Independent Living Lesson Plan
Activity I: “Disability History: The Untold Story”
Objective: Youth will learn about the independent living and disability rights movements, and will understand how current laws support the rights of people with disabilities.
Suggested time frame: 60 minutes
Format: Large group
Materials needed:
· “Disability History” powerpoint presentation
· “Disability History presentation - slide talking points” Word document
· Computer and projector (If you don’t have this available, you can hand out copies of the powerpoint)
Vocabulary/terms:
· Disability Rights and Independent Living Movements: See “Disability History Overview” article available for download under “Suggested Facilitator Preparatory Reading”.
Suggested Facilitator Preparatory Activities:
· Read “Disability Rights and Independent Living Movements” article by the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL).
· Read “Disability History: An Important Part of America’s Heritage” article by the Office of Disability Employment Policy
· Read “Disability as a Civil Rights Movement and Cultural Identity” article
· Review the “Disability History” powerpoint and talking points for the presenter (included in the “Notes” section underneath each slide and as a separate Word document).
Creating Context: We have heard about the histories of other cultural groups, including the African American Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Movement, but what about the Disability Rights Movement? Who here has heard of Martin Luther King Jr.? What about Ed Roberts, one of the pioneers of the Independent Living Movement? Today you’re going to learn some information about disability history, including ways that people with disabilities have been treated, the leaders who fought for full and equal rights of people with disabilities, and some of the laws that support those rights.
Procedure:
1. Introduce the activity using the following suggested language under “creating context” (above).
2. Conduct presentation on disability history using the “Disability History” powerpoint (talking points are also included as a separate document which can be printed and utilized by the facilitator to provide additional information for each slide).
3. Ask the class the following discussion questions:
· How did it feel to learn about the history of the disability community?
· What issues do you feel still need to be changed for people with disabilities? What barriers to full inclusion in our society are still faced by people with disabilities? Are there rights people with disabilities still need to fight for?
o Facilitators: You may want to write these things on the board as participants come up with ideas.
· How can you advocate to get these things changed?
o Facilitators: You may want to suggest ideas such as:
§ Writing a letter to your local city council member, assemblyperson, or congressman
§ Talking to the school board
§ Contacting your local Independent Living Center
§ Working with student groups or starting your own student group
Closure:
· Send participants to the Independent Living Chapter of the Youth Transition Toolkit for more information and resources on Disability History.
· For participants interested in getting involved in advocacy efforts, including the Disability History Week and Anti-Bullying campaigns, have them contact Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud: www.yodisabledproud.org
***
Activity II: “Models of Disability”
Objective: Youth will understand the difference between the medical and social models of disability, and will learn a more positive way of conceptualizing “disability” (as something that can be accommodated).
Suggested time frame: 30 minutes
Format: Large group and small group (3-4 youth per group)
Materials needed:
· Downloaded copy of the “Disability Models Chart”
· Computer and projector (if you don’t have this available, you can write the chart on the board or hand out copies)
· Paper copies of the discussion questions (one copy for every small group)
Suggested facilitator preparatory activities:
· Read “Toward a Social Model of Disability” article by the Center on Human Policy
Creating context: Usually in our culture (through the media, messages we get from doctors, etc.) disability is looked at as a negative thing, something to be pitied, and something that must be fixed. Think about the movies you’ve seen, what’s on television, what your doctors or other professionals have told you, and [if you did Activity I: The Untold History] the presentation you saw on disability history. Leaders of the disability rights movement have worked to challenge these ideas of disability and emphasize the need for accommodations for people with disabilities in our society! We’re going to learn about a new way of thinking about disability and how this can change the way you look at your own disability.
Procedures:
1. Introduce activity using the language suggested under “creating context” (above).
2. Project the “Disability Models Chart” on the wall and use it to explain the two models.
3. Break the larger group up into smaller groups of 3-4 participants. Have them discuss the following questions (15 minutes):
· How does learning about these two models make you feel about your disability?
· Which model have you used to view your own disability?
· How does society at large treat you because of your disability?
· In what ways does your disability help you or hold you back?
· Instead of searching for cures for disability, why do advocates want to create changes within society to accommodate people with disabilities? What kind of changes might people advocate for?
4. Have a brief large group discussion by going over the questions one by one, and inviting the smaller groups to explain their answers for each question.
Closure:
· Thank participants for sharing their thoughts and feelings with each other. Let them know that sometimes this is sensitive information, and what happens during the sessions and activities should be kept confidential and not shared with others.
***
Activity III: “Thinking about Disability”
Objective: Youth will begin to realize that their disability can have positive aspects, and will understand the shared experience of disability.
Suggested time frame: 45 minutes
Format: Large group
Materials needed:
· Post-it notes: two colors
· Two containers (big enough to place folded post-it notes from all participants)
Suggested facilitator preparatory activities: None
Creating context: A lot times many people with disabilities only think of their disability has having negative things associated with it. This activity gives you the chance to think how your disability has impacted your life in positive ways. In addition, you might be surprised to learn that you have a lot in common with your peers who also have disabilities (even if the type of disability you have is very different). This activity gives you a chance to start thinking about your disability in different ways, and to look at how your experience of your own disability may be similar to someone else’s.
Procedures:
- Introduce activity using the language suggested above under “creating context”.
- Have participants write on one post-it color one positive thing about their disability, and on a different colored post-it one challenging thing about their disability. [Separating the positive and challenging notes by color helps to designate which containers to put each note in, see below]
- Tell participants to fold up their post-it notes. Put all the positive post-it notes into one container and put the challenging post-it notes into a different container.
