ADA -20 years

Thanks to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 20 years ago, we have made great strides in the areas of employment, public entities and accessibility for people with disabilities. There is still a need to help children with disabilities have more participation in daily activities with their peers. Allowing children to participate more can prevent feeling of isolation and also teach all children valuable skills for employment and social activities. Participation in sports is a wonderful opportunity to help build confidence. Two organizations that are particularly helpful are the Special Olympics organization(www.specialolympics.org) and the National Disability Sports Alliance (www.blazesports.org).

Children's Literature

Teaching peace, compassion and respect ensure that we are all able to work with others and respect differences and create change. We can promote this at home and in school by reading some of the excellent children's literature that is available. One author who captures the human spirit is Patricia Polacco. As a teacher and as the director of It's OK, I have read many of Polacco's books. One of my favorite's is Chicken Sunday. This story is about friendship that crosses cultures, religion and age. It emphasizes the importance of trust, love and acceptance. I highly recommend all of Patricia Polacco's books.

Foster Understanding with Good Books

Teaching peace, compassion and respect ensures that we are able to work with others, understand and respect differences and create change. We can promote this at home and in school by reading some of the exceptional children's literature that is available. An author who captures the human spirit is Patricia Polacco.

Just Say Something!

The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities has a new blog to help make positive changes in the community. They encourage people to write about what they think is Right and what they think is Wrong. The council has also had an active campaign to eliminate the R word, as I wrote in a previous blog entry. I encourage everyone to check out the council's blog:http:www.facebook.com/JustSaySomething and also to stop using the words "retard" and "retarded." Thank you.