Quotes:

As soon as i started to read this article i immediately found quotes that had a lot of significance.

"I started to notice that I didn't like the classes I was taking called special education.! had to go through special ed. almost all my life. I wanted to take other classes that interested me. I had never felt so mad, 1wanted to cry. (Peterson, 1994, p. 6)"

             When i rad this quote it meant a lot to me.  My mom is a Special Education teacher so over the years i have spent a lot of time in her classroom with these kids.  When i go to my mom's classroom the children are a lot younger so i don't see many of these issues coming up.  This quote is saying how the student is forced to take "special ed" classes which makes her feel badly about her self and she feels like it is unfair because she wants to take "normal" classes.  Being around a lot of students with down syndrome and numerous other disabilities i really feel for this student.  They should be allowed to take other classes that interest them so they feel like they want to go to school and be normal like the other students because they aren't on a specific curriculum.  I believe that they should take special classes but they also should be allowed to take electives just like everyone else because they are normal, they just have a disability.

"Now we know that people with disabilities can learn and have a full, rich life. The challenge is to erase negative attitudes about people with develop­ mental disabilities, get rid of the stereotypes and break the barriers for people with disabilities. (Kingsley, 1996, p. 6)"

               This next quote is directly under the first one.  Basically everything i said about the first one is what this one is talking about.  The person who said this wan't things to get fair for people with disabilities.  The thing that i liked the most in this one was that it said that we need to erase the negative attitudes towards people with disabilities.  I know that there are people in the world that will never change their views but the image needs to be changed.  People with disabilities can be very smart and just need to be given a chance and not be written off as soon as you see them.  The quote is very meaningful and once people read it they should no longer pass judgement on someone who is different and actually get the time to know them and realize that they aren't that different from themselves.

"It's not like they come here to be labeled, or to believe the label. We're all here-kids, teachers, parents, whoever-it's about all of us working together, playing together, being together, and that's what learning is."

              This quote is great, it was said by someone who doesn't have a disability.  Is is taking on the perspective of a person with a disability and is saying how they don't want people to think of them as different or already have the idea that they are different before they even talk to them.  It is also saying that basically we are all people and we are all different but should be treated the same.  They also shouldn't be separated on the sheer fact that the person has a disability.  They should be given a chance to show off how smart they actually are and if they are able to succeed ina classroom then they should be left there.  later on in the article there is a boy who is in a normal classroom that has a disability and if you didn't already know he had a disability you wouldnt be able to tell.  Basically the quote is saying that everyone deserves a chance.

Class Talking Points:  Do you just pass someone off because they have a disability or do you take the time to get to know them.  Also does anyone spend any time or have any experience with people with disabilities?