School Programs:
Curriculum and Implementation

The Institute’s award-winning curriculum combines interactive learning, an emphasis on understanding and respect, and administrative flexibility.

"It's about creating that 'aha! moment' when you see the person and not the disability."

Carol Kanin
President, Understanding Our Differences

Curriculum
Each of the units provides targeted information and experiential learning activities for one disability topic.

Current units:

• Blindness and Visual Impairment
• Chronic Medical Conditions of Asthma, Diabetes and Epilepsy
• Deafness and Hard of Hearing
• Developmental Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities
• Physical Disabilities

Units under development:

• Autism
• Life-Threatening Allergies
• Mental Health Conditions

The curriculum emphasizes that every person is unique, that information about differences lessens discomfort, and that by bringing our shared human characteristics to light, we can counter attitudes that divide our communities.

Components
Every unit is designed to provide information, experience, and personal contact with someone who has a disability, along with opportunities for discussion and integration into the core curriculum.

Information
The lead facilitator presents an introduction to the topic.

Experience
Students engage in hands-on activities that are designed to elicit new insights. The activities suggest the challenges of the disability, explain adaptive strategies, and encourage thoughtful consideration of differences. Small groups rotate among activity stations, where facilitators guide each experience with focused discussion.

Speaker
A speaker who lives with the disability addresses the group about his or her experiences, and answers questions.

Integration
Educators can choose to offer innovative and creative follow-up activities that integrate the program’s key concepts into the core curriculum. The Institute can advise on lesson plans for:

• Reading and Literature
• Social Studies
• Foreign Language
• Math
• Science
• Writing
• Art
• Music
• Drama
• Physical Education
• Community Service Programs
  

Implementation
The curriculum is highly adaptable to the needs of a particular district, school, or classroom.

For many schools, the significant participation of parent volunteers is especially rewarding. Teachers, staff, parents and other community members can all become trained facilitators for one or more units.

Things to consider:

Grade Level
The six current units are appropriate for grades 3-12. Additional units and activities for grades K-2 are under development.

Scheduling
Units can be scheduled to accommodate the needs of the school or school district. Some examples:

School A teaches 6 units, all in Grade 4, scheduled 3 hours every month for 6 months.

School B teaches 2 units each in Grades 3, 4, and 5; one unit in the fall and one in the spring.

School District C teaches one unit each in Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10. 11th and 12th graders are offered the opportunity to become trained volunteer facilitators for the younger grades.

Facilitation
The Disability Awareness Institute trains an initial group of facilitators: teachers, staff, college students, parents or community volunteers. They in turn are able to train others in your community. A user-friendly, step-by-step curriculum guide helps facilitators implement the program.

Once the program is underway, the Institute is available to provide ongoing support, consultation, and additional training as needed.

Equipment
Equipment kits for each unit are available for a nominal rental fee.