Indiana Disability Awareness

New Content

• "Community Connections" Coloring Page 
  
  This coloring page matches this year's "Community Connections" poster and can be downloaded and printed for use in your classroom or awareness event.
  Download File
  
• Theme & Disability Education Activities for Children and Adults 
  
  This packet includes theme-specific and disability education-focused activity suggestions advocates can use to increase awareness among both adults and children. This packet features discussion guides, speaker suggestions and activity recommendations especially targeted to school-age children.
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• Making Your Community a Livable Community 
  
  This packet offers ideas and suggestions for making your community a livable community.
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• Responding to Disability Questionnaire 
  
  This questionnaire is designed to stimulate thinking and dialogue about how people respond to situations involving people with disabilities.
  Download File
  

All Material

• Theme & Disability Education Activities for Children and Adults 
  
  This packet includes theme-specific and disability education-focused activity suggestions advocates can use to increase awareness among both adults and children. This packet features discussion guides, speaker suggestions and activity recommendations especially targeted to school-age children.
  Download File
  
• Arts Program
  
  Organize a series of artistic activities for students, youth organizations or children and teens throughout the community. This packet offers guidelines to help you plan and promote a youth art exhibit, and includes a sample news release and radio public service announcement (PSA). Also included is a list of artists and performers with disabilities who present to groups.
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• Building Middle School and High School Volunteer Programs
  
  Increase students' awareness of disability issues and make a difference in your community by helping middle school and high school leadership and service organizations build disability-related volunteer programs.
  Download File
  
• "Community Connections" Coloring Page 
  
  This coloring page matches this year's "Community Connections" poster and can be downloaded and printed for use in your classroom or awareness event.
  Download File
  
• Essay Contest
  
  Organize an essay contest that will heighten participants' sensitivity to peers with disabilities. This packet includes a sample entry form, judging criteria and a sample news release and radio PSA to promote your event. With this packet, you can plan your own contest or participate in the statewide contest sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy.
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• Increasing Awareness in the Classroom and with Youth Groups
  
  Designed by and for educators, this packet contains sample lesson plans and a resource list to help teachers plan and implement their Disability Awareness Month programs. Also included are interactive activity suggestions, discussion topics and general guidelines for interacting with people with disabilities. An extensive children's book list is also available on the CD.
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• Increasing Awareness Through Athletics and Physical Education
  
  Most Indiana children are involved in physical education or athletic programs through schools, community organizations and more. This packet includes suggestions for athletic activities that promote disability awareness and inclusion.
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• Mayor's Story Hour and Library Display 
  
  Work with your local library to set up a display of disability-related books and/or have your mayor read a book about disabilities during a story hour. This packet includes a news release and guidelines for evaluating children's books.
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• Awareness Day
  
  Learn how to set up a special event that features activities and includes exhibits that will help the public better understand the barriers people with disabilities face. The instructions include a sample news release and tips on where to hold your event, who to include and how to publicize it.
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• Speaker Packet 
  
  This packet offers suggestions on how to select a speaker, where to hold your event and how to publicize it. Instructions include a sample news release and PSA.
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• Working with Places of Worship 
  
  Religious congregations can be an important place of learning for Hoosiers. This packet includes disability awareness discussion and activity suggestions for children and adults involved in religious instruction. It also includes a resource list, as well as information about getting involved with NOD's Accessible Congregations Campaign.
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• Cultivating Media Placement
  
  Basic guidelines provided in this packet teach you how to work with print and broadcast media. Also included is sample language you can use to request that a story or series of articles be included in a publication, on the radio or on television. Track newspaper, radio and television coverage about disability issues and give reporters feedback on their portrayal of people with disabilities. Your order will also include a brochure about using people-first language when writing and speaking about people with disabilities.
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• Increasing Awareness Through Your Business 
  
  Increase awareness of people with disabilities in your place of business with the help of this packet. You will receive story ideas for company newsletters, information on supported employment, a resource list and tips on how to clarify your company's policies on employing people with disabilities.
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• Increasing Awareness About Community Access Issues and the ADA 
  
  This packet provides information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ideas to increase your community's awareness of the ADA. It includes information to initiate a Yellow Card campaign in your community. ADA Access Yellow Cards can be used to review and "grade" the accessibility of any organization or business. You can also organize advocates to monitor the use of reserved spaces at business and public lots. Also on the CD are PDFs of Yellow Cards, mock parking tickets and the Indiana Code's language regarding parking for people with disabilities.
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• Increasing Cultural Awareness and Inclusion 
  
  Promote understanding within your ethnic or disability community to create opportunities for people with disabilities of all ethnicities. This packet provides a checklist to evaluate your school, organization, church or business on its sensitivity to people of all ethnicities with disabilities. It also includes information on ethnic groups, a multicultural book list, articles for newsletter publication and a resource list of multicultural organizations.
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• Mayoral Proclamation
  
  Have your mayor proclaim March as Disability Awareness Month in your community. This packet includes advance and follow-up media announcements and a sample proclamation.
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• Media Public Service Announcements 
  
  Instructions on how to place the print PSA in your local newspapers are included in this packet. Also included are several radio PSA scripts with this year's theme, plus instructions on how to place the PSAs with your local station(s). Color and black and white versions of the print PSA are available on the CD. (Note: PSAs are also sent to all major Indiana radio stations.)
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• Recognition Awards
  
  Recognize an outstanding local citizen(s) who has made significant contributions to the disability community. This packet offers selection criteria and a sample news release. It also offers suggestions on where to present the award. Artwork for a recognition certificate is available in PDF format on the CD.
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• Legislative Forum 
  
  Organize a public forum for legislators to discuss disability issues and legislation and listen to constituents' concerns. The packet contains a step-by-step guide to planning the forum, as well as sample correspondence and media materials. Also included with your order is "The Legislative Process" brochure on CD to help you understand how legislation is passed and how to communicate with your legislators.
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• Voter Participation Guide 
  
  Voting is one of our most basic rights. Make your opinions known by exercising this right and making an impact for people with disabilities. Information on voter registration, the Help America Vote Act, accessibility, mail-in/absentee options and resources are included.
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• Volunteerism as Advocacy
  
  Volunteering in your community is a great way to show the power of people with disabilities. This packet gives you many ideas for activities in your community.
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• Organizing a Book Club
  
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• Making Your Community a Livable Community 
  
  This packet offers ideas and suggestions for making your community a livable community.
  Download File
  
• Responding to Disability Questionnaire 
  
  This questionnaire is designed to stimulate thinking and dialogue about how people respond to situations involving people with disabilities.
  Download File