Weekend reading and viewing: 21st - 22nd December 2013

Music to my Ears

Christie Hoos, Down Syndrome Research Foundation (Vancouver), 17th December 2013

It projects across the room, flat and forced, more like yelling than singing. It’s a step, or two, behind the rest. A discordant echo chasing lyrics that roll off nimbler tongues with ease. It’s one of the most beautiful sounds in my world ...

Students with and without disability: it’s always better when we’re together

Kathy Cologon, The Conversation, 17th December 2013

... Genuine inclusive education can and does happen. But at the moment in Australia we do not have inclusive education for all students. Many students who experience disability continue to be denied equal access to inclusive education from early childhood through to adulthood ...

Mommy confession: I only see Down syndrome
Maureen Wallace, She Knows - Parenting, 17th December 2013
.. For some, the moment of actually “seeing” their child’s Down syndrome came when they had another child without Down syndrome. Suddenly, the differences popped out and they found themselves obsessing over what others could see and what others focused on.

The heartbreaker is that we all strive so hard to help society see past our child's extra chromosome. So what does it mean when suddenly it's all we can see? ...

All I want for Christmas is ...

Paul, (Emily's Dad), Orange Juice Flavour Sky, 6th December 2013
I was sitting on the settee with Emily last week and I noticed she was writing for all she was worth – smoke bellowing from the tip of her pen as it screeched across the page, line after line after line of her notebook ...

Accessible Arts December 2013 eNewsletter

Human Rights Commission partners with global law firm DLA Piper to advance human rights

Disability Rights Blog, 16th December 2013
Global business law firm DLA Piper has worked in partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission to address issues facing people with disabilities wanting better access to Australia’s criminal justice system ...

Summer reading and viewing

There will be a two week blog break over Christmas - New Year. If you are looking for some reading and/or viewing during the summer,  delve back into the archives a little:

• For something really good to look at read about, you can't go past one of our favourite websites discovered earlier this year, Oliver Hellowell. The photography is beautiful, and the story of a young man with Down syndrome honing his skill, developing his craft and art ,is well worth following. You might even want to own some of his work.

• The link  about these excellent videos was posted just yesterday (twice) - we wouldn't want you to miss it ...

Living a Good Life -  Personal Support Networks (6 videos, online)  Southern Cross University, 2013 (Supported by a grant from the NDIS Practical Design Fund)In these six videos (about 15 minutes each) people with disabilities and their personal network members explain their experience of living a good life.

• Kathy Cologon's six-part series on Teaching reading to people with Down syndrome challenges myths and provides solutions for learning at all ages. It was published earlier in 2013.

• There are many links to timeless stories in our weekend reading and viewing lists. You can access all of 2013's Weekend reading and viewing lists via this link.  If you want to go further back, the 2012 Weekend reading and viewing lists are here.

Happy reading, viewing and holidays.

Weekend reading viewing: 14th - 15th December 2013

No Visible Strings

Kate Trump O’Connor, Down Syndrome-Autism Connection, 12th December 2013
... Autism demands adjustments, even for cherished traditions. And so we have learned to snap a few photos, to let him give Santa a quick high five, to mix in some old favorites in the pile under the tree ....

Seeing Stars - John C McGinley
Reign Magazine, Holiday 2013
Interview with John C. McGinley, actor, father of 16 year old Max (who has Down syndrome), advocate and Global Down Syndrome Foundation board member.

Happy Tears: Why I Believe in My Daughter

Amy Julia Becker, Thin Places, 10th December 2013 

I kneel down. Penny and William are both in front of me on the couch. Both look a little puzzled by my tears. I clasp their hands. “Happy tears. Happy tears,” I say ...

How I Told My 7-Year-Old Son He Has Down Syndrome

Kari Wagner-Peck, Huffington Post, 11th December 2013

... I am feeling my way here in a world that does not provide a manual for how you tell your kid they have Down syndrome ...

Telling Finn He Has Down Syndrome
Lisa Moreguess, Life asI know it, 11th December 2013
... Five years into this, I realize now that my earlier visions of a Big Serious Talk with Finn about his having Down syndrome were silly. It’s very unlikely that that’s how he’s going to learn that he has Down syndrome. What I imagine is far more likely is just that, over time, he will absorb the fact that he has Down syndrome merely by virtue of the fact that we don’t tiptoe around it ... We will answer his questions as they come up, but I can’t imagine some Big Announcement. It will happen organically ...

Breaking the Silence - Today History is Made

Dave Hingsburger, Rolling Around in my Head, 9th December 2013
... Today, in Ontario, for the first time, in any jurisdiction in the world, a government leader, the Premier of the province, will apologize to people with intellectual disabilities for the conditions in the institutions and for the lives that they had to live there. It will be an acknowledgement of a historical wrong. It will also be a very public acknowledgement that those with intellectual disabilities are a 'people' who have their own history, their own political concerns, and their own identity as a minority that suffers prejudice ...

Winning week of games

Editorial, Newcastle Herald, 8th December 2013
... On all of its levels, the Newcastle Special Olympics was a resounding success. We can all take pride in its achievements.

United Nations Human Rights Day - Speech to the 2013 ACT Human Rights Day Panel convened by the United Nations Association of Australia

Craig Wallace, On the Record, 10th December 2013
... if we get it right then we will unlock the “exciting and brilliant” future for children with disability that President Mandela imagined eighteen years ago.

Weekend reading and viewing: 7th - 8th December 2013

Photo: Special Olympics Australia

Josie is a Champion!
Champions Daily, Special Olympics Australia, for the Asia Pacific Games 2013, 6th december 2013
Josie McLean from Collaroy began bowling at the age of 10 and is the first person in her family of five brothers and sisters to be selected to represent Australia. In addition to tenpin bowling, Josie is also loves hip-hop dancing, gymnastics and swimming. Josie won a bronze medal in her singles game and is looking forward to achieving more great results later this week. Her favourite moments at the Games has been attending the Opening Ceremony and competing in front of her family.

• Special Olympics Australia photo galleries from the Asia Pacific Games 2013

Is your child a runner?

Paul (Emily's Dad), Orange Juice Flavour Sky, 1st December 2013
... Emily was a runner. Now when I say she was a runner please don’t fall into the trap of thinking this is a good thing ... Cast from your mind any thought of Emily wearing a running vest with a Bupa London Marathon number on the front. This is not the kind of runner I mean. No, Emily was a runner – at any given time, without any notice she could shoot off in any direction like a wayward rocket on a windy fireworks night ...

