Possibilities
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- Disability is Natural
- By the Numbers ... in the Disability Resource Library
- Education & Training Events
- Quotation
Disability is Natural
“All I can say is WOW. I KNEW a few minutes with Kathie Snow would change anyone who heard her.”
This quote from Waterloo parent Leah Morrison illustrates the profound impact which parent consultant Kathie Snow had on her audience during a two-day training held in Cedar Falls December 1 and 2. Over 100 individuals attended the training which was co-sponsored by the Iowa Governor’s DD Council, Inclusion Connection, Area Education Agency 267, Exceptional Persons, Inc., and Self-Advocacy and Leadership for Youth with Disabilities (SALYD).
When Kathie defined disability as “a body part which works differently,” a light bulb came on. We had permission to stop assigning negative values to disability, and to start thinking of ways to fix the environment. We were therefore eager to accept her challenge to think with our hearts and minds, rather than our heads and brains.
As the weekend unfolded, participants embraced Kathie’s revolutionary way of thinking. They enthusiastically accepted her idea of going beyond the “realistic expectations” which medical and educational personnel set for children with disabilities. Kathie’s assertion that labeling is a form of identity theft which robs children with disabilities of the chance to define themselves received high praise. As we “deconstructed” disability, we chanted, “Disability is nothing more than a medical diagnosis.”
Despite a 6 AM Friday morning flight and a three-hour presentation which did not allow time for dinner, Kathie was in no hurry to call it a day. She spent an extra hour encouraging and counseling family members, sincerely telling them that she wanted them to keep in touch. After a six-hour seminar on Saturday, she still hadn’t had enough, insisting on meeting with UNI doctoral students for “as long as you want me.” Two hours later, we had to drag her away so that she could enjoy a relaxing dinner before her return trip to Colorado.
Kathie’s passion for advocacy is infectious. “We still have a lot of work to do,” said Inclusion Connection’s Norma Leibold. “And I’ll be an advocate for persons with disabilities for the rest of my life.”
By the Numbers ... in the Disability Resource Library
What’s Two + Three? One Family, One Developmental Disability, One Motivating Story, a film by Peter Hawley.
Windy Cine Productions, ©2004.
#1873, [DVD], 27 min.
Peter Hawley attempts to reconcile his feelings for his adult sister, Mary Beth, who “seems to have stopped at the 2nd grade,” with the young woman he witnesses competing in the Special Olympics World Games, leading her own life, and expressing her dreams. Filmed on location at the World Games in Dublin, and in Mary Beth’s hometown, Davenport, Iowa.
Sound and Fury: 6 Years Later, produced and directed by Josh Aronson.
Aronson Film, ©2006.
#2828, [DVD], 29 min.
When Heather Artinian received cochlear implants at age 9, it marked a sea change for her entire family. Watch Heather blossom in the hearing world, even as her roots remain firmly planted in deaf culture.
The Incremental Injury: Living Day by Day with a Brain Injury, by Laura Napier.
Aquarius Health Care Media, ©2004.
#2775, [DVD], 52 min.
Laura Napier, brain injury survivor, filmed this story at various stages in her recovery. Her insights will help patients, families, and caregivers face the challenges of living with brain damage.
Eight Easy Ways to Lose a Job . . . and How to Head in the Right Direction, produced by Dan Hall.
JIST Works, ©2003.
#1360, [DVD], 20 min.
This popular training tool for youth in transition to employment highlights the most common mistakes made in the workforce, and how to avoid the pitfalls.
Safe and Strong I: Safety in the Community: Personal Safety Strategies for People with Developmental Disabilities, Portland Bureau of Police.
Aquarius Health Care Media, ©2004.
#1432, [DVD], 27 min
Provides real life personal safety strategies, demonstrating how teens and adults with developmental disabilities can recognize, react to, and in some cases prevent criminal abuse. Includes scenarios at ATMs, public restrooms, shopping centers, and on public transit.
Safe and Strong II: Sexual Assault Victim/Witness: What to Do/What to Expect, Portland Bureau of Police.
Aquarius Health Care Media, ©2004.
#2738, [DVD], 37 min.
True to life reenactment of physical assault from the initial shock of the act, reporting the act, law enforcement and medical forensic interviews, meeting with a victim advocate, and going to trial. Also available in Spanish: Fuertes y Fuera de Peligro II: Victimas y Testigos de Agresiones Sexuales.
