People with Disabilities and the Importance of Accommodations

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School

Overview

Every day, in schools, workplaces, communities and online, people with disabilities face obstacles and barriers that prevent them from accessing information, participating, and feeling safe and included. Specific accommodations and tools are essential for people with disabilities but they are not always provided or available, which is a form of exclusion and ableism. Using a video of a girl pushing for captioning on Instagram as a jumping off point for discussion, students will explore what the lack of accommodations means for people with disabilities and how students can advocate for them getting what they need.

In this activity, students will:

• Understand the importance of tools and accommodations for people with disabilities.
• Reflect on what it means to have a disability and what people with disabilities need to feel safe, included and respected.
• Explore their spheres of influence and identify  actions they can take to improve accommodations for people  with disabilities.