Joanne R. Pompano
Grades: 9-12
Length of Unit: 10-12 weeks
Overview: Students will create a news magazine on disability issues
Subjects: Civil Rights, Civics, Language, Social Studies, Resource/ Disabled, English
Goal: Students will create a magazine dealing with the problems and concerns facing persons with disabilities. The articles will include current topics as well as providing a historical perceptive of disability rights. In addition, the magazine will include articles on the Disability Rights Movement to assist readers in understanding the long, hard-fought battles that lead up to the passage of the American with Disabilities Act.
Content Objectives:
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· Students will be able to verbalize information on important events, court cases, and legislation in the Disability Rights Movement
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· Students will be able to become familiar with issues faced by individuals with disabilities in the present and past
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· Students will be able to write about a selected topic in the Disability Rights Movement.
Language Objectives:
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· Students will be able to develop and use questions for interviewing
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· Students will be able to write and edit articles for a news magazine on a selected topic.
Materials: Computer access with JAWS software (to verbalize text on screen), OpenBook software (to scan articles), ZoomText software (to enlarge text), Duxbury (to translate Braille), Talking Typer, NoteTakers (portable Braille notetaker), tape recorders, and magnifiers.
Procedure
The editorial staff will outline the stories and features for the each of three issues. They will assign stories to staff members and set deadlines for articles. Suggested topics will include:
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1. Interviewing a person who was disabled prior to the enactment of the ADA
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2. Book review on books written by or about individuals with disabilities such as The Disability Rights Movement: From Charity to Confrontation by Doris Zames Fleischer and Frieda Zames
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3. Community news concerning disability issues
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4. Editorials on issues that need attention
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5. Individuals or issues in the national or international news
Examples:
Feature Story: Students will tour their school and other places in their community to take an inventory of areas or situations that might present problems for individuals with disabilities. They will look for situations such as wheelchair accessibility, large print or Braille signs, etc.
Feature Story: Reporters will interview students, faculty, and community members that have handicapping conditions. They will investigate what problems or concerns people with disabilities encounter in the community. They will find out how the ADA helped this individual and how their life changed after passage of this act.
Evaluation / Assessment: Students will be evaluated based on participation in activities and completing their written assignments. Teachers will evaluate interviewing skills, research skills, preparation, and writing and editing skills.
