others play without being able to join in the fun. ...places to go where a family can go together. we'll exmine disability, and disconnection on this edition of equal time. we'll exmine disability, and disconnection on this edition of equal time. san josé state university school of journalism and mass communications. giving equal time to competing point of view. you're watching equal time. hello, and welcome to a new season of equal time. i'm bob rucker, the director of school of journalism... and mass communications at san jose state university. it can be uncomfortable and inconvenient for other people to try to relate to them.

but a new, ambitious project in san josé is putting families with disabilities in the swing of things. quinn dang has our story. people with disabilities navigate through the world with challenges that many of us can only imagine. so do their families accessible equipment? you know, what is that, or what do you mean? they might be in a wheelchair but they might be a college student. they might be blind, or they might have autism. it's so varied. so the individual experience for people with disabilities is hard to compartmentalize. as we traverse the city terrain everyday, there are obstacles that go, for the most part, overlooked. some sidewalk curbs serve as barriers to people with certain disabilities. if you're walking down the street and you see construction workers ripping up a corner sidewalk, chances are theyre installing one of these. this is a designed ramp approved by the ada or americans with disabilities act, to improve mobility and make streets more accessible to people with disabilities.

every year the san jose city council has a discussion regarding the placement of these ramps. streets that handle the most foot traffic are top priority. but mobility is just one obstacle. certain disabilities can carry a heavy social burden as well. joanna jaeger and her son alex, who lives with autism, understands these social barriers well. the reality is: the world doesnt do a very good job accommodating him, and his sensitivities, and his needs, so we needed to work hard to make him be able to be okay. for julie matsushima, and her granddaughter aimee, who lives with cerebral palsy, the issues of mobility and socialization converge to create a unique problem. just having places to go where a family can go together and be able to be together, play in a park in a playground.

so matsushima decided to get involved with the parks commission and as a member of san jose rotary she rallied widespread support. for this. [on the count of three: one two, three! let's play!] [crowd cheering] san jose's all-inclusive new playgarden... with specifically designed fun r children with and without disabilities. i think children in particular and adults with disabilities, more than anything want to participate in life and be part of society and be part of what goes on around them. so, in everything we do, having these children out in the neighborhood, out in a shopping center, out at a coffee shop, a restaurant, a park... make them feel inclusive and participating while also educating others around them.

plenty of education is going in the playgarden... as we will see... next. the rotary playgarden is located in guadalupe river park and gardens along coleman avenue a central location in san jose. when we come back well show you how familes are using and what it means to them welcome back. weve shown you how a san jose grandmother has developed a way for children to play together regardless of their abilities quinn dang continues our coverae

with a look at how this idea of "all access" applies to all members of the family. a three year process, six million dollars, and the collective effort of dedicated people can yield some wonderful results. the rotary playgarden... unveiled in late february... is a public park that aims to break bccriers. "here at the rotary playgarden accessibility is key.. its one of the few parks in san jose where able-bodied children and handicapped children can play side by side." aimee and chloe are identical twins. aimee and chloe are identical twins. but aimee was born with cerebral palsy and had massive brain damage. it was less of an issue when they were younger, but the difference in their needs quickly became apparent. "we would take them to the park when they were small, and we could only put chloe in the playground, and one of us had to sit outside on a bench with aimee, because the tanbark and the equipment, nothing was accessible."

the playgarden is equipped with rubberized floors, accessible swings and a jungle of other accessible play things. for parents like emily mcqueen the playgarden serves as a unique pccce where she can interact with her children. "we like coming to parks that are accessible because i can play with the kids and be free to go everywhere that they can go, and keep them safe if they need to be, and have fun with them. and honestly the imaginative play that can happen here because i can actually go to all of the places they can go." she understands the issue of inaccessibility from first hand experience. "parks can vary in levels of accessibility. the rubber surfacing is just the beginning of being able to get to everywhere in the park. so this place is 100 percent rubber surfacing, and that is tricky because a lot of times parks have bark dust or tanbark. you know... so that'll make it tricky to get everywhere. but as much as the playgarden means to bay area parents, it is a place of pure joy for children.

