Amazing Kids 1
Understanding Autism
Through visuals, simulations and discussion, students learn how Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can affect a person’s emotional and physical behavior, and how to better relate to someone who has autism. The students in the workshop also meet two middle school students with autism (through video interviews), who dramatically demonstrate the “spectrum” aspect of ASD.
The closing segment poses a series of questions about the best way to interact with people who have disabilities. After the students respond, a student with a disability provides the answers on screen.
Amazing Kids 2
Learning Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, Deafness, and Spina Bifida
Through discussion and simulation exercises, the first part of this presentation dispels common misconceptions about learning disabilities. The second part features an explanation of the above physical disabilities, plus video interviews of students who have those disabilities. In each video, the student describes a problem they had at school related to their disability, and the students in the workshop are encouraged to discuss solutions before the actual solution is revealed on screen.
Amazing Kids 3
Understanding Blindness and Cerebral Palsy
The first segment of this interactive program focuses on blindness. What causes blindness? What are the symptoms? How does a student who is blind learn at school? What should one keep in mind when interacting with a fellow student who is blind? These questions and more are answered through a video Q&A session with James, a Pittsburgh middle school student, blind from birth, who shares his experience.
In the second segment, students hear from more "experts," through video interviews with Zachary, Bradley, and Callie - all local middle school students who have cerebral palsy (CP). With their help, students learn about the causes and symptoms of CP, how CP can affect everyone differently, and how students with CP can participate and flourish in the school environment with a little help from their friends.