About the DAW
About the DAW
About the DAW
The Disability Awareness Workshop is a one-day program to teach mainly 4th-grade students an empathetic understanding of physical, developmental, and learning disabilities. The hands-on-activity-based program is designed to help students understand how difficult and complex daily living can be for individuals with disabilities. At the same time, the workshop’s, “I Can”, message challenges cultural stereotypes that marginalize people with disabilities. Where others see adversity, challenge, and problems we see opportunities, possibilities, and potential. The workshops help to build a culture of understanding that is invaluable, with the goal to learn, through experience. Students learn that given the right tools and adaptations individuals with disabilities can accomplish everyday tasks, be successful and live happy lives.
The Disability Awareness Workshop is a one-day program to teach mainly 4th-grade students an empathetic understanding of physical, developmental, and learning disabilities. The hands-on-activity-based program is designed to help students understand how difficult and complex daily living can be for individuals with disabilities. At the same time, the workshop’s, “I Can”, message challenges cultural stereotypes that marginalize people with disabilities. Where others see adversity, challenge, and problems we see opportunities, possibilities, and potential. The workshops help to build a culture of understanding that is invaluable, with the goal to learn, through experience. Students learn that given the right tools and adaptations individuals with disabilities can accomplish everyday tasks, be successful and live happy lives.
The Rochester Community Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Committee developed the Disability Awareness Workshop, in 1988. In 2005 the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee to Special Education (AAPAC) partnered with motivational speaker Steve Schwartz and Carolyn Grawi from the Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston (DNWML) to bring the Disability Awareness Workshops (DAW) to Logan Elementary School. What started as one man’s vision to demystify young people’s perspectives about what it means to have a disability has grown into a community-wide effort to demonstrate the strengths, abilities, and gifts people with disabilities possess.
The Rochester Community Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Committee developed the Disability Awareness Workshop, in 1988. In 2005 the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee to Special Education (AAPAC) partnered with motivational speaker Steve Schwartz and Carolyn Grawi from the Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston (DNWML) to bring the Disability Awareness Workshops (DAW) to Logan Elementary School. What started as one man’s vision to demystify young people’s perspectives about what it means to have a disability has grown into a community-wide effort to demonstrate the strengths, abilities, and gifts people with disabilities possess.
Over the years, the workshop has grown to include every elementary school in Ann Arbor and now other school districts and also private and charter schools. Each workshop begins at the community level with planning and coordination efforts between the DNWML and the School. The collaboration continues between a PTO-appointed DAW School Parent Coordinator, the principal, teachers, and 23-25 parent and CIL volunteers! Pulling off each workshop truly is an amazing collective effort!
Over the years, the workshop has grown to include every elementary school in Ann Arbor and now other school districts and also private and charter schools. Each workshop begins at the community level with planning and coordination efforts between the DNWML and the School. The collaboration continues between a PTO-appointed DAW School Parent Coordinator, the principal, teachers, and 23-25 parent and CIL volunteers! Pulling off each workshop truly is an amazing collective effort!