Emerging America - The Long Struggle for Disability Rights
Emerging America - The Long Struggle for Disability Rights
*This lesson was developed by Emerging America and links to an external source.
Summary:
An introduction helps establish safe and respectful study of disability history. In lesson 1, students the Question Formulation Technique helps develop questions. Then a presentation highlights disabled advocates across American history. In lesson 2, students research the causes, goals and methods, successes and setbacks of the Disability Rights Movement. Students present research with multiple media options: talk with slides, podcast, video, essay, or poster. Lesson 4 guides a genuinely inclusive civic engagement project.
Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Introductory lesson slides call students to use words about disability with respect. The slides also include a definition of disability and feature pictures from the Library of Congress that show tools for access. Students generate questions.
Lesson 1: The Roots of the Disability Rights Movement
Students use the Question Formulation Technique to develop questions for inquiry. Then they hear a presentation using lesson 1 slides on the Disability Rights Movement highlighting disabled advocates across 200 years of American history.
Lesson 2: Research and Share Disability Rights History
Students research the causes, goals and methods, successes and setbacks of the Disability Rights Movement, using varied collections of sources. Students present research with multiple media options: talk with slides, podcast, video, essay, or poster.
Lesson 3: Inclusive Civics Project - Disability Rights
This lesson offers an extensive–and optional process to guide research, planning, and organizing civic engagement projects that are genuinely inclusive. The lesson also offers resources to work on disability rights projects.
This entry links to the resources that are owned by the creators and listed here for easier access within our database of lessons and resources.
Subject and topic:
Civics and History, Disability History
Grade level:
9 - 12
Duration:
Intro lesson: up to 55 minutes.
Lesson 1: 100 minutes.
Lesson 2: 155-235 minutes.
Civics Project: up to 8 sessions of 50 minutes.
Our Notes for teaching these lessons:
Please note that the format of Emerging America lessons at the time of review was not well-suited for screen readers with the excessive use of tables and images with insufficient descriptions. We share this for blind teachers as well as teachers who have blind students who may need additional description provided.
We welcome your feedback as you teach these lessons, Please share your notes with us by emailing us.
These primary sources and questions could also be the foundation of other lessons suited to the learning styles of different classes.
Ask students the following questions:
What might hinder some citizens from having their positions heard (accessibility/inclusion in public events, accessibility to virtual forums—websites, contact forms, virtual town halls, etc., limited communication options, and so on)
Is it ever right to speak for someone?
How can we support people so they can communicate their positions effectively?
Were people with all kinds of disabilities represented in these materials (including mobility, sensory, intellectual, and physiological)?
If not, who appears to be missing? Why? Where are they?
Links to download lessons:
Homepage for The Long Struggle for Disability Rights
Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Lesson 1: The Roots of the Disability Rights Movement
Lesson 2: Research and Share Disability Rights History
Lesson 3: Civics Project Lesson: Inclusive Civics Project - Disability Rights