"it really means that ally and i have a place to play together. usually when we go to parks, we're not together. she's sitting on a bench with my parents, and i'm going and playing on the swings all all that, because she can't. and this is... it... it means a lot, you know...it.. it means that this is going to be her birthday party place where all of her school mates can come." and it won't be just schoolmates... but families... and people who walk in as strangers... .but can leave the rotary playgarden as friends who understand that the community cares about them. the rotary playgarden is one way to bring joy to families with disabilities. but much more work needs to be done. we'll see down with family members, and an educator to discuss disability and disconnection.. when we come back.

welcome back, to this edition of equal timei in our brand new television studio, here in the school of journalism and mass communications here at san jose state. today, our topic is the disabled, and some of the disconnections we encounter in our community. let's meet our guests hello, my namee is mary ellen peterson i'm the ceo of parents helping parents. parents helping parents is a family resource center serving families with children with disabilities and special health care needs. hi, my name is venus. i grew up with a brother with down syndrome and i'm here to share my experience and stories. hi, i'm marry ann dewan, and i'm the chief school's officer with the santa clara county office of education. at the office of education we work wit h students with disabilities

and we are the lead provider of a specialized service through the inclusion collaborative. i'm jackie matsushima. i'm a pat president of the rotary club of san jose, i'm a grandmother of a twin girl with cerebral palsy. i've also written a book about her that was published in 2010 called, "for the love of aimee" my name is quinn dang, and i'm the corespondent on the story. i'm thrilled that we're having this conversation today and i hope our community will take this as an opportunity to understand how we can better connect with the disabled. venus, you just said something that i can relate to. i have a sister who was born with down syndrome. i watched my mother growing up in chicago thinking, "how are we going to get through this?", and "how was life going to turn out for my sister?" did you have that same experience with your loved one? i did. it was hard for my mom to explain to me what condition my brother had. she would always tell me, "if anybody ever asks, just tell them that your brother is special."

so growing up, i would just have to say, "oh, he's special. he's perfectly fine, he's just special." and that's how parents helpin-o parents come about. because one parent who had a ch. we've been around for almost forty years. right around the same time that the legislation started that said, "all chilldren with special nees deserved to be included in education." before that, they were not included in and kind of educational program only if they could survive and do the work in the academic school with the rest of their peers. now they have special education and that has really been only in the last forty years. so, it's really civil rights for our individuals with special needs and disabilities. and you have a person in your family with cerebral palsy?

how does that work for you well, it was very tragic in the beginning. amiee is an identical twin and we were very excited about having twins in the family, but as you can well imagine having one that was severely disabled really was shocking, and disappointing, and in a way... it almost required that you mourn the situation to move forward, and... not expect to have twin girls that you were going to take to do things together. so we had to accept the fact that each was different, and each had different needs, and move foward, and embrace that reality. and one of the realities i know i faced, was when i was a kid with my sister going out in public and having people stare. and i know that they didn't mean any harm by it. not at all. but it was... uncomfortable for all of us. how do we better deal with that in today's world? i think it's important for families and communities to talk about

the feeings, to talk about the situaton. i think information really helps calm the community and helps others be more accepting of those around them. and i think when the community is also able to have areas, places to go... where families can be together with non-disabled, and disabled peers then that also opens up the opportunity for more acceptance, and more awareness. an example of that is the rotary playgarden that the santa clara county office of education has been a partner with rotary.. the rotary club of san jose in creating which is a beautiful place for non-disabled and disabled peers to play together, and do those normal, natural things which is a beautiful place for non-disabled and disabled peers to play together, and do those normal, natural things which is a beautiful place for non-disabled and disabled peers to play together, and do those normal, natural things that all children do. and that key word, "normal", we hear that a lot, quinn. i'm thinking your research... you've probably had people say, "well, we're trying to make things normal."

but how difficult and challenging is that? it's difficult, and it comes down exactly to just talking about it. and one of the most difficult things is that it's uncomfortable to talk about. it's something that we all struggle with, you know, we worry about hurting each other's feeling so much that we... it's hard to kind of...actually get the conversation out there. yes, but what is normal? i mean what is normal? everybody's different. we need to accept differences, and part of what you're talking about is really looking at having an inclusive community and we're not used to having an inclusive community. and when you talked about feeling...feeling different because your sister looked different and what do people do when individuals look different and they're in the community? that's because we're not used to having an inclusive community. and when i was growing up before i had a son with disabilities... did i know that there were many people around with disabilities? i didn't really know that because i was taught that it was rude to stare.

and if you don't stare at somebody, then you don't see them. ...and if you don't see them then they don't exist. and if they don't exist then you don't have to deal with them. and so, part of being uncomfortable with something that's different is avoiding it. and not looking at it. and not having to worry about it. so having our community be more inclusive, starting with the playground is a really wonderful way of having children become more accepting, because if you start when they're young children are not biased. they're willing to go up and talk to anybody. they don't have those fear mechanisms that older people have. they're not, you know, they're afraid of going over and talking to somebody and saying, "hey, how come your legs don't t chair, why are you doing things like that?"

