ADVOCACY

    Education | Assistive Technology
    UNDERSTANDING DISABILITY POLICIES byRobert F. Drake; Macmillan, 1999.     This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the development and consequences of disability policies. It contrasts policies grounded in medical definitions of disability with those informed by the social model. British policies are compared with the civil rights approaches adopted in
    America and Australia, and the welfare - orientated stance of countries like Sweden. There are separate chapters devoted to the impacts of policy on disabled people according to class,
    gender, age and ethnicity.

    Awakening to Disability Nothing About Us Without Us by Karen Stone; Volcano Press, 1997. Karen shows us that we are all human and that disability is only a small matter through this book about breaking barriers, strength and compassion.

    People with Disabilities Who Challenge the System Edited by D. Lehr, Ph.D., & F. Brown, Ph.D.,Paul H. Brookes Publishing, 1996. Demonstrates how to build supports to surmount the unique challenges of including people who are deaf-blind, have some cognitive disabilities, or have serious behavior problems.

    Crossing the River : Creating a Conceptual Revolution in Community and Disability by David B. Schwartz; Brookline Books, 1992. Dr. Schwartz points out the promise, potential, and limits of this new direction of community and disabilities, illustrating how this conception can work.

    The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman ; Published by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux; Oct. 98. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, this brilliantly reported and beautifully crafted book explores the clash between a medical center in California and a Hmong refugee family over their care of a child--and the lack of understanding that led to tragedy.

    Across Borders : Women With Disabilities Working Together by Diane Driedger (Editor), Irene Feika (Editor), Eileen Giron Batres (Editor); Gynergy Books/Ragweed Press,1996. The women with disabilities movement is at the forefront of partnership and cooperation internationally, Across Borders: Women with Disabilities Working Together portrays the multi-faceted work by women with disabilities from the developed and developing world.

    An Introduction to Persons With Severe Disabilities : Educational and Social Issues by John J. McDonnell, Michael L. Hardman; Allyn & Bacon, 1995. Defines and describes various categories of disability and discusses effective education and community service systems, family and friends, biomedical issues, infant intervention and preschool programs through adult services, and programs for the aging and elderly. The four authors are all connected with special education.

    Adopting and Advocating for the Special Needs Child : A Guide for Parents and Professionals by L. Anne Babb, Rita Laws; Bergin & Garvey, 1997. You may have just wondered about opening your home to a parentless child. Or you may have already done so. This book was written for people in every stage of the adoption process.

    Families, Professionals and Exceptionality : A Special Partnership by Ann P. Turnbull, H. Rutherford, III Turnbull, Prentice Hall Publishers, 1997. Written by highly experienced special educators who are parents of a disabled child, this newly revised text focuses on family-professional empowerment, offers a wealth of concrete, and time-tested strategies for building reliable alliances between families and educators, and is based on the belief that the most rewarding of living one's personal and professional life is through collaboration for empowerment.

    Life As We Know It : A Father, a Family, and an Exceptional Child by Michael Berube; Pantheon Books, 1996. A moving, intensely personal chronicle of a father's struggle to realize the full potential of his Down syndrome son discusses his child's first four years of life, the stages of his development, and disability law, health care, education, and other key issues.

    No Pity : People With Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph P. Shapiro; Times Books, 1994. A vibrant and compelling account of our century's last great civil rights movement. Over the last 30 years, disabled Americans have fought for freedom from the discrimination and oppression of medical, psychological, and bureaucratic establishments. This is the first popular history of the disability rights movement.

    Moving Violations : War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence by John Hockenberry; Hyperion Publishers, 1995. A veteran NPR commentator and popular correspondent on ABC-TV's Day One news program relates his experiences of danger and discrimination during to his world travels and confinement to a wheelchair.

    Deciphering the System : A Guide for Families of Young Children With Disabilities by Paula J. Beckman, Gayle Beckman Boyes; Brookline Books, 1994. It provides basic information about parents' rights under recent legislation affecting young children with disabilities. Deciphering the System provides information about many other aspects of the service system the parents may encounter including the education assessment process, how parents can work with multiple service providers, ways to manage the large amount of information that accumulates, and what parents can expect when service providers seek information about their family. There are tips about handling IEP and IFSP meetings, due process hearings, and the transitions which are part of everyone's life, and a chapter about obtaining support from other parents. Finally, there is a glossary which parents can use to help them sort out professional jargon and an extensive lists of resources available to these young children.

    Kids With Special Needs : Information and Activities to Promote Awareness and Understanding by Veronica Getskow, Dee Konczal, Bev Armstrong (Illustrator); Learning Works, 1995. Children with disabilities have special needs, but perhaps their greatest need is to be understood and accepted by other children. This book promotes an understanding and awareness of these challenges. It includes background information and simulation exercises about communicative, developmental, physical, and learning disabilities. A comprehensive resource for parents and teachers of children with special needs.

    Back to Our-Kids main page

    Back to Parents' Reading list.

    updated July 2002