals. You may find our tips for Portraying People with Disabilities in the Media (http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_disability_media) informative.

4) Why do you personally see it as important that parents and teachers become sensitive to children and adolescents with exceptionalities?

It is important that teachers and parents educate children about their peers with disabilities and foster greater inclusion in our classrooms and on our playgrounds. When students increase their understanding of what it means to live with a disability, they are more inclusive of their classmates with disabilities. Our hope is that children quickly realize "hey, kids with disabilities can be my friends too."

5) Patricia, it often seems to me that parents, and teachers, especially, are VERY sensitive to the needs of children with handicaps, but often, principals and other educational leaders do not seem to understand the problems that children with learning disabilities have, the difficulties kids with attention deficit disorder have, the exasperation that kids with head injury feel and the frustrations that children with mental retardation experience. Am I preaching to the choir here or what has been your experience?

There are still many attitudinal barriers that people with disabilities face as they become involved in their communities.  We want to increase awareness of the needs of children and adults with disabilities.

Curriculum like Friends Who Care will help educate not only children, but also teachers, administrators, and school boards.

6) How can teachers can a copy of this free curriculum?

The fun and colorful components can all be downloaded separately for use at home or in the classroom at www.easterseals.com/friendswhocare.

7) What types of ancillary materials are available?

The materials include a teacher's guide, activity sheets, a poster, bookmarks, and online videos.

8) Do you have a web site where people can get more information?

Yes, you can learn more about Friends Who Care at www.easterseals.com/friendswhocare or Easter Seals at www.easterseals.com.

9) What have I neglected to ask ?

Let me tell you a little more about Easter Seals.  Easter Seals is a leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. For 90 years, Easter Seals has been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play.