Curriculum Map: Stan Clawson

Rethinking Disability Through the Social Model of Disability 

Essential Questions

1. What is Disability?

2. What systemic root causes contribute to the discrimination of disabled people?

3. When is it necessary to question the status quo? Who decides?

4. How do stereotypes influence how we look at and understand the world?

5. How does a world built to accommodate the diverse range of human experience differ from the current status quo?

Learning Intentions Upon completing this Module, students will:

1. Define disability.

2. Compare and explain the Medical Model of Disability and the Social Model of Disability.

3. Identify systemic root causes of problems facing disabled people.

4. Reflect on disability issues, past and present, and devise solutions.

5. Interact with digital storytelling as a learning tool.

6. Present information and perspective on the civil rights issue of disability.

Success Criteria

1. I will welcome and engage with diverse people in my community.

2. I will work to normalize disability.

3. I will promote environments of inclusion.

Learning Outline

This 2.5-hour module is based on a video presentation by Stan Clawson on disability awareness. It can be taught as a whole learning experience, or in chosen sections as time allows:  

• 10 minutes: Launch Activity– Video 2: What is Disability?

• 15 minutes: While Viewing– Video 2: Rethinking Disability and the Problem with ‘Normal.’

• 15 minutes: Post-Viewing– Video 2: We Are All in This Boat Together

• 5 minutes: Pre-Viewing Activity– Video 3: Just Asking For Some Room at the Table

• 20 minutes: While Viewing– Video 3: Art & Advocacy: Envisioning an Accessible World

• 10 minutes: Post-Viewing– Video 3: Systemic Root Causes

• 20 minutes: Demonstration– The Golden Line: “I’m Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much!”

• 60 minutes: Making Connections: Art Integration Activity: ‘Sign Language’

Launch Activity–Pre-Viewing: Video 2: What is Disability?

[10 min]

[Learning Intention 1]

Procedures:

• Hook: In the Intro video you met Stan Clawson and heard his disability story. What would you ask Stan if he were here talking with us today?

  1. Acknowledge responses

     1. It is important to ask questions and get to know people with disabilities, but we often feel awkward and don’t engage. In this module we will see that people with disabilities are just ordinary people and we are missing out by not getting to know them and including them.

  2. What is a disability? (Acknowledge Responses)

  3. Project and Read: The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) defines disability as:  A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.

  4. Tell Students: Disabilities can be visible or invisible; temporary or permanent.

  5. Ask Students: Have any of you or anyone you know have a disability? 

  6. Review Types of Disabilities:
     

  7. Types of Disabilities (Visible and Invisible; Permanent or Temporary)

     • Sensory

       • Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, Low-Vision

     • Physical

       • Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Spina Bifida

       • *Breaking a leg is a disabling experience and can be a disability if there are lasting effects.

     • Cognitive/Learning

       • Developmental Disability, Auditory Processing Disorder

     • Emotional/Social/Behavioral

       • Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder

     • Chronic Illness

       • Fibromyalgia, Autoimmune Conditions, Cancers

• Tell Students: We are about to watch the next video in this series featuring Stan Clawson who promotes disability awareness and inclusion. When disability is not included, or only discussed medically or as a problem, it sends the message that disability is rare and bad, which it is not.

While Viewing: Video 2: Rethinking Disability and the Problem with ‘Normal.’

[15 min]

[Learning Intention 5]

Procedures:

• (Optional) Read the unit and/or module introduction(s) to students. 

• Pass out the Rethinking Disability worksheet. Read the Video 2 discussion questions aloud.

• Tell Students: As you watch the next video, (assuming you played the intro video before starting the module)prepare to discuss these questions. Feel free to take notes on the discussion topics and anything else that gets your attention.

• Play Video 2: Rethinking Disability and the Problem with ‘Normal.’ (11:19 min) .

Post-Viewing: Video 2: We Are All in This Boat Together

[15 min]

[Learning Intentions 2,6]

Procedures: 

• Ask Students: In the video, Stan says, “We are all in this boat together.” What does he mean? It is important to recognize that one in four individuals in the U.S. has reported having a disability. And all of us at some point in our life encounter a disabling experience.  If we design our environments to accommodate everyone, ultimately it will benefit us all. 

• Tell Students: Referencing your worksheet, before we review the Video 2 discussion questions, look at the two diagrams at the top of the page. Fig. 1 The Medical Model of Disability represents how society has traditionally thought about people with disabilities: sick or broken and needing to be cured or fixed.  The model reflects a culture that views disability as a bad thing. Fig.2 The Social Model of Disability challenges this mindset and suggests that the problem isn’t the disabled person or their disability, but rather how society is arranged and the barriers in place that exclude people with disabilities. 

