The Connecting Point Volume 1 Issue   16
 Nov 14, 2003 08:29 PST 

In This ISSUE:
1) Disability Etiquette
2) Disabled and Proud
3) Disability is Natural
4) National Disabled Student Union
5) Alternative Disability Awareness Activities
6) Disability Sensitivity Training, On the Net

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1) Disability Etiquette
Sometimes service people are unsure about how to interact with a person with a disability when meeting them initially. A good place to start is by practicing basic customer service skills--a friendly greeting, a welcoming environment, a helpful attitude--which all customers want. In addition, following the guidelines in this article can help ensure that interactions with customers with disabilities are respectful.
http://www.onestops.info/article.php?article_id=106

2) Disabled and Proud
Sarah Triano hopes to "change the way people think about disability, break down the internalized shame among people with disabilities, and promote the belief in society that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity that disabled people can take pride in." Triano, the site's creator, is a founder of the National Disabled Students Union and a 2002 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award Recipients from the American Association of People with Disabilities.
The creation of the website was supported by her award. She directs Y.I.E.L.D. the Power to the Youth, at Access Living in Chicago.
http://www.disabledandproud.com

3) Disability is Natural -
Similar work aimed at parents of children with disabilities, is being done by Kathie Snow at her website "Disability is Natural," online at http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/ Within this web-site are a number of newsletter articles that are wonderful reproducible handouts and
teaching tools. http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/articles/revolutionary_common_sense.htm

4) National Disabled Students Union
Information on the National Disabled Students Union can be found at http://www.disabledstudents.org/ Information to empower students with disabilities, events planning with media packets and share information through a student to student list serve.

5) Alternative Disability Awareness Activities
Ragged Edge online has just posted the cover story from its Sept/Oct 2003 print edition. "Awareness Days: Some Alternatives to Simulation Exercises" offers suggestions for more accurate awareness day exercises. The article looks at exercises that make a more societal-based impact and is available at http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/0903/0903ft1.html

6) Disability Sensitivity Training, On the Net
A free online course is available to help business leaders, employees and others learn how to interact comfortably with people who have disabilities. The Web-based course is a joint effort by the Governor's Council for Developmental Disabilities, which is part of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, and the Georgia Disability Advocate Consulting Group, Inc., a private firm that conducts seminars for businesses. For more information about the course go to http://www.disabilitylearningservices.com/pages/1/index.htm
(Note: if this link does not work try it again and it should.)

Information Source: Reference Points & Disability is Natural web site.

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