ABSTRACT
Designing curriculum to challenge ableism enables consideration of disability as more than a one-time event, as some awareness activities or special sporting days might be. Physical Education and kinesiology curriculum can highlight the ways that people with varied bodies illustrate and experience physicality. Studying literature offers innumerable opportunities to consider plot development, characterization, symbolism, and imagery related to disability. Studying news, political cartoons, media, film, and television programs are excellent ways to incorporate multi-media materials in teaching and support students to develop critical thinking skills. Burgstahler and Doe (2004) explained, 'A simulation creates a representation of elements of reality to develop a learning activity so participants develop skills, gain knowledge or change attitudes about that reality'. Schools may also utilize a disability awareness curriculum to spread knowledge about disability in classes or workshops, or may engage students in activities to alert them to disability discrimination, reduce fear about disability and disabled persons, and/or develop empathy for people with disabilities.
