Opportunities to recognize and discuss disability all month long
Below you will find the names of famous disabled people born this month, dates of note in disability history, awareness/acceptance days related to specific disabilities and dates of cultural significance.
If there’s something you’d like to see on this month’s calendar, please let us know.
October
View the complete Disability Calendar of Events
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
List of books, videos and lessons about Down Syndrome from Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut
“Just Like You” video about Down Syndrome - 13 minutes
Chloe explains Down Syndrome video - animated - 3 and a half minutes (note the video uses the spelling Down’s which isn’t used the United States)
Language guide regarding Down Syndrome
Info for kids at www.UnderstandingDwarfism.com
List and information of some famous people with dwarfism
Watch Stella Young’s Ted Talk
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month
Books featuring AAC:
A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond - PreK-3
Written by an autistic mother of two autistic sons, A Day With No Words successfully normalizes communication methods outside of verbal speech and provides representation of neurodiversity and autism in a way that affirms and celebrates.
Reading and Discussion Guide by ADL
A Day With No Words Read Aloud
More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean by Roz MacLean - PreK - 3
"More than Words" is a vibrant exploration of children's abilities to communicate. At the central theme of the book is the idea that talking is not the only way of saying something. One can write, use braille, type, and practice sign language, for example.
5 Children’s Books with Dyslexic Characters
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
October 4 – October 10 – Mental Health Awareness Week
October 5 - Rosa’s Law signed (2009)
President Barack Obama signs legislation that replaces the term "mental retardation" with the term "intellectual disability." Law is named for 9-year old Rosa Marcellino, a young advocate with Down syndrome.
October 6 – World Cerebral Palsy Day
October 8 - World Blind Day / World Sight Day
Learn more on our Blindness and Braille page
October 15 - White Cane Day
Learn more on our Blindness and Braille page
October 31 - Halloween
Pennhurst State School was an institution for disabled people that was closed in 1987 and later turned into a Halloween horror attraction. Use the Demystifying Pennhurst State School lesson to discuss the history and two narratives used to refer to Pennhurst. Roland Johnson was 12 when he was sent to Pennhurst where he lived for 13 years. He was instrumental to the shutting down of the institution.