Skip to Main Content

Diversity Guide

Resources to promote awareness of and conversation about different kinds of diversity.

Films

Four decades ago, Judith Heumann helped to lead a groundbreaking protest called the Section 504 sit-in—in which disabled-rights activists occupied a federal building for almost a month, demanding greater accessibility for all. In this personal, inspiring talk, Heumann tells the stories behind the protest—and reminds us that, 40 years on, there's still work left to do.

Utilizing the principles of Universal Design for Learning, this program takes viewers into classrooms where low- to mid-tech AT solutions are helping students with disabilities to become confident, independent learners. The video covers auditory process supports (interactive whiteboards, Inspiration software, and FM Classroom Amplification systems); fine-motor and writing supports (AlphaSmart, MathPad Plus, UltraKey, Franklin Spellers, Ginger Software, and Livescribe’s Pulse Smartpen); and reading supports (WYNN software, TestTalker, Kurzweil 3000, Bookshare, the WizCom Reading Pen, and materials from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic). 

 

What does it mean to be disabled and how does it shape an artist’s work? This documentary explores what is known as the disability art movement, following five artists—including a painter, a writer, an actor, a theater director, and a filmmaker, all of whom happen to have physical disabilities—through their creative work. Intense group discussions of artistic and personal goals are also recorded. Dispelling the myth of tragic disability, the film depicts its subjects as, first and foremost, creative people. The result is a profound look at, and celebration of, the act of making art—viewed through the lens of disability and the rejection of its stereotypes.

People with disabilities are often regarded only in terms of what they can’t do, not what they can. This program looks at a variety of individuals with different disabilities who not only participate in their work and community but thrive because they were given an opportunity. Numerous personal examples show the practical as well as psychological importance of employment. Social workers, special education teachers, employers, and those challenged by ailment or accident discuss society’s conventionalized perceptions and how people with disabilities, when given the chance, rise up to their maximum potential.

Although more and more people with disabilities are entering the mainstream of life, the quest for meaningful integration has never been an easy one in America. After discussing the history of institutionalization, this program uses interviews to come to grips with a wide range of disabilities, celebrating the progress being made toward total cultural equality while acknowledging that more still needs to be done to fully bring it about.