Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

A Civil Rights Movement

• Civil Rights Movement (1960s)

• Struggle to end segregation

Source: (above) Abbeyville Press

http://www.abbeville.com/Products/InteriorImages/0789206560Interiors.
htm

Source: (above) Florida Memory Project, http://www.floridamemory.com/

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 A Civil Rights Movement

• Significant gains made by strong leaders

Sources:
(above) San Diego State University
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~cerna/protests.htm
(right) Carl Vinson Institute of Government at University of Georgia
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/tl24frame1.htm

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 A Civil Rights Movement

• Disability Rights Movement (1970s – today)

• Struggle to end segregation

Source: (above and right) Smithsonian National Museum of American History

http://americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/exhibit_menu.html

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 A Civil Rights Movement

• Despite some gains by vocal activists

• Developmental Disabilities
Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (’75)

• Education for All Handicapped

Children Act (’75)

• Americans with Disabilities Act (‘90)

• Segregation still exists

Source: (above) AP Photo by Tetona Dunlap
http://www.pww.org/article/articleprint/9620/

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 History

• The Middle Ages

– “idiot cages”
– “ships of fools”

• The Protestant Reformation

– subhuman organisms
– “filled with Satan”

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 History

• The 19th and 20th Centuries

– Growth of institutions for disabled
– Training schools  asylums
– Pupils  inmates

Source: The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities,

www.mncdd.org, www.museumofdisability.org

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion

• The time to end segregation is NOW.

• All people deserve to be valued as
contributing community members.

NOW is the time for inclusion.

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion

What is inclusion?

• “Inclusion” means all individuals – with and

without disabilities – live, learn, work, play
and participate together in all life
experiences.
• Supports are provided to meet individual
needs, and everyone is accepted and
regarded as a valued member of society.

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion

Three Key Spheres of Inclusion:

Education

Business Community

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion in Education

Barriers:

• Denial of access to
mainstream education
• Lack of access to fair (above) West Hernando Middle School, Brooksville

curriculum
• Shortage of opportunities for higher
education
• Untrained and uninformed instructors

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion in Education

Inclusion NOW:

• More inclusive classrooms

• Modifications to regular
curriculum (above) Joseph Benito, student in an inclusive
classroom

– e.g., State Reading Initiatives

• Higher education  better job opportunities
• Diverse classrooms
• All teachers qualified to teach all students

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion in Business

Barriers:

• Lack of job opportunities

• Health benefits cut
• Insufficient transportation
• Untrained and uninformed employers

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion in Business

Inclusion NOW:

• Untapped resources
• Reliable health benefits
• Transportation options (above) Juan “Papo” Pollo, owner of “Pop’s Vending”

• Highly dedicated and professional employees

• Tax incentives and a diverse workplace

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion in the Community

Barriers:

• Lack of access to affordable housing

• Insufficient transportation
• Need for expansion and equality in
necessary waiver programs
• Untrained and uninformed citizens and
leaders

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion in the Community

Inclusion NOW:

• Opportunities for rental or

home ownership
• Transportation options
• Sufficient access and (above) Jonathan Hughes, homeowner

availability of needed services and support

• All benefit in inclusive communities
• Inclusive communities = strong communities

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

 Inclusion NOW!

A Civil Rights Movement

• Equal rights for all
• Right to experience life as equal and active
members of society

NOW is the time to break down barriers.

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council