Making Music Despite Disability

WKBW News, 4th December 2013
... Meet Sujeet Desai, an accomplished musician who has played all over the world, with some of the best musicians on the planet, compiling countless awards ...
http://www.downsyndrome.org.au/news/International_Day_of_People_with_Disability_2013.html

Powerful video shows people with disabilities reacting to mannequins created in their image

Daily Life, 5th December 2013

Swiss disability advocacy organisation, Pro Infirmis, has released a video as part of a campaign for International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In the film we see mannequins re-shaped to mirror the bodies of Athlete Urs Kolly, who lost his lower right leg in an accident, ‘Miss Handicap 2010,’ Jasmine Rechsteiner, and blogger Nadja Schmid, who has ongenital spinal muscular atrophy, among other people.

Watching their reactions when the figures are unveiled is incredibly moving ...

Don't diss our Disability Day

Craig Wallace, Ramp Up, 2nd December 2013 (updated 3rd December)

Happy International Day of People with Disability! Craig Wallace says if an IDPwD event is not quite to your liking, there is still much to respect and celebrate ...

IDPwD: what's to celebrate?
Todd Winther Ramp Up 2nd December 2013
... This rather cynical 'differently abled person' fails to see the logic in such self congratulatory landmarks. Is it to commend the broader public for being tolerant of people with a disability? They are not. Is it to celebrate various people with a disability for coming together to achieve common goals? They are not common. Is it to celebrate the achievements of disability policy? They do not exist ...

Attitudes and evidence will underpin disability reform

Craig Wallace, Open Forum, 3rd December 2013
There still remain a lot of barriers in our urban landscape for people with a disability. Craig Wallace would like to see a national survey on community attitudes towards disability to give us solid evidence about what these attitudes are and what could leverage change ...

Let's give tireless passion a rest
Leah Hobson Ramp Up 4 Dec 2013

People often talk about their passion to work for causes involving people with disability. Generally speaking, passion can be an incredibly good thing. ... But passion can also be dangerously complicated ...

Weekend reading and viewing: 30th November - 1st December 2013

Selfish Advocacy

Jisun Lee, Kimchi Latkes, 22nd November 2013
You know why I care so much about disability as a civil rights issue? It isn’t just about my son. I also care about disability rights for an utterly selfish reason. Me. Yes, me. I’m not considered disabled, yet, I live with 100% certainty that I will experience disability in my lifetime.

Disability is just a matter of time ...
One. The Act of One

Dave Hingsburger, Rolling Around in My Head, 20th November 2013
... They say it takes a village. That may be true. But sometimes it takes the action of just one brave person.

Living with Down Syndrome
Mario Wezel, CNN Photos, 24th November 2013
Photo essay in response to the declining birth incidence of babies with Down syndrome in Denmark.

A sneak peek into the future …
Vanda Ridley, Down's Syndrome Association blog (London), 27th november 2013
...  Poseidon is a three year project which has been funded by the European Commission. The goal of the project is to create information technology which will support people with Down’s syndrome achieve a greater level of independence in their lives. The technology will address a wide range of issues in a variety of environments including home, education, work and leisure. Types of technology that may be developed will include apps for tablets and smartphones, virtual reality programs and interactive visual tables ...

Women with disabilities at risk of violence

PM, ABC Radio, 25th November 2013

... Today is White Ribbon Day, a national campaign to end violence against women. It's an important issue for all women, including disabled women who make up 20 per cent of Australia's female population ...

Special Olympics Australia  photo gallery from the Asia Pacific Games in Newcastle, 1st - 7th December 2013, on Flickr
Several albums of photos from the preparation for and lead up to the Asia Pacific Games - will be added to throughout the week.

Weekend reading and viewing: 23rd - 24th November 2013

My Response to Ellen Stumbo’s “7 Ways to Help a Special Needs Family”

Jisun Lee, Kimchi Latkes, 15th November 2013
.. There are some things that Ellen Stumbo writes with which I very much agree ... This article by Ellen Stumbo, however, about ways to help special needs families, makes me deeply uncomfortable. She starts by asserting that “we are no different than you”, but then goes on (to) manufacture a host of differences under the “special needs” umbrella ...

Best-selling writer rights R-word wrong

USA Today (news video), 16th November 2013
A Maine mom who blogs about the triumphs and tribulations of raising a young son with Down syndrome took best-selling author and New York Times columnist Chuck Klosterman to task for using the R-word ...

I Am the Author of the Open Letter to Chuck Klosterman Regarding the R-word

Kari Wagner Peck, Huffington Post (Good News), 21st November 2013

... At the risk of sounding trite, Mr. Klosterman is who we have been waiting for. People with intellectual disabilities and their families and friends and allies have been waiting for someone of his stature and character to come to the fore ... It would have been easy for him to counter my question with the ever-popular rant-against-political-correctness ...

It's Never "Just A..."Jen Logan, Down Wit Dat, 19th November 2013
It never ceases to amaze me how many feel that this is actually open for discussion.
I, and countless other advocates for the Intellectually Disabled (including self-advocates) hear "it's just a..." in regards to each new thing that crops up, each new use of the word "retarded". It's just a word. It's just a lipstick. It's just a shirt ...

My Place in This Conversation
Alison Piepmeier, The Feminist Wire, 19th November 2013
... It’s notable to me that intellectual disability is sometimes left out of these conversations—feminist conversations as well as disability studies conversations. I suspect this is in part because people with intellectual disabilities don’t often write their own memoirs or analyses. ...Because people with Down syndrome aren’t attending the conferences, writing in the academic journals, or heading up activist efforts, they’re often ignored—not with hostility, but with a subconscious invoking of what Peggy McIntosh calls “the myth of meritocracy.” There’s a way in which other issues related to disability—mobility issues, Deafness, blindness, the “freak” show—are seen as more important, and perhaps as more easily addressed ...

2013 Gift List is here!!!

Jennifer Bekins, Talk - Down Syndrome, 18th November 2013
... spending time together – interacting and playing - are more important than anything on this list. None of these items were developed for children with DS. There is nothing magical in a product; even the ones I’ve listed for you. The magic is in relationship ...

