Ms. Buras' class read a novel called The Acorn People, by Ron Jones. This is a book about a camp counselor that went to a camp thinking it would be easy working with kids, but he finds out that these are not just kids; they are kids with disabilities. Working with them is a shock to him. He does things that he never thought he would have to do. While Ron started out hating every moment that he spent at the camp, he learned to see the children as people, not just handicapped people. This book is a true story, and we learned that they are the same as everyone else. When you meet a hanicapped person, look beyond their disability and find the real person.

Ms. Politte

An Interview with Ms. Politte

We asked Ms. Politte some questions about what it is like working with students with disabilities, and these are some answers she gave us. She told us that working with them is very fun, challenging, and rewarding. "Sometimes, I get fustrated, but for the most part I have a lot of patience," she replied. Some of the children that she works with are born the way that they are and some get in accidents. These children have to do what the adults are trying to teach them, and they always need supervision. "The best thing about teaching students with disabilities is seeing them smile and laugh."

Learn About Different Types of Disabilities

Blindness is a type of disability. About 95% of blindness is caused by diseases, and all of the rest are caused by injuries. Almost half a million people in the United States are blind. A disease called Cataracts can also cause blindness.

Autism is a diability that babies are sometimes born with. No one knows how they get it, and it won't go away when they get older. The encyclopedia explains this as a disease that children get before the age of four. This disease makes their minds all mixed up. When someone has autism, it is hard for them to communicate with others.

Cerebral Palsy has four types. Ataxic is one of them. This is a disease when the child jerks a lot because they have lost their balance. Another is Athetoid which is when the child's muscles move a lot.

Deafness has many causes. Meningitis is one of them, and it is a high fever that can cause damage to the inner ear.