A survey of 500 elementary schools in Great Britain has shown that children seriously misunderstand the nature of disabilities. Responses to the survey indicate that a significant number of children believe people with disabilities cannot work, do not get married, and cannot have healthy children.
The researchers speculate that media plays a large roll in the way children view PWDs. They examined one hundred books aimed at school children, and found that most characters with disabilities had extreme conditions, were passive, or faced tragic deaths. One researcher stated, "...It was almost as though these disabled characters had been put into the story for 'freak-show' effect."
There is a silver lining to the findings: when the children were properly educated about disabilities, they readily changed their attitudes. Stories of celebrities with disabilities were especially intriguing.
To read a summary of the article, visit Emaxhealth. For more information on disability awareness, take a look at our Resource Guide of books, DVDs and websites at the CeDIR library.
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