I Had Critics When I Adopted a Son With Down Syndrome, But My Daughter Wasn't One of Them
Lisa Eicher, Huff Post Parents, 21st November 2013
When my husband and I announced to family and friends our decision to adopt our son, a 7-year-old boy with Down syndrome in Bulgaria, the news was not met with open arms. I knew that there would be a lot of skeptics, which is why we waited until we were pretty far along in the process to tell anyone. But I did not anticipate the pushback we were about to receive ...

Weekend reading, viewing and listening: 16th - 17th November 2013

Our kids in the media

Bloom, 9th November 2013
... It's phenomenal that this little guy is on the cover of the magazine, but why couldn't he be included as simply part of the vast "kid" landscape, which he is, rather than being "identified" as having a syndrome? Why couldn't he just be Hudson, with a descriptor about his personality or what he likes? ...

Down Syndrome Healthcare

Katharin Czink, Medical Watch - WGN.TV, 8th November 2013 (2m 50s video)
A brief opportunity to see Dr Brian Chicoine, medical director of the Adult Down Syndrome Centre in Chicago, at work with some of the 5,500 people with Down syndrome who have consulted the clinic.

Petra's Poem
Animation/performance of a poem written by a woman who has Down syndrome.

Dr. Dennis McGuire Joins Global Down Syndrome Foundation To Help Establish a Center of Excellence for Adult Care and Health Related Programs

Global Down Syndrome Foundation, 13th November 2013
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (“Global”)  - based in Denver, Colorado - has hired Down syndrome behavioral expert Dennis McGuire, Ph.D., to help establish a world-class medical care and research center for adults with Down syndrome under the umbrella of the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome ...

When expectant moms learn more about prenatal testing, what do they choose?

Mark Leach, Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing, 14th November 2013
... At the Madigan Army Medical Center, genetic counselors conducted a study of over 400 patients. About 75% of the participants received individual counseling and 25% participated in group counseling sessions. Here’s what the counselors found ...

Kids and emotions

Kate Strohm, Siblings Australia, 31st October 2013

... it can be very difficult to talk about the feelings and often parents will try to hide their own feelings of grief, anger and guilt in order to protect their children – both the one with a disability and those without ...

Hiding behind niceness
Leah Hobson, Ramp Up, 15th November 2013
... "Sometimes," I said, swinging my legs and looking at the sky, "people tell me how they could almost forget that I'm disabled."

My friend smiled the way she does when something is funny even though it really isn't. "I know what you mean," she said. "It's like when people tell me they could almost forget that I'm Asian." ...

Lou, my name is Lou
A music video featuring a boy with a disability (autism spectrum). Sung in French with subtitles in both French and English.

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/11/13/5402079/dr-dennis-mcguire-joins-global.html#storylink=cp

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/11/13/5402079/dr-dennis-mcguire-joins-global.html#storylink=c

Weekend reading and viewing: 9th - 10th November 2013

A father's tale of true love
Bill Gray, Down Syndrome-Autism Connection, 1st November 2013
... I am amazed by the number of people who say "You and Charlotte are just AMAZING! I could never do what you do!" To be honest, I have a couple of secrets to share with you: Firstly - Yes, you can ...

We are not your token humans

Ginger Stickney, Green tea Ginger Bliss, 30th October 2013
... It's a form of "Othering" at its worst. It strips these people of their humanity. No matter what one's intentions, the end result is that a person becomes in the eyes of others not real. Not complicated. Not really quite human. I'm here to say loudly: I am not your token female. My husband is not your token Mexican friend. My daughter is not your token "Down's kid."

23 Ways To Communicate With A Non-Verbal Child

Emma Sterland , Friendship Circle, 16th April 2013

“Just because a person can’t speak doesn’t mean they have nothing to say.” A very important reminder from a parent of a non-verbal child ...

I got a big love/hate on ...

Happy Soul Project, 30th October 2013
I have a love/hate, okay mostly hate relationship with Pip's therapy stuff...I love that it is available & we are being proactive instead of reactive...I love that the people involved seemed to actual care about Pip's progress & are helpful & supportive...I love that we really have seen her develop the last few months- almost as if catching up from the slow start she had at the beginning...

Disability shouldn't be such a big deal
Danny Dickson Ramp Up 8th November 2013

Danny Dickson is a Year 9 student with disability. He is passionate about inclusive education and knows first-hand the positive impact of a truly diverse school culture ...

Weekend reading and viewing: 2nd - 3rd November 2013

David Pitonyak on being needed by the pack (video, 6.59)
Neighbours International, May 21, 2013
David Pitonyak talks about the consequences of growing up with the identity of "needy", and the importance of developing a practice of contributing, no matter what our "disabling conditions" might be.

5 Things About Josh
Walkersvillemom, 28th October 2013
“What five things do you want the world to know about your (adult) child.”

People with a disability deserve the same rights as everyone
Petula Dvorak, The Washington Post, 25th October 2013
I met a woman this week who may be the leader of our nation’s next big civil rights movement. Barely 5 feet tall in a regal red jacket, Jenny Hatch commanded the room at American University’s School of Law when she asked: “How do we make sure a person’s rights are not taken away, like mine were?”

New Tests, Same Old Bias and Misinformation

Rachel Adams, Huffington Post, 21st October 2013

October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a time to recognize the accomplishments of people with Down syndrome and advocate for better resources, services, and research into improving the health and wellbeing of people with Down syndrome and their families. And so the timing of Jane Brody's lazy and poorly researched piece on "Breakthroughs in Prenatal Screening" was particularly unfortunate ...

On parenting a child with Down syndrome
Mark Leach, Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing, 30th October 2013

October is winding down and with it, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I wanted to share two studies on a key concern of expectant parents when they find out their child has Down syndrome ...

Big Brother is watching your unborn child – a response

Handle with Curiosity, 31st October, 2013
I hate that feeling you get when something is said or done or happens, that makes you realise that a lot of the stuff you, and others, have worked to achieve over many years, simply hasn’t managed to make its way into the consciousness of people who really should know better ...

Adventures of a "Picky Eater's" Mom
Joan Medlen (blog), 30th October 2013
As a toddler, my “picky eater” would not let his fries touch the ketchup until he dipped them ...
My “picky eater” had a mild case in comparison to many, but the issues were the same. Food was about sensory acceptance and needed to be understood before tasted...and  tasted...and tasted yet again before accepted. He inspired me to dig into the research around sensory issues related to food choice and apply it in a practical way ...

