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KristaKyker
Edu 260
ProfessorVarner
January25, 2015
TED 1 Stella Young
In the firstchapter of our classtextbook,the authortalksaboutpeople withdisabilities being
labeledasexceptional. Afterreadingthe firstchapterof ourtextand viewingthe videoby StellaYoung,
I feel verydifferentlyaboutpeoplewithdisabilities. Inthe video,Stellaspeaksaboutbeinga young
teenager,whose communitywantedtogive heranachievementaward,butforwhat? At fifteen,she
had notyet achievedanythingthatwasout of the ordinary. Stellapointedoutwhatherparentsand
communityalreadyknew,the onlythingshe hadachievedwastolive herlife ina wheelchair. Tomany
people livingwithaphysical disabilityseemsdisconcertingtosaythe least. Stellapointedoutthat
people withoutdisabilitiesuse otherpeople’sshortcomingsasaninspirationaltool forthemselves.
People actas if she is achievingsomethinggreatsimply bylivingherlife inawheelchair.The public
inadvertentlyoffendsthe disabledcommunitybyputtinglabelsonthemandusingtheirdisabilitiesas
“inspirational porn.”(StellaYoung)
Disabilities are challengingandimpose obstaclestothe personthat isdisabled andthe people in
theirlife. Theirdaytoday activitiesmayneedtobe alteredoradjusted tonavigate successfully through
the worldthat isnot tailoredorequippedtosupportpeoplewithdisabilities. Stellaaddressesthe
importantissue thatmostpeople are notbrave enoughtodiscuss,“doesthe handicap initself”make
the persondisabled?Alternatively, doessociety’slackof adaptationandacceptance of diversitycause
the disabledpersontobe handicapped? The textbook pointsoutthe significantdifference betweenthe
definitionof beingdisabledandthe definitionof beinghandicapped. Beingdisabledisthe physical,
mental,orbehavioral diagnosisthatcausesthe individual tobe different. Disabilitiesbecome handicaps

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whenwe label these individualasunable tocomplete ajobor task inthe same fashionor as well as
someone withoutadisability. Thisleadsme toanotherquestionthatIbeganaskingmyself duringStella
Young’sspeech. Doessocietygetoff onthistype of “handicappedporn”the waytheyuse to get off on
viewing“the womanwithabeard”at the circus? There is documentationthroughouthistorythat
provessociety’sobsessionwithpeople thatlookandseemdifferent. Althoughwe may be inspired by
the actions of a personthat isdisabled,we shouldnotdiscriminate againstthemoruse themasa media
campaignof anysort.
Thisvideo,alongwithchapterone of the textbook,made me re-evaluateall disabilitiesand
thinkabouthowI couldtailormy life andeventuallyaclassroomtofitall levelsof diversityamong
students. Increatingan I.E.P.fora studentwithadisability,Iwouldhave toconsidertheirculture,
ethnicity,race,gender,social upbringing, family,andtheirdisability. Itwouldbe wise to incorporate the
childhimself/herselfandthe child’sfamilyinonthe processof creatinga special plan. It wouldalsobe
importantto educate the otherstudentsaboutthe disability. The childwiththe disabilitycouldhelp
withthis, andit wouldgive amore personal approachto learningandcreate an openlyquestioned
atmosphere. Childrenare more acceptingof differencesthatexistinotherpeople. If we begin
educatingthemaboutthe differencesthatequate tovariousdisabilities,thentheywilllearnacceptance
and supportformembersof the disabled community. Increatingan I.E.P.,I thinkthatit isextremely
importantto assesshowitisworkingona weeklyif notdailybasis. Adjustmentsmayneedtobe made
to make sure the childwiththe disabilityis integratedandmade tofeel apart of the social circlesin
theirgrade/class. Althoughthe childmayneedspecial assistance,itis imperativetoencourage them
everystepof the way andadjustanythingthatis not working.
AfterreflectingonStellaYoung’sspeech,IrealizedthatItoowas guiltyof manyof the things
that people doorsay to her,that she findsoffensive. Like many people,mybiggestoffense was to,
unintentionally,label people withdisabilitiesasinspirational andattacha layerof achievementto

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everythingthattheydo. AsStellapointedout,people withdisabilitiesdonotwantto be recognizedfor
theirdifferencesbutinsteadtobe valuedandcelebratedfortrue accomplishments. Theywanttobe
giventhe same opportunitiesandchoicesasother people sothattheycan dosomethingexceptional,
not be labeledexceptional.