- Have each participant pull two post-it notes (one from each container). If they pull out their own post-it note, they should put it back and pull out another note.
- Before you ask go around the room and have each participant read aloud the post-it notes they pulled out of the container (have everyone read their challenging post-its first, followed by the positive post-it), use the following explanation to help guide the discussion:
· “We’re now going to read each other’s post-it notes aloud. If you feel comfortable, you can share how hearing another person’s feelings about their disability makes you feel (including whether you have had a similar experience). You can also share if you wrote a particular post-it note, and can explain why you wrote what you did – but only if you feel comfortable. You are also free to keep which post-it notes you wrote private – it is up to you!”
- After all post-it notes have been read, use the following discussion questions to help participants reflect on the activity:
· How did you feel to hear your peers’ perspective on their disabilities?
· Have you ever felt the way that they do? Have you ever felt differently?
· What does this say about the common experience of disability?
· Did you feel comfortable disclosing your disability? How would you have handled your disclosure conversation at work or at school, as opposed to in a group of your peers?
Closure:
· Thank everyone for being so open with their feelings about their disability. Remind participants that many people shared very personal things that they might not be comfortable sharing with other people. Everything discussed should be kept confidential and not shared with other students not in the room today.
***
Activity IV: “Living on my Own and Reaching my Goals”
Objective: Youth will begin thinking about where they want to live in the future and will develop a realistic understanding of costs of living according to the lifestyle desired, and what jobs will be able to support their cost of living.
Suggested time frame: 30-45 minutes
Format: Large group
Materials needed:
· Computer, projector, and internet connection for demonstration of the California Reality Check website www.californiarealitycheck.com [if these are not available, can have participants complete this segment of the activity on their own].
Suggested facilitator preparatory activities:
· Visit the California Reality Check website and go through a demo: www.californiarealitycheck.com
Vocabulary/terms:
· Personal Assistance Services: Personal Assistance Services (or PAS) are services which help an individual to live as independently as possible, including assistance with daily personal care needs (transferring in/out of bed, assistance using the restroom, with dressing, bathing, meal preparation, feeding, etc.). PAS may also involve providing reminders or cues to take care of their own personal care needs (i.e. reminders to take showers, take medications, etc.).
· In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): IHSS is a program administered by each county in California which provides funding for disabled individuals who may require assistance personal care such as bathing, feeding, dressing, and/or domestic services such as shopping, cooking, and housework. This funding allows individuals with disabilities to hire workers to provide care for them in their home or at their place of employment.
Procedures:
- In a large group setting, pose the following questions to all participants to help them start brainstorming about where they see themselves living in the near future:
· Where do you want to live or who do you want to live with?
· Do you still want live with your parents?
· Do you want to live in an apartment with roommates?
· Do you want to live in an apartment by yourself?
· Do you need a wheelchair accessible apartment?
· Will you need personal care attendants? [you can explain what these are by stating: “Personal care attendants are people who are hired by you to help you with things you cannot do for yourself because of your disability – this may including helping to get you out of bed in the morning, cooking your food, or taking you grocery shopping.]
o If so, how will you pay for and find personal care attendants? [It is unlikely that participants will know the answer to this question – here is where you may want to suggest that a next step may be to ask their regional center case worker about this if they have one, or look on the youth Transition Toolkit website under the “Independent Living” tab for more information about IHSS]
· How will you pay for rent?
o If they do not come up with ideas on their own, say something like “some youth use Social Security benefits (SSI or SSDI) to help pay for rent, but often this does not provide much money to live on. Many youth choose to find a job.”
· Do you want to work? If so, what are you interested in doing? How much money would you like to make (or need to make in order to support your selves)?
- A good segue from the last question is to demonstrate the California Reality Check website (www.californiarealitycheck.com). If you have a computer with internet and a projector available, it would be ideal to do a brief demonstration of the “Get a Reality Check” activity in-class. Otherwise, have participants go to the website on their own and report back to the class how much money they would need to make to support the type of lifestyle they would like to live.
***
Activity V: “Setting Goals”
Objective: Youth will develop next steps for how they will plan to live independently; goals will be set for their independence.
Suggested time frame: 45-60 minutes
Format: Large group, with “Setting Goals” worksheet completed independently while in class, or as a take-home assignment
Materials needed:
· “Helpful Programs” powerpoint (you may want to print out paper copies so participants can write notes and/or bring home to show their parents)
· “Helpful Programs presentation - slide talking points” Word document
· Computer and projector (If you don’t have this available, you can hand out copies of the powerpoint)
· Printed copies of “Setting Goals” worksheet
Suggested facilitator preparatory activities:
· Review the “Helpful Programs” powerpoint and talking points for the presenter (included in the “Notes” section underneath each slide and as a separate Word document).
· Invite guest speakers who can talk about living independently from a personal or professional perspective. Speakers may include:
o Regional Center staff
o Independent Living Center staff
o An adult or older youth with a disability who is living independently
Creating context: Many of you might be thinking about where you might want to live in the future and what you’d like to do with your life. Today you’re going to begin planning for your future and learning about the different programs and services that can help get you to where you’d like to be!
Procedures:
1. Introduce the activity using the suggested language under “creating context” (above).
2. Conduct presentation using the “Helpful Programs” powerpoint and slide talking points
3. Have participants fill out the “Setting Goals” worksheet independently while in class/workshop or at home as a take-home activity.