Justice denied: the neglect of sexual assault victims with a disability

Anastasia Powell, The Conversation, 28th October 2013
People with disabilities suffer higher rates of sexual assault than are seen in the broader community. They also suffer barriers to reporting which mean the available figures are likely to significantly under represent the true rate of abuse ...

Outing The Prejudice: Making The Least Dangerous AssumptionOlliebean, 22nd April 2012
... In 1984, Anne Donnellan introduced the concept of “the least dangerous assumption” as it related to people with disabilities. For many, this was the “aha” needed to begin to think and act in completely new and respectful ways ... we respectfully submit our own interpretation of the concept of “least dangerous assumption” and hope that it furthers the discussion even more ...

Weekend reading and viewing: 26th - 27th October 2013

What My Mother Knew The Moment She Met My Daughter

Ellen Stumbo, Huffington Post, 22nd October 2013
My mother always told me it was better to be smart than to be beautiful. "If you are smart, eventually you will afford to be beautiful." ... another baby girl joined our family, except this baby girl was different, she had Down syndrome. How would I be able to break the news to my mother? "It is better to be smart than to be beautiful." I knew what "smart" meant in the context of that statement, and I doubted that my daughter with an extra chromosome would meet those expectations ...

Announcing the Turn: a blog for parents of kids with disabilities

Dave Hingsburger, Rolling Around in My Head, 18th October 2013
... her son, the man I'd met as a fully confident self advocate, had died. She was grief struck. ... Many people, those she has known for most of her life, have said to her that she must be "relieved" and "it's better for him," and "now she doesn't have to worry about him," and that her "burden" has been "set down." She is astonished at what they are saying ...

Why Down Syndrome Doesn't Define My Son
Christie Taylor, Huffington Post TED Weekends, 18th October 2013

... I've seen the genius of communication at work in my life, and its power is amazing. I was introduced to this genius by the lady with the blue folder. I met her when she visited my hospital room the afternoon after my son was born. Earlier that morning, I learned my son had Down Syndrome, and my emotions were still very raw ...

How Are People with Down Syndrome?
Eliana Tardio, Living and Loving with Down Syndrome, 16th October 2013
There is a simple, strange question that we parents of children with Down syndrome don’t get asked as much as we should: How are people with Down syndrome?

This is because usually, people already have an established perception of how they are, how they look, how they behave, the things that they can do and those that they can’t ...

That Mythical, Magical Chromosome

Lisa Morguess, Life as I Know It, 29th July, 2013
There’s a lot of talk lately about the magic of the extra chromosome that results in trisomy-21, or Down syndrome. I don’t think this is a new development by any means, but lately it just seems like a prevalent topic – and I’m not talking about misguided stereotypes held by the general public, I’m talking about parents of kids with Down syndrome ...

I Don't Care 
A behind the scenes look at a short film  after seeing the Shifting Perspectives exhibition. 

Beyond Down Syndrome
The Unknown Contributor, 9th October 2013
It is there in her face for you to see before you even learn her name, or her favorite food. Before you find out that she loves jewelry and shoes and tights and dresses and little hollow plastic balls that double as fake boobs, you already know that she has Down syndrome. The shape of her beautiful blue eyes rats her out.

None the Same as the Other: Ethical Reflections on Eradicating Down Syndrome
Guest blogger, Hans Reinders, Thin Places, 22nd October 2013
... they at least have this one extra chromosome in common, otherwise they would not be identified as people with Down syndrome, but this observation tells us next to nothing about their lives. It does not inform the debate on whether humanity would be better off without DS in any significant way ...

Ethan Saylor Advocacy Update

(US) National Down Syndrome Congress and National Down Syndrome Society, 17th October 2013

The Disability Wars: Australia's unwritten history
Donna McDonald, Ramp Up,  23rd October 2013
... The complete history of Australia has yet to be written: it remains essentially an ableist, Anglo-Saxon history with only occasional flurries - the history wars - to disrupt the dominant narrative. Australian history continues to be a collusion of myth-making when it erases or ignores the lives and experiences of Australians with disability ...

Weekend reading and viewing: 19th - 20th October 2013

Growing Up With a Disabled Sibling

Rachel Adams, Motherlode, New York Times, 10th October 2013
“Mom, when are you going to write a book about me?” my 7-year-old son, Noah, asked as we sat on the floor of his room, surrounded by packing materials from the box that had arrived earlier that day. Inside were copies of my new book, each with a picture of me holding Noah’s brother, Henry, on the cover. Henry has Down syndrome, and the book is about the first three years of his life ...

Behind the Scenes - I'm a Champion
A short look behind the scenes of filming a campaign to support the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games in December this year. The film crew included film making students with intellectual disabilities. The finished videos are here.

How to respond to the r-word

Maureen Wallace, Chasing Charlie, 9th October 2013

... What would you do? Some organizations that advocate for people with disabilities share tips and even practice scenarios. Here are some of my favorites ... (Brian Skotko) shared advice that immediately depressurized my social spine, or my inclination to feel the need to speak up every time I hear the R-word.

That's not my name - an anti hate-crime anthem
Paul, Stay Up Late, 23rd September 2013

... we were concerned how words around disability were used in the media and so we thought we’d have a go at writing a song ... The words ‘hate crime’ weren’t holding a meaning for the people with learning disabilities that we were talking to, and that obviously presents a real problem. How can you report a crime if you don’t know it’s being committed? ... we talked about how, among other things, it’s about the abusive names people get called ... And here’s the result – our anthem against disability hate crime, and we’re happy for this to be shared far and wide to help spread the message.

Confessions of a special needs parent: the hard things
Ellen Stumbo, finding beauty in brokenness, 6th June 2013
Parenting a child with special needs can be a challenge, and often those challenges feel like a strong tidal wave coming at us, threatening to make us lose our balance, to fall, to give up. But we don’t. We never do ...