Ten Days to a Less Defiant Child: The Breakthrough Program for Overcoming your Child’s Difficult Behavior, Jeffrey Bernstein.
Marlowe & Co., ©2006.
#3671, [Book], 287 p.
Strategies to significantly reduce your child’s level of defiance through positive parenting.
All Disability Resource Library services are free to people with disabilities in the Center for Disabilities and Development service area and to members of their families. Other individuals and community service providers are asked to pay a per item fee to borrow materials, or they may purchase an annual subscription. There is no charge to anyone for assistance with finding information. To contact the Disability Resource Library at the Center for Disabilities and Development, phone 800-272-7713, email disability-library@uiowa.edu, or visit on the web at http://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/cdd/multiple/drl/drl.asp.
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Education & Training Events
2007 Careers Conference
January 29-31, Marriott Madison West, Madison, Wisconsin
This 21st annual conference is designed to serve all practitioners concerned with career development and education for work. Presents learning opportunities at all levels, from a basic introduction to keeping current with the very latest practices. For more information, see: www.cew.wisc.edu/careers_conference/2007/conference_overview/.
Discovering the Possibilities with Visual Strategies
February 2, 8:00-4:00, Holiday Inn Select, St. Peters/St. Charles, Missouri
This seminar, presented by Linda Hodgdon, will introduce visual strategies to improve communication, behavior and social skills in children and youth with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. For more information, see: www.quirkroberts.com/tour/ for full information , or e-mail tour@quirkroberts.com.
Brain Injury Association of Iowa Advocacy Day on the Hill 2007
February 13, 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Iowa State Capitol 1st Floor Rotunda, West Wing, Des Moines
The day will begin with an overview of relevant legislation impacting people with brain injury and their families, to be followed by meetings with Iowa legislators. RSVP to: info@biaia.org.
Annual Parent Educator Connection Conference (Ames)
February 26-27, Scheman Center, Ames
Training sessions and learning opportunities will focus on children with special needs, birth to five years of age. Limited scholarships available. For more information, call Linda: 1-800-332-8488, ext. 6746.
2007 Disability Policy Seminar
March 4-6, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington D.C.
Co-sponsored by Federal disability policy organizations, this gathering will focus on preserving and strengthening services important to persons with disabilities. A visit to Capitol hill is included. For more information, see: www.aucd.org.
15th Annual Best Practices in Brain Injury Conference
March 15-16, Hotel Fort Des Moines, downtown Des Moines
This conference will feature Dr. Ronald Savage, Pediatric BI specialist; the lessons of 25 years of cognitive therapy from Dr. Rick Parente; the new Iowa Brain Injury Services Program, and much more. For more information, watch the Brain Injury Association of Iowa website: www.biausa.org/Iowa/.
Advocating Change Day 2007
April 4, Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines
Your chance to join disability advocates in learning about key issues and expressing your views to legislators! Sponsored by the Iowa Governor’s DD council and ID Action. For more information or to sign up for a biweekly Iowa legislative update, see www.idaction.org or call 866-432-2846.
Autism Society of Iowa Spring Conference
April 20, Registration material will be available February 2007
This year’s presenter is Kari Dunn, speaking on the topic of Social Cognition and Challenging Behavior. For updates see: www.autismia.org/events/index.htm.
For more conference and training opportunities, see the Disability Training calendar.
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“The best way to predict your future is to create it”
- Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee
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How to get in touch with Possibilities:
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MAIL: Center for Disabilities and Development
100 Hawkins Dr. Rm. 140
Iowa City IA 52242-1011
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PHONE: 319-353-6448
EMAIL: michael-hoenig@uiowa.edu
FAX: 319-356-8284
POSSIBILITIES is funded in part through a grant from the Iowa Department of Human Services to support the activities of the Iowa Training Consortium. Possibilities is designed by Loretta Popp.
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- Calendar
- Possibilities articles and news November 2003 (this page)
- Possibilities index
- Organizations by and for persons with disabilities
- World Wide Web Resources in Iowa and worldwide
- Comments and suggestions
To contact Disability Training
- Mail Office of Community Education, Center for Disabilities and Development, 100 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City IA 52242-1011
- Email information@DisabilityTraining.org
- Fax 319-356-8284
- Phone 319-353-6448
Center for Disabilities and Development
Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Disabilities
University of Iowa Health Care
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1011