• Ask Students: 

  1. What does Stan say about his experience with disability? 

     1. He describes how he only feels disabled when he is presented with a barrier such as stairs to a friend’s house, or a restaurant that he can’t enter without assistance.

     2. Lack of Freedom: He compares being disabled to the COVID shutdown when we couldn’t come and go freely and asks us to empathize with how that would feel every day, year after year. 

     3. Stan reminds us that we are all going to have a disabling experience at least once in our lives, so creating accessible environments for all is an investment in our own future!

     4. Disability is the norm, not the exception. A common trope is that non-disabled bodies are the norm. Stan argues the opposite— that disability is the norm and part of the diverse human experience.

  2. Have students share their  ‘stares and stairs’ sketches in small groups. 

  3. Jot down barriers in society that you can think of that would exclude accessibility and participation of a disabled person. Consider:

     1. a lack of something eg. accessible transportation or housing

     2. not enough of something  eg. deaf interpreters at events

     3. too much or too many of something eg. stairs, excessive monitoring hindering autonomy, overgeneralization (one-size-fits-all solutions

     4. something needs to be better in quality eg. education, jobs

     5. something is unequal or unfair eg. discriminatory hiring practices, unequal access to community or social, etc. services

• Invite students to share any other thoughts or ideas on this topic.

Pre-Viewing: Video 3: Just Asking For Some Room at the Table

[5 min]

[Learning Intention 6]

Procedures:

• Ask Students: What is a civil right? Personal rights that protect people from discrimination and guarantee equal social opportunities. 

• Ask Students: How is disability a civil rights issue? Compare it to other civil rights movements you know about. Disabled people are asking for equal opportunities and to be protected from discrimination. Similar to LGBTQ+ or Black Lives Matter (any movement that involves the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to government services, the right to public education, the right to gainful employment, the right to housing, the right to use public facilities, freedom of religion, etc.).

• Tell Students: We are about to watch the third video in this 3-part series featuring Stan Clawson. 

• Refer to the Rethinking Disability worksheet. Read the Video 3 discussion questions aloud.

While Viewing: Video 3: Art & Advocacy: Envisioning an Accessible World

[20 min]

[Learning Intention 5]

1. Tell Students: As you watch, be prepared to discuss these questions.  Feel free to take notes on the discussion topics and anything else that gets your attention. 

2. Play Video 3: Art & Advocacy: Envisioning an Accessible World (15:02 min)

Post-Viewing: Video 3: Systemic Root Causes

[10 min]

[Learning Intentions 3,4]

Procedures: 

• Tell Students: Let’s review the Video 3 discussion questions on your worksheet. 

  1. Stan says that we need to acknowledge that there is a problem before we can instigate change. In your words, what is the problem? Currently, though improvements have been made in the last 30+ years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990,

     1. disabled people still don’t have equal civil rights as non-disabled people have.

     2. the world is still often inaccessible for people with disabilities. 

     3. disabled people are still stigmatized and stereotyped.

  2. Describe how the organization Art Access helps to solve the problem. Art Access increases accessibility (to the arts) and opportunities for disabled artists. It enhances disability awareness through education for community and cultural organizations. 

  1. Physical barriers in a typical school that can impact people with disabilities include:

     1. Inaccessible Entrances such as stairs and lack of ramps or elevators at building entrances for individuals using wheelchairs or mobility aids.

     2. Narrow Doorways and Narrow or Cluttered Hallways restrict access to classrooms and facilities.

     3. Inaccessible Restrooms that lack appropriate grab bars, space for maneuvering, or accessible stalls.

     4. Seating Arrangements where classroom furniture isn't adjustable or flexible.

     5. Limited Parking or parking far from building entrances.

     6. Environmental Controls such as the lack of accessible buttons for doors, lights, or other controls that may be difficult to reach.

     7. Noise and Lighting Issues that are too loud or harsh can be barriers for students with sensory sensitivities.

     8. Playground Equipment that does not have accessible equipment, limiting recreational opportunities for students with disabilities.

• Discuss ideas to remedy these issues and how these solutions might be beneficial to everyone. 

Demonstration: The Golden Line: “I’m Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much!”

[20 min]

[Learning Intentions 4,5,6]

Procedures:

• Tell the students: We are going to watch a 9-minute video by Australian comedian and journalist Stella Young, who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair — a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young gives us perspective on being disabled in today’s society and leaves us with her vision for a better world. 

• Play: I am Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much! (9:02 min.)
  

• Pass out the transcript of Stella Young’s presentation: Transcript of TEDx Talk: I am Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much! Have students read in pairs, or to themselves and choose a ‘golden line’ —one or two sentences that resonate with them for one of the reasons listed below. 