21 Things People Don’t Get About Kids With Down Syndrome
Ellen Seidman, Babble, 14th October 2013
In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I decided to ask parents of kids with Down syndrome about the stuff people just don’t get about their kids. There are so many misconceptions, misunderstandings and flat-out mistakes about children with DS, and just what having three copies of the 21st chromosome means. Things can be especially challenging when kids are little-little and in that stage where parents are constantly comparing milestones ... (Click on the photos at the end of the page to read the following 20 responses)

A Break from the Norm
Jessica-isms, 14th May 2013
... For the past decade I have been under the impression that there is such thing as a “perfect” special needs child. You know that perfectly cute, exceedingly happy child that lights up the room when they enter – the “poster child” for their disability? My child most certainly is NOT that child ...

Recess for your Child with Special Needs: 7 Challenges and Solutions
Karen Wang, Friendship Circle, 17th October 2013
Recess has major benefits for children’s well-being and ability to learn. ... But sometimes recess is the most anxiety-provoking part of the school day: 15 to 30 minutes of unstructured play surrounded by noisy kids.

TV Characters With Disabilities On The Rise
Shaun Heasley, Disability Scoop, 14th October 2013
Twice as many characters with disabilities will appear on broadcast television this year as compared to last, a new report finds, though they still account for just 1 percent of those depicted.

Disability - a fate worse than death?
Stella Young,  Ramp Up, 18th October 2013
Relieved at the defeat of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill yesterday, ABC Ramp Up Editor Stella Young remains opposed to legalising assisted death in any form. Here she explains why.

Weekend reading and viewing: 12th - 13th October 2013

The Seer and the Seen

Dave Hingsburger, Rolling Around in My Head, 10th October 2013
I saw a young man with Down Syndrome, maybe 8 years old. He was with both his mom and dad and they were having a good time. He was happy. I know those kinds of moments. I have them all the time. Moments of complete and utter inclusion, where disabilities and differences of all sorts just drop away. Lovely, lovely moments. He looked to be having one of those ... Make sure you read right to the end, and then read the comments - they might give you an idea or two.

Disadvantage and Intellectual Disability - why do we continue to ignore it?
Daniel Leighton, Ramp Up, 4th October 2013

People who are isolated by the nature of their disability are at risk of a loneliness. People with intellectual disability, whose needs and presence are rarely in the public eye, encounter additional challenges and limitations to daily life. Daniel Leighton asks, what will it take to end their deep and persistent disadvantage?

Killed over a movie ticket: How law enforcement hurts people with disabilities
Emily Shire, Salon, 6th October 2013
A man with Down syndrome died in a confrontation with police ... In late July, the federal government finally took note and opened an investigation into whether police violated Saylor’s civil rights. This slow-moving process reveals something disturbing: Our law enforcement system often fails to protect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and, in some cases, is complicit in their abuse ...

Summary of Nojin decision
Disability Rights Blog (Australian Human Rights Commission), 10th October 2013
Nojin and Prior v Coffs Harbour Challenge Inc (in liquidation), Stawell Intertwine Services and the Commonwealth of Australia [2012] FCAFC 192
Mr Nojin has a moderate intellectual disability and epilepsy. Mr Nojin had worked at an Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) called Coffs Harbour Challenge for almost 25 years. Mr Prior has a mild to moderate intellectual disability and is legally blind. Mr Prior had worked at an ADE called Stawell Intertwine Services for about two years ...

Graeme’s speech – National Disability Services conference re Nojin decision BSWAT
Graeme Innes, Disability Rights Blog (Australian Human Rights Commission), 10th October  2013
This week, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes spoke to the National Disability Services conference about the application for an exemption from the Disability Discrimination Act relating to the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool. Here is what he said ...

Team Australia official announcement and function Admiralty House (27 photos)

Special Olympics Australia, 11th October 2013
Photos from the announcement of the 400 Australian athletes who will represent Australia at the inaugural the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games, taken at a formal event at Admiralty House, Sydney, hosted by the Governor-General. 

The first photo is of a delighted Lucy Dumitrescu meeting Geoff Heugill. The Games begin in 50 days in Newcastle.

The names of all of Team Australia's 400 athletes and their support teams have now been posted online, with links to the their individual fund-raising pages for the Asia Pacific Games - start here.

Weekend reading and viewing: 5th - 6th October 2013

Two Opposite Issues and 

Part 2, Two Opposite Issues: Common characteristics
Brian Chicoine, Adult Down Syndrome Clinic, 3rd  and 4th October 2013

... People with DS can develop illnesses that are treatable; all is not Down syndrome. Families share stories that this adage is not always followed and evaluation is skipped and the diagnosis becomes “It is just Down syndrome”. The corollary to “All is not Down syndrome” is that all people with Down syndrome are not the same …

Michael J. Fox a role model for disabled

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, USA Today, 26th September 2013
... with the premiere of the Michael J. Fox Show Thursday night, Fox's role as an actor could transition him into a major civil rights leader for people living with disabilities ...

Reflections on Italy
Kate Strohm, Siblings Australia, 29th September 2013
... the term ‘carer' was not heard the whole weekend ... there is no such word in the Italian language. Parents were referred to as parents, and families as families, regardless of whether they include a child with a disability ...

What I’ve Learned Raising a Child with Down Syndrome

Rachel Adams, Maria Shriver, 24th September 2013
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Lillian and Martin, a couple I met last summer just after they learned that the baby they’re expecting has Down syndrome. They were devastated at the news, and thinking of giving the child up for adoption.A mutual friend asked if I would tell them what it has been like for me to raise a son with Down syndrome ... I’ve had conversations like this before, and they are never easy. They’re hard on expecting parents ... They’re also hard for me. I try to keep an open mind, and not to pass judgment. This doesn’t mean I don’t have opinions ...

Wellcome Image of the Week: Down’s Syndrome

Iona Twadell, Wellcome Trust, 2nd August 2013
This week’s Image was taken as part of the ‘Shifting Perspectives’ exhibition, which celebrates the lives and achievements of people with Down’s syndrome through photography. It shows Kate Powell and her friends sharing a lunch break while working at the Platform One café in Clapham, London.

The Damaging Language of “Cure” and Down Syndrome

Rachel Adams, Thin Places, 2nd October, 2013
... when I look more closely at what the scientists are saying about their own work, they rarely speak of “curing” Down syndrome but rather of mitigating its effects. The problem really arises as the popular media attempts to translate what may be very complicated and very preliminary research findings into something newsworthy ...

