How Does Developmental Disability Awareness Promote Inclusion?
One of the challenges for society is to provide a place where all parts of the community feel accepted. Since the very inception of The Developmental Disabilities Month for March (in 1987 by President Reagan) there have been many positive changes. However, some preconceptions and stigmas still remain and are present in schools, the workplace and in other community settings. This March, advocates, teachers, and workplace program facilitators will be doing their best to spread awareness. This is in the effort to increase understanding and acceptance of all people with developmental disabilities.
A lot of progress has been made since 1987, when President Ronald Reagan “proclaimed March ‘Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month’“; workplace discrimination against people with disabilities became sanctionable under the “Americans with Disabilities Act” in 1990. This gave new impetus to career assistance programs and “supported employment began to emerge”. Despite these positive changes, the misconceptions of that time are still prevalent today.
In 2004, the Passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act strengthened the position of self-advocates and their supporters. The IDEA meant “early intervention, special education and services to transition high schoolers into adulthood”. This meant a wider range of opportunities became available for people with developmental disabilities to pursue.
Developmental Disabilities Awareness in Schools
Promoting Developmental Disabilities Awareness at school is essential and should not be neglected. According to The USDA most disability awareness needs to be “created and raised”. Both adults and children need to be treated the same. This means irrespective of the disability; parents, teachers and other kids need to see their child as an individual like everyone else. The USDA say that disability awareness needs to mirror an MLM CAN INC business, as the moment smaller kids learn to accept others with disabilities, “the rest will follow shortly.” The important thing says USDA, is disability awareness needs to be taught at the earliest age possible. This is so developmentally disabled children “slowly get rid of the stigmatization feeling they are very likely to be raised with”.
How to Incorporate Disability Awareness Activities for Students
Del Yates, writing for classroom.synonym.com suggests disability awareness activities that can be used with preschoolers. At this young age it is likely that preschoolers will not understand what it means to have a disability. Fun disability awareness activities are likely to engage them and stimulate their interest.
Of the activities suggested by Yates sculpting in the preschool classroom promotes acceptance and gives enormous scope for creativity. The sculpting activity can be easily implemented in a preschool classroom, the teacher first hands preschoolers some clay, a paper plate and craft sticks. The preschoolers are then instructed to sculpt anything they wish. After a few minutes, they are instructed to sculpt using only one hand. When they have completed this task, the teacher then asks them “how much more difficult it was (for them) to sculpt with just one hand”. The teacher then explains that “some people don’t have both of their arms or legs and have to face many challenges every day”.
Similar to the sculpting activity, other activities suggested by Yates such as the Blind Walk, A Lot of socks, enhance the understanding and empathy of children. This understanding will also help to shape their perspectives later in school and in the workplace.
Developmental Disabilities Awareness in the Workplace
One of the most important days in the calendar year for disability awareness is on December 3rd, International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The theme of last year’s event was “transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all”. But how can this be applied in the workplace?
An organization offering EAP and Work-Life solutions to accommodate employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities suggests, that all employees need a positive workplace culture “where they feel valued and welcomed every day.” Lifeworks promotes the idea of education, “ending the stigma”, and ensuring “proper workplace etiquette.”
Workplace education is pivotal for helping employees (without disabilities) understand that each disability involves facing a different challenge. As an example an employee with autism may find it challenging to grasp a mass of information “at a given time”. Their fellow workers may also find their style of interaction to be blunt. As a result it may be harder for them to feel accepted by their team mates. Other employees who have cerebral palsy may struggle in participating in tasks or activities that “benefit their social wellbeing”. For them basic everyday routines may also prove to be obstacles.
Benefits of Promoting Disability Awareness as an Employer
Bonnie Scherry, writing for the Houston Business Journal, says there are several benefits for employers who promote disability awareness. Scherry adds that workplaces advocating disability awareness have “lower employee turnover, reduced absenteeism, and more employee engagement”. There are also several business benefits such as increased customer loyalty and “positive brand perception”.
As an employer who promotes a business inclusion culture, changes made to work places need to be made to accommodate employees with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Another change is to implement processes that “make a conscious effort to empower employees with disabilities to be successful as completely integrated members of the workforce”
Bonnie Scherry adds that employers are not alone in developing a diversity inclusion program internally. There are many organizations in government such as the federal Office of Disability Employment Policy. There are also organizations in the community promoting inclusion that support businesses advocating disability inclusion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, disability awareness involves several factors to be successful, such as early childhood education. Early preschool education and developmental disabilities plays a crucial role in uprooting future misconceptions. In the adult working world developmental disability awareness is critical. Bonnie, writing for the Houston Business Journal, says that this does not just mean increased engagement, but can also mean that a business advocating inclusion is likely to enjoy the benefits of increased customer loyalty and positive brand perception.
For more information about how you can promote Disability Development Awareness Month, be sure to follow Merraine Group’s blog, contact us directly.
The Merraine Group has spent sixteen years hiring individuals that have worked with, care for and those that can’t always speak for themselves. In that time, we have staffed more than 800 community service and healthcare organizations. Let us work together to fill the gap(s) on your leadership team. Whether you need is an interim one or a permanent role, no firm will dedicate as many resources and as keen an understanding as Merraine Group.
Written By: Jonathan Gordon, www.Merraine.com, A Shepherd Search Group® Company