This Ability Not Disability

Dedicated to the positive youth development of children with significant physical disabilities who demonstrate the capacity to succeed academically. ThisAbilityNotDisability supports practices that engage youth in finding challenging and engaging activities (e.g. at home, in school and in the community) that use their abilities to promote their belief in themselves and their capabilities.

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CMA Stories - Inclusive Sunday Classes for Children with Physical Disabilities

In this video, ThisAbilityNotDisability.org's Chair, Debra Fisher, shares her experiences as one of the occupational therapists who works alongside of teacher artists in the Inclusive Arts program at CMA, the Children's Museum of the Arts on Charlton St in NY, NY.    The 2014-15 weekly classes begin in October 2014.   It is a free program and is open to children with physical disabilities who may bring along a school-age sibling or peer to participate with them.  

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A film by CMA's Sunday Inclusive Class 2013/2014

This video shows the ability of the children with physical disabilities who participated in the Inclusive Sunday Children's Museum of the Arts program during the past academic year.  The children who created each animation in this video were children with physical disabilities and their siblings or friends whom they invited to join the group along with them.   ThisAbilityNotDisability.org is proud to be a partner of CMA.  

The 2014-15 Inclusive Art  Program will begin weekly Sunday afternoon classes in October.  It is a great place for children whose only barrier to full participation at school and their wider community is their physical disability.   This program provides a structured group experience where children learn about and create art  including animation and claymation  alongside of peers with physical disabilities and a sibling or friend whom each child may bring.  Participation in structured groups is a key developmental experience for all children for building skills and friendships.  This class/group is led by CMA teacher artists and an occupational therapist.    CMA is located on Charlton St in New York City.   

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NY Sun Works Youth Conference 2014 - YouTube

For more information about the New York Sun Works Youth Conference visit: http://www.nyswyouthconference.org/ http://www.nysunworks.org Debra Fisher graduate...

n June, Debra Fisher, This Ability Not Disability board member, spoke at the live broadcast of the NY Sunworks Youth Conference 2014. 

To learn more about Debra's thoughts on how innate curiosity can lead to sustainable solutions for children and adults with physical disabilities.

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Malcolm Wright wrote a wonderful post about a 2012  overnight bike trip that he took in New York City with his 9 year old daughter, Camilla who happens to have cerebral palsy.  The story highlights ability in both parent and child.  

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ThisAbilityNotDisability visits Good Housekeeping's Research Institute in the Hearst Tower

On a beautiful day in June 2014, several elementary school age children with physical disabilities and their parents participated in a ThisAbilityNotDisability.org sponsored event at the Good Housekeeping 's Research Institute in NY, NY. Rachel Rothman, Technical Manager and Engineering Director, led the tour and showed participants how products are tested in the process of earning a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.  The Good Housekeeping offices are located in The Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan.  It is architectural gem and is where some scenes from Spiderman were shot! The students’ “ooohs and ahhs” could be heard as they took in the surrounding and rode the elevator to the 29th floor.

Good Housekeeping engineers test everything from hair dyes to stain removers, food, electronics and toys. It was exciting to see what goes on behind the scenes of such a large and innovative company!  We visited a lab where real human hair is tested after products are applied. Will the hair really be softer and more manageable? We met with several friendly and smart engineers who answered the children’s questions. ‎ The students were smiling when Rachel spilled more and more secrets about how this special company tests and re-tests products that want to earn the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.  The students laughed when they heard that part of the job of being an Good Housekeeping engineer is do things like drop electronic items to see how they survive and taste all kinds of food recipes to see if they are truly easy to follow and the food as tasty to eat as advertised!

Rachel invited the children to return to Good Housekeeping to help the staff with toy testing. Each year, companies send their latest toys to Good Housekeeping in hopes of earning a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.  Now that is fun job! 

As a Board member, I had the joy of participating in the event.  I was moved by the opportunity to observe children with significant physical disabilities be at the center, not off at the side of an event like this. The children were fully engaged and I know that some imagined that they could work in a place like Good Housekeeping as young adults.  Along with the rest of the Board of ThisAbilityNotDisability.org, I look forward to facilitating the participation of children with disabilities in community events and activities that support their focus on their abilities not their disability as they grow towards a productive and healthy adulthood.

Thank you, Rachel Rothman and your wonderful staff for being so open to ThisAbilityNotDisability.org and the children and parents who participated in the June 2014 tour at Good Housekeeping.  

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This video highlights the power of staying focused on the ability of children with disabilities, promoting their ability to persevere and their belief in what they can accomplish.  You'll be surprised that any third grader could create the art that these three children created.   

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NYC Sled Rangers Hockey Team shows off their ABILITY!

This organization began their wheelchair sled hockey team in the Summer of 2012 with a bunch of novice skaters. These players had never imagined playing such an aggressive and demanding team sport. Neither did their parents. Click  to see THIS ABILITY!!

  •http://www.wsfsledrangers.org/breakaway.html

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