Recruiters must have working solution to deal with disability
Graeme Innes, Sydney Morning Herald, 3rd October 2013
Forty-five per cent of the two million Australians living with a disability, live in or near poverty, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This is partly because most of us spend much of the small income we receive on services and supports. The new national disability insurance scheme will address this over the next few years. Another reason is because we participate in the job market at a rate that is 30 per cent lower than that of the general population. And when we are employed, we are significantly underemployed ...

A letter to my younger self
Stella Young, Ramp Up, 4th October 2013
There are a lot of things I could tell you. I could tell you about moving away from home and all the friends you'll make ... that your life will be exciting and full of wonderful people who love you. All these things are true.

But I know what you really want from me. You want to know about sex and love and relationships - not necessarily in that order. So that's what I'm going to tell you about, because god knows no-one else has anything to offer that can calm your fears ...

The 2013 IDSC World Down Syndrome Day video was produced for the International Down Syndrome Coalition, and features the song "Who I Am" written and sung by Sarah Conant.

Weekend reading, listening and viewing: 28th - 29th September 2013

Jacob's Turn

Sprout Flix, 2010 (8 m)

... the story of Jacob Titus, a four-year-old boy from the small rural community of Floyds Knobs, Indiana. Jacob loves to play T-ball, like thousands of kids across the country. Jacob also happens to have Down syndrome. The film shows how Jacob’s “turn” at bat and on the field was a thrill for him, but more importantly, an event that transformed the hearts of everyone in his town. The script for the short film is based on his mother, Patricia Titus’ essay she wrote and submitted to the local newspaper. Based out of, and produced in, the Ohio Valley region, “Jacob’s Turn” also received a nomination in the Human Interest – News category.

A long list of films of varying lengths about people with Down syndrome is available on the Sprout Flix website, including several from Australia.

Down in Times Square

Dave Hingsburger, Rolling Around in My Head, 22nd September 2013

... Not that it matters to anyone, I suppose, but I think that the organisations serving people with Down Syndrome do an awful lot right. They seem not to be afraid of the 'identity' of those they serve even as they focus on the 'personhood' of those they serve. The message that 'difference is difference' but 'the same is the same' is a difficult one to navigate but they do it so well ...

The Important Ingredients of Tom and Lydia’s Marriage
Posted on May 30, 2013
Linda Orso, DSA Greater St Louis blog, 20th May 2013
... While it would be fun to share their love story of how their relationship blossomed and grew over three years, we would rather share with you the important ingredients we believe enabled the relationship and marriage to happen ...

Converstation - with Stella Young
Steve Cannane, Conversation, ABC Local Radio, 24th September 2013
Audio/MP3.
As the editor of ABC's Ramp Up website, Stella's keen to challenge perceptions of disability, so that people aren't simply classified by medical diagnoses. For her, disability is more often defined by poor access in built environments and inconsiderate behaviour than a person's physicality. Stella's advocacy began as a teenager in country Victoria, when she conducted a wheelchair access audit of her local main street. More recently, she's been heavily involved in the debate over Australia's need for a national disability insurance scheme.

Nightmare Come True: Police Training, Autism, and Down Syndrome

Jisun Lee, Kimchi Latkes, 20th September 2013
Sometimes I spend time worrying about my infant son’s future. My son with Down syndrome. My son with a disability. My son, a human being. Among the things I worry about is that the world will see him as nothing but a problem. An anomaly, a special circumstance, some thing to be ”handled” and “managed”.

In First, UN Holds High-Level Disability Summit

Shaun Heasley, Disability Scoop, 24th September 2013
Advocates and dignitaries from around the world converged at the United Nations on Monday for the international body’s first-ever high-level meeting on disabilities. With more than 1 billion people with disabilities globally, those behind the historic event at U.N. headquarters in New York said the gathering was convened to encourage inclusion of those with disabilities in all aspects of life ...

Awards Celebrate Innovative Ways of Living for People with Disability
ADHC, 19th September 2013
Minister for Disability Services John Ajaka has congratulated the winners and finalists of the 2013 NSW Disability Industry Innovation Awards presented at a ceremony in Sydney ...

Weekend reading and viewing: 21st - 22nd September 2013

“Silencing” the extra 21st chromosome
Voices at the Table Advocacy (VATTA), 10th September 2013
... scientist(s) may be able to turn off the extra chromosome that makes people have Down syndrome. When I heard about this I had mixed feelings. Some talk was about “curing” Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome are not sick. It is only a small part of them and they do not need to be cured. There some positives to this research that make me feel hopeful ...

Beyond the gift,
Dave Hingsburger, Rolling Around in My Head, 14th September 2013
... She wasn't setting out to smash stereotypes, she was setting out to make a gift. And it was the fact that she had a gift to give that I hope people notice ...

'When he came along I was just a child myself and suddenly I had a child of my own with special needs.'
Mail Online, 17th September 2013
A teenager who became the youngest mother in Britain to a Down’s Syndrome baby after falling pregnant aged 15 has spoken of her pride in proving her doubters wrong. Despite being just a child herself, single teen mother Catherine Moore, now 19, refused to give her baby up after learning he had Down’s Syndrome, vowing to raise him herself despite concerns that she wouldn’t cope ... 
Note: the article says that ... 'Recent figures show up to 90 per cent of Down's babies are aborted - a figure which Catherine finds distressing.' The 90% estimate refers to pregnancies in which a definitive prenatal diagnosis is made in some populations.

I'm not a great parent just because I have a kid with special needs

Ellan Seidman, Love That Max, 18th September 2013
... The help we give Max is part of parenthood; we just happened to get a kid who needs extra assistance. When people admire me or Dave for the simple act of parenting Max, it makes me hyper-aware that they think it must be so tough—a burden, even—to parent a child with special needs. Considering parents of kids with special needs to be saints overestimates us, and underestimates our children ...

For your eyes
Esther Joosa, for Down Syndrome International, 18th September 2013
... As part of the events (at the 11th World Down Syndrome Congress in South Africa in 2012), to show their skills with communicative technology, the Conference provided opportunities for young participants with Down syndrome to enter a photography competition. Looking at the photographs, shows their engagement and that each camera person, not only has a story to tell, but is capable of doing so ... (Two Australian photographers are featured in this article).

Why Sign with your Child?

Cyndi Johnson, Down Syndrome Research Foundation, 17th September 2013
... Then along came my daughter R, born with Down syndrome. I knew instinctively that signing with her was anything but faddish. When I learned that hearing loss is common among children with Down syndrome, and that their speech and language is significantly delayed, I was determined to provide R the tools to communicate with her hands ...