  1. Because of something about myself (my identity and experiences)

  2. Because it teaches me something about the world (other people, other places, other times, other ways of being and feeling)

  3. Because of how it is written (how the author uses language)

•  Wraparound: Tell students you would like to hear the ‘golden line’ they chose and why they chose it.  Either have students say their ‘golden line’ in a round-robin rapid response; or invite them into a chatstorm with one minute to type their ‘golden line’ into the chatroom.

• Finish this section with a reflection: ‘I used to think…’ ‘Now I think...’ 

  1. Ask Students to refer to the Demonstration section on theirRethinking Disabilityworksheet.

  2. Tell Students: “When we began our study of disability, you had some ideas and thoughts about it. Take a few minutes to write what ideas you had previously. Complete the sentence on your worksheet: ‘I used to think…’ 

  3. Now, think about how your ideas have changed as a result of learning about disability. Complete the next sentence: ‘Now I think…’”

  4. Ask questions to get students to explain and support their thinking.

Making Connections: Arts Integration Project – ‘Sign Language’

[60 min]

[Learning Intentions 4, 6 ]

“There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”

— Audre Lorde

• Ask Students: You might recall that Stan starts Video 3 by saying, “I always felt like I was injured at the right time.” Why does he feel that? He was injured in 1996, just 6 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. This gave disabled people opportunities and civil rights they hadn’t had until then.

• Tell Students: Stan adds that though ADA was a milestone, we still have a long way to go. Let’s take a look at the history of disability to get a better understanding of the experience of people with disabilities and why barriers exist today.

• Cue the ‘Disability Awareness’ PowerPoint and walk through the History of Disability (Slides 1-9) with students using this script: 

SLIDE 2: 1700s: Institutions began to emerge, but they often functioned as asylums, where individuals were confined rather than supported, leading to neglect and inhumane conditions.

SLIDE 3: 1800s-Early 1900s: The medical model dominated, with disabled individuals labeled as "deviant" or "sick." This often led to forced institutionalization, and many were subjected to invasive treatments. 1840s: The rise of the Eugenics movement advocated for the sterilization and institutionalization of people with disabilities, viewing them as unfit for society. In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell upheld a Virginia law that allowed the state to forcibly sterilize Carrie Buck, a young woman deemed "feeble-minded."

SLIDE 4: 1921: Roosevelt was paralyzed by Polio from the waist down. He went to great lengths to conceal his disability. Few Americans ever understood that FDR, who became the longest-serving president in U.S. history, could not stand or walk unaided.

SLIDE 5: 1935: The Social Security Act was passed in the U.S., offering assistance to individuals with disabilities. 1920s-40s: World War I and II veterans revealed significant gaps in care and societal integration, leading to increased rights and rehabilitation.

SLIDE 6: 1954: Brown v. Board of Education desegregated schools and allowed for public education of children with profound intellectual disabilities. 1973: The Rehabilitation Act was enacted in the U.S., prohibiting discrimination based on disability in federal programs and employment to remedy wide-scale neglect and abuse. 1975: The ‘Education for All Handicapped Children Act’ was passed ensuring free appropriate public education for children with disabilities.

SLIDE 7:1977: The 504 Sit-In was a disability rights protest where people with disabilities and the disability community occupied U.S. federal buildings to push the issuance of long-delayed regulations regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This protest was featured in the film Cripp Camp. (You saw a clip of this film in Video 3.)

SLIDE 8: 1990: Despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), systemic discrimination, inaccessible environments, and social stigma persisted, affecting employment and quality of life. 2000s: Economic downturns led to cuts in social services and support systems for people with disabilities, increasing poverty and isolation. 2006: The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted, promoting the rights and dignity of individuals with disabilities globally.

SLIDE 9: 2020: The ACLU reports the coercion and forced sterilization of ICE detainees. 

2020s to now: The conversation around disability rights continues to evolve, emphasizing neurodiversity and accessibility. The ongoing challenges include digital inaccessibility, healthcare disparities, and the impact of COVID-19 which disproportionately affected individuals with disabilities. The fight continues against systemic inequalities and for better representation.

• Tell Students: We can see from the ‘History of Disability’ lesson that there is still work to do! Now we will do a short drawing exercise to get us ready for the art integration activity. 

• Ask Students: 

  1. Can someone remind us of what the Social Model of Disability is? It is a way of thinking about disability that views it as a result of society's barriers, rather than the disability itself.

  2. Why do you think the Social Model of Disability is important not only to disabled people but To You? To Everyone?

     1. Acknowledge Answers

• Pass out the How the Social Model Disability Helps EVERYONE worksheet, along with colored pencils. 

