Hi Bobby,

         I suspect the closer to baseline normal you are the better you
fair. Amber has few problems. Altho , with the higher disabilities awareness
today - the kids are more apt to pitch in and help her. I think at lot has
to do with - 1) the level of disability, 2) the cognitive level, 3) the
ability to communicate and lastly 4) the disabled kids attitude - no one
wants to be around some people just becasue of their personalities. I think
dealing with the disabled is more dependent on our ability to communicate
than anything else.  We are somewhat of a disadvantage when someone doesn't
speak and we don't how to communicate with them. I was ready to tear my hair
the other night with a deaf couple at Hecht's and chosing a sapphire ring.
They only signed - I only speak ( okay - I sign real simply - like monkey -
cookie nothing real). LOL and to show the real the intelligence of all of us
- none of us thought about paper and pen ( you would think they would carry
some) - never-the-less we made it thru - they left with a ring and I went
and wilted in the corner!! I was exhausted - it was mind boggling - it is
easier to wait on someone in a wheelchair. We are kind of handicapped
becasue no one teaches us - non-verbal communication skills or how to
communicate with people who use computer to talk. This should be covered.

                                Brightest Blessings
                                     Trisha


> I don't know I got plenty of opportunities at my high school in the
> fifties. I was footbal and track manager and was part of the "jock" clique
> in a Texas high school. You don't get much higher than that LOL. I was
> ragged a lot by the jocks, but I thought it was part of the dues. Paid for
> it later those because the teachers were afraid to give us bad grades. I
> had to learn the basics in algebra and trig in college.
>
> Bobby
>
>
>
> >Cindy, you are right.  Which is why I like the idea of "reverse
> >inclusion," that is, taking "normal" children out of schools and putting
> >them in special education schools first.  Once the children make friends
> >with those in special education, I think mainstreaming would be
> >facilitaqted with much less pain on the CWD's part.  That, after all, is
> >one of our goals; to make mainstreaming into society as seamless and
> >painless as possible for pwd's,
> >Mike
> >
> >Cindy C Curtis wrote:
> >>
> >> When I was in school I want a cheerleader, I was the Student Body
> >> President, I was on the yearbook staff, and I was on the newspaper
> staff.
> >>  This was at the SP ED school.  Do you think disabled kids will get
> those
> >> same opportunities at a regular school?  It would be easy to paint a
> >> beautiful picture, as they often do, but the sad reality of it is they
> >> wouldn't.
> >>
> >> I believe that kids with disabilities and without need to socialize
> >> together.  There must be other ways of doing that.
> >>
> >> There, I've said my peace.
> >>
> >> Cindy