Disability reform is enough to keep any minister busy

Stella Young, Ramp Up, 19th September 2013

Given Australia's lacklustre record and the number of people relying on improvement, let's hope we don't rue the abolition of a dedicated minister for disability reform ... Awaiting the announcement of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's new Cabinet appointments earlier this week, there was one question on my mind: Would Senator Mitch Fifield be our new minister for disability reform? I was hopeful. In his role as shadow minister for disabilities, carers and the voluntary sector, Fifield was a tireless champion ... (and) he understands that disability reform isn't just about the NDIS; it's about education, employment, infrastructure and inclusion in all aspects of Australian life.

From a service to a life
Ruth Gorman, Learning Disability Today, 12th September 2013
... I felt that if paid support could, in some scenarios, be replaced by richer, natural and more sustainable support networks and community connections we could enable people to enjoy a better life. Person-centred thinking was central to this approach ...

Disability care sector needs thousands of workers
Elise Worthington, ABC News, 20th September 2013
State and federal governments are working to more than double the disability sector workforce ahead of the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). A draft report by PricewaterhouseCoopers obtained by the ABC shows more than 80,000 extra workers will be needed across Australia. That includes more than 20,000 management and administration positions and a similar number of personal care assistants ...

When disability discrimination is legal

Alecia Simmonds, Daily Life, 18th September 2013
If Vincent van Gogh, Ludwig van Beethoven, Helen Keller or Frida Kahlo were alive today and in a moment of wild-eyed madness decided to permanently migrate to Australia, would we accept them?

I suppose you could argue that they’re highly skilled and their social contributions are quite possibly monumental. But judging by the requirements of Australian migration law the odds are against them. Why? Because they all had disabilities: Van Gogh suffered depression, Beethoven was deaf, Keller was blind and Kahlo had polio.

In order to migrate to Australia you have to pass a health test where disability is taken into consideration. Applicants are assessed based on the potential cost to the state of their disability ...

Weekend reading and viewing: 14th - 15th Septemer 2013

UnBard TV... unbarring the arts
Australia's only Arts and Disability weekly television program
Foxtel's Aurora Channel 8th September - 22nd December 2013

I'm extremely proud to support the Sunnyfield UnBard arts and TV program. UnBard will be Australia's first accessible creative community forum, enabling thousands of people to share and access Community, Culture and Arts programs by showcasing drama, music, dance and multimedia activities created through collaborations with people with disabilities, independent film makers and emerging artists. It will be a positive platform for people with or without a disability to share their creative stories, showcase their individual talents and celebrate their community achievements. UnBard TV will engage and capture your imagination and open the doors for everyone to enjoy. Congratulations to Sunnyfield on this groundbreaking innovative project." Rachel Ward - Ambassador for Sunnyfield

My story, my goals: Leigh Creighton

Leigh Creighton for DisabilityCare Australia, July 2013 (video 1:17)

A short video, shows that Leigh is a man who can speak for himself, and knows what he wants.
Leigh also features in this local news story about being a speaker at a My Choice Matters event in Taree on Tuesday next.

5 Compliments you need to stop giving about children with Down syndrome

Lexi (Sweatpants) Magnusson, Scary Mommy, 12th September 2013
... Then there are times…well… that well-meaning, very nice people say things that just drive me crazy. I know that they are just trying to be nice. But whether it’s because I hear these things all of the time, or because they just aren’t the reality of the world I live in, there are a few compliments that make me batty…

Need a Perspective Change?
Trudy Bourgeois, Huffington Post, 9th September 2013
If you've known me for a while or followed along on social media, you know that we have a 30-year-old son with Down Syndrome. His name is Adam. And let me tell you something... that boy has taught me some of THE MOST POWERFUL life lessons over the years. Here's one of them ...

Sadie
Brittany Nott, Down Syndrome Research Foundation, 12th September 2013
Running down the hallway, I could always hear her two footsteps right beside me. The one thing I could always count on would be that Sadie, my cousin was always right beside me. She is 16 years old so we are one year apart. Over the years Sadie has taught me countless lessons without even realizing it ...

There are around 250,000 people with Down syndrome living in the US – not 400,000

Frank Buckley, Frank Talk - Down Syndrome Education International, 12th September 2013

A paper published recently in The Journal of Pediatrics estimates the population of people with Down syndrome alive in the USA in 2008 – not the oft-stated 400,000. Even this may be an overestimate. It is important to understand the size and the demographics of populations of people with Down syndrome in order to plan services. In an important paper, recently published online by The Journal of Pediatrics, Angela Presson and colleagues present an estimate of the current population of people with Down syndrome living in the USA in 2008, which they calculate to be 250,700 with a 90% uncertainty interval of 185,900-321,700 ... Analysis of how the revised estimate was reached.

Keeping Adults with Down syndrome Healthy
Dr. Alison T. Schwartz, clinical co-director of the Mass General Down Syndrome Program, and Ben Majewski, self-advocate resource specialist, talk about how to keep adults with Down syndrome healthy.

Presumption
Lene Andersen, The Seated View, 10th April 2012
... How dare you presume to decide what makes life worthwhile? How dare you say that because this person can't walk, that person has an intellectual disability and the one over there lives with chronic pain, their lives are not worthy of being lived? Who are you to judge? By making these statements, you have proven yourself to not have the capacity to imagine a situation other than perfect health and therefore you cannot be trusted to make decisions about anyone else's life ...

The wonder of discrimination

Shakira Hussein, Ramp Up, 10th September 2013
As a brown-skinned Muslim and single mother diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Shakira Hussein discovers the main lesson that some people seem to draw from their experience of discrimination is how to dish it out to others.

Pathologising normality in intellectual disability
Peter Smith, LINK Magazine, Vol 22 Issue 3, August 2013
... this particular Elvis has a moderate intellectual disability with comorbid mental illness and lives right here in Australia. But, if you tried to ignore the Elvis persona, you'd be greeted with silence. So as a support worker you had to buy into the gig or be frozen out. Normal behaviour, abnormal behaviour, delusional behaviour – what label would you like to give it? Staff fell into two camps: normal and you went along for the ride, or abnormal and you tried to ‘extinguish’ the behaviour.