• Tell Students: If we change our mindset to thinking of disability as normal and part of the diverse human experience, and build our environments accordingly, it will benefit us all. (Cue the ‘Disability Awareness’ PowerPoint Slides 10-17) I am going to walk us through a few of these universal benefits and I would like you to follow along on the ‘How the Social Model of Disability Helps EVERYONE’ worksheet. After we read each of the 7 reasons I will give you some time to represent each reason with a symbol or sketch. 

• Read the 7 universal benefits of adopting the Social Model aloud (or have student volunteers read). After reading each reason give students time to draw.

  8. Enhances Quality of Life: By addressing societal barriers, everyone can enjoy an improved quality of life. For example, features like curb cuts and ramps assist not only those with disabilities but also parents with strollers, elderly individuals, and anyone carrying heavy items. 

  9. Broader Understanding of Disability: It shifts the focus from individual impairments to societal barriers, fostering a more inclusive understanding of disability. This helps everyone recognize how environments, attitudes, and systems can create challenges.

  10. Promotes Inclusivity: It encourages the creation of more inclusive spaces and practices that benefit everyone, such as accessible public transportation and buildings. 

  11. Advocates for Systemic Change: It highlights the need for policy and systemic changes that improve accessibility and equality, benefiting all members of society by creating a more equitable environment.

  12. Challenges Stereotypes: The social model challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about disability, promoting a more positive and realistic view that encourages respect and understanding across all communities.

  13. Economic Benefits: An inclusive society can tap into the talents and skills of a diverse population, leading to increased productivity and economic growth, which benefits everyone.

  14. Encourages Solidarity: Recognizing that disability can affect anyone at any time (due to aging, illness, or accidents) fosters a sense of solidarity and shared responsibility in creating an inclusive society.

      
      

• Tell Students: For your art integration activity, in pairs or small groups (3-4) you will create a PSA (Public Service Announcement) mural or signs to raise disability awareness and promote inclusion. You will need to come up with a slogan to pair with your graphics to convey your message. (Show students Slide 18) for inspiration. 

  1. High Tech Options: Digital signs (using Canva, Photoshop, Adobe Express, Piktochart, etc.)for a social media campaign.

  2. Low Tech Options: Paint a class mural or design signs for an in-school PSA campaign.

• Tell Students: Stan ends in Video 3 by saying that it’s going to take all of us to find justice for disabled people. Collective strength has historically shaped our nation and propelled us forward. Decide as a class how to promote your disability awareness campaign signs and document and discuss the response and feedback of this collective effort.

Dig Deeper

Invite students to “dig deeper” on these topics by providing additional options for research and reflection on disability.

Curriculum & Training

• Breaking Barriers Curriculum and Training- Art Access in partnership with the Utah Division of Art and Museums delivers expert training to help Utah cultural organizations improve disability awareness and accessibility.  Curriculum and training for art teachers and artists is also available. 

Books

• Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma. The incredible life story of Haben Girma, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, and her amazing journey from isolation to the world stage.

• Story of My Life by Helen Keller.  An autobiography, published in 1903 about her education and life as a deafblind person and disabilities advocate. She dedicated this book to Alexander Graham Bell who was one of her teachers. 

TEDx Talk

Why I work to remove access barriers for students with disabilities (Haben Girma) (15:24min)

News

• Mattel releases first blind Barbie

Films

• Crip Camp- (1hr 46 min) On the heels of Woodstock, a group of teen campers are inspired to join the fight for disability civil rights. 

• I Didn’t See You There (77 min) Reid Davenport's 2022 Sundance award-winning feature film starts with the unexpected arrival of a circus tent outside his apartment in Oakland, CA that leads him to consider the history and legacy of P.T. Barnum’s Freak Show and its lingering presence in his daily life through gawking, lack of access, and other forms of ableism. 

• Eat Your Catfish (71 min) A PBS POV film about a woman with late-stage ALS.  This film is a brutally frank and darkly humorous portrait of a family teetering on the brink, grappling with the daily demands of disability and in-home caretaking. (Free discussion guide and reading list available on the site.)

• Unseen (90 min)- A PBS POV film that documents fragments of Pedro’s life as a Mexican migrant living in the United States, focusing primarily on his experiences at the intersection of disability, race, and citizenship status. Discussion Guide

• CODA - (1hr 51min)(2021)As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents.

Websites

• Art Access Accessibility Resources - Art Access increases accessibility in the arts through opportunities for artists with disabilities and education for community and cultural organizations. 

• Kulture City- A group that promotes sensory inclusion and offers certifications for businesses to become more accepting and inclusive to all.