Weekend reading and viewing: 7th - 8th September 2013

I have Down syndrome and run my own business
Maureen Wallace, She Knows, 2nd September 2013

A Down syndrome diagnosis doesn’t mean a child will live with his or her parents forever and never have a job. In fact, individuals with Down syndrome are breaking stereotypes into bits and pieces — from running a restaurant to launching a pottery business.
Be sure to check out all three business owners' stories by clicking through the page links 1 - 3

Sound minds, double standards and the right to vote
Nathan Despott, Asher Hirsch and Daniel Leighton, Ramp Up, 6 Sep 2013

... Few people with an intellectual disability have fail-safe plans that will guide them through the enrolment, preference determination, transport and voting processes then ensure that it will all be repeated at future elections. This lack of support translates into low voter registration and even lower turnout ...

I'm no Oprah but my daughter has taught me empathy

Brendan O'Connor, Irish independent, 1st September 2013
... I'm not saying I'm Oprah now, but at least I know now that what matters in this world is not how you treat the important, influential people, but how you treat those whom society might regard as the least important and influential ...

Why People Have Such High Expectations of Parents of Children with Special Needs
Eliana Tardio, Living and Loving with Down syndrome, 29th August, 2013
What should you expect from a parent of a child with special needs? Nothing special and nothing different than any other parent. Expect to meet another devoted parent, fighting hard to make the best of life with his or her family. We are neither saint nor angel, we feel just like everybody else with some extra special challenges.


Farragut boy recognized for "surfing" picture
Emily Stroud, wbir.com news, 27th August 2013

Great local news video of a 10 yr old with Down syndrome wake boarding, and interview with his family. Story behind a Times Square Buddy Walk photo.

What does laundry detergent really mean?Margaret Bender, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Girl, 1st September 2013
The conversation started with "I need laundry detergent" and ended with "I don't want to be independent".  Over the years the words have changed but the meaning is always the same. Something is not right in Alex's world. Alex handles information differently than I do and differently than her siblings. This does not mean her feelings do not get hurt or she does not recognize when something is not fair - it merely means she needs time to formulate the language needed to share her hurt.

Why getting a slap in the face by the school counselor was good for me
Count to Ten, 30th August 2013
Ok … Not literally. The school counselor didn’t actually put her hand across my face, but she did send a jolt through me and ROCKED MY WORLD!

Weekend reading and viewing: 31st August - 1st September 2013

The mom's response to that shocking autism hate letter about her son

Love that Max, 28th August 2013

... If Max's sounds bother someone, I'd hope that person would let us know in a respectful way. Give us a chance to handle it instead of being cowardly about it. I'd rather people bring things out in the open. Sometimes, kids come up to me and ask "Why does he talk funny?" The parents are embarrassed. But if the mom isn't going to talk properly to a child, or teach him that kids with autism are not contagious, I will!

Your worst nightmare
Ginger Stickney, Green Ginger Tea, 26th February 2013
The ultrasound tech asks what we're looking for and I explain the midwife's concern and my own. She looks at my chart, and says "The baby has Down's." I am not at a point where I feel comfortable correcting people so I just nod. "That was my worst nightmare" she says, "when I was pregnant with my last child." I don't know what to say. I am a little shocked, a lot sad, but not really offended. Maybe I should have been. 

Counseling for Prenatal Testing?
Huffpost Live, 21st August 2013 (Video: 31m 31s)
As prenatal testing for Down syndrome becomes more common, many women will face an array of information about their unborn children. But this confronts expecting mothers with difficult choices. How do counselors help women make these decisions?

CinemAbility director Jenni Gold on Hollywood and disabilities 

Bryant Frazer, Studio Daily, 26th August 2013
CinemAbility is a new documentary looking at how films and television shows have portrayed disabilities through history. Combining interviews with actors ... with supporting film clips ... director Jenni Gold shows some of the ways that the media and popular culture have impacted society's attitudes toward people with disabilities.

GONE: 150,000 fewer people with Down syndrome in the U.S.

Mark Leach, Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing, 26th August
The estimated number of people living with Down syndrome in the United States has been 400,000. This number has now been reduced by almost 40 percent. The number 400,000 was based on birth estimates: take whatever the birth estimate was, apply it as a percentage to total number of births and total number of lives, and 400,000 was the number that was arrived at. Last month, the Journal of Pediatrics published online a study that revises this estimate based on two key factors. The new study has already resulted in a revision on the Centers for Disease Control website, which lists the highlights.

Anger
Jen Logan, Down Wit Dat, 26th August 2013
... anger will be the fire that stokes the boilers into action. There is a lot of work to be done. I don't think that it is too much to ask that September contains less stories of hate and ignorance. Or that the stories that feature disability in every Lifestyle section of every mainstream publication not be written by the able-bodied or parents that haven't fully accepted their children with disabilities. I don't think that it is too much to ask that equal access and inclusive education be automatically available. I don't think that it is too much to ask that you stop labelling my kid, stop putting him in a little box that says "happy moppet" on the outside and expecting him to act a certain way, just because you believe it makes it easier for people to accept him.

What it takes to improve the lives of disabled people in remote communities: a case study from Warburton

Melissa Sweet, Croakey, 21st August 2013
A program to bring families and health professionals together on Country has been helping disabled people in a remote community, according to a presentation at the NACCHO Summit in Adelaide ... The program helps to build trust, relationships and respect, and supports participants to identify the solutions that will best help them as “the experts of their own situation”.

The words that batter

Craig Wallace, Ramp Up, 30th August 2013
After spotting a video on Labor social media sites using the word 'retard', Craig Wallace asks why we still tolerate disability being used as a sledge. ... Unlike the debates we might have amongst ourselves about terms like disabled, impaired, 'person first language' or even terms like 'crip', which has been appropriated by some people with a disability, the term 'retard' has a deep, dark place in the inner circles of disability hell.

'Retard' is the disability equivalent of the 'n' word. It is never used as anything but a weapon to demean, bully and slander people based on disability. It plumbs depths far below 'politically correct' language ... Disability isn't a sledge any more than gender, ethnicity or sexuality. We deserve better and should call it out regardless of who says what about whom.

Disability does not end with DisabilityCare

Shawn Burns, Ramp Up 28 Aug 2013
As the federal election draws closer, Shawn Burns reminds us that the disability battle will not be won until all elements of the National Disability Strategy are realised.