and the other child can say, "well, i was born like this. i move like this," you know, "but it doesn't stop me from playing in a playground... it doesn't stop me from wanting to be in a swing. and now i can participate." and the wonderful thing, we're talking about the rotary playgarden the wonderful thing about that is that families can go anytime, and be together with all of their children not just with their special needs child. and there are wonderful resources in the community for our kids. and there are lots of philanthropic groups that do things for children... for special needs children, but they usually don't include the whole family, or the siblings. the rotary playgarden is something for everyone. that's what makes the difference. it's inclusive. that's exactly the vision behind that. i was on the parks commision for a number of years, and...

my goal was to absolutely raise awareness about the needs of children and their families with special needs. and your comment about...children often feel more comfortable to approach a child with a disability, but their parents become very uncomfortable. and what... when we have aimee visiting us we take her out in the community, and take her to restaurants, and... children are not a uncomfortable, i think, as their parents are. their parents will grab them by the hand and say, "don't look," or "let's go," or, you know... they're more uncomfortable and... it becomes evident very quickly which parents have educated their children and made them aware... and which parents have not and i think it's also important to note that parents and family members who are trying to deal or cope or understand themselves make mistakes because they think certain things and the child or the individual will teach you something totally different.

my sister is a very loving person. very outgoing. likes to talk to people. but i noticed that she likes to talk about the fact that she's partially blind... but see doesn't see it as a disability, she sees it as part of her identity, and that everybody... it's okay you can talk about it. that's a comfort zone that i think a lot of us don't have. would you agree? i would agree, and it makes me think about one of the important foundations of a truly inclusive community, and it's the language that we use, and how we talk about each other... the language we use to refer to people. one of the important things we talk about in the inclusion collaborative is "person-first" terminology. it's the person first. it's a child with a disability, not a disabled child. and i think that's really important because it does help all of us think about the whole person, and their whole identity not just the piece that might be limiting for that person. very good. and, go ahead, i know, quinn, you've done a lot of research on this, what else have you learned?

i was more focused on the societal aspect. and it's like... there is a natural, we've noticed, there's a natural reaction of fear when it comes to people who... just don't really understand people with disabilites. so... what do you guys think would be the most effective way to, i guess, dispatch with the situation to educate because... we wouldn't want people getting defensive. i think that people are afraid because they don't want to do the wrong thing. and instead of doing the wrong they don't do anything. but i would say that rather than not do anything, that's saying very loudly... that you're rejecting the person, or that's very loudly the wrong thing to do. i would say that it's better to do what you feel like doing, and even if it's the wrong thing, the person will forgive you because you're making that attempt at an interaction. you know, sometimes it's with culture. if you're learning a new language...

and you say the wrong thing by mistake. the other person will forgive because you're attempting to use their language in communicating with them. it's very similar with a disability. if you're you're trying to interact with them, if you say the wrong thing they're not going to hold it against you, because you're makg that attempt to get to know them. it's better than just shutting them out and not being involved with them at all. i can tell you a personal story. i have an older son that has cerebral palsy, and is intellectually disabled, and he's very disabled... and he loves everybody, and he doesn't see if people turn away from him and walk away. and then i have a younger son who is not disabled, and he got these colored lenses one time that were white... and he put them in his eye, and so he looked very disturbing. and we went to the movies, and he was wearing them and i thought, "how can he see the movie?"

because it must be like looking through fog, but he thought he looked cool. he was about 18 or 19. so we go to order popcorn during intermission, and he's wearing... if you can imagine white, so he has no pupil, just a little white thing there. and he orders the popcorn from the guy, and the guy looks at him, i'm standing right next to him... and he looks at him, and then he turns to me, and he says... "would he like butter on his popcorn?" he wouldn't even look...he wouldn't even acknowledge him. and he's like taller than me, and asking for popcorn, and he was paying for it. so it was...he made him so uncomfortable that he didn't even acknowledge his presence, standing right there. and i think that's what happens with individuals with special needs, that we... don't want to acknowledge them because they make us uncomfortable. exactly. venus, you can relate to that, i know i've had that experience in grocery stores or out in the park...

with my sister, i find that young kids will come right up us and look... and then parents will grab their arms and say, "don't stare! don't do that!" and it, sometimes, i think it's our opportunity to say, "it's okay. my sister is okay, and she be happy to say hello to you." so yeah, i do think that's the best thing to do if you do have a sibling who has a disabliity. it's good to just talk to them and start a conversation. it's actually better that way because... if you don't, if you...like she was touching on...if you ignore the situation, it's kind of like you're ignoring the persons and if you start a conversation with them, i mean... it's like you're accepting them, and willing to learn more about them. there's a teaching function in all of this. i wanted to comment, excuse me, on mary ellen's situation about not talking directly to the child.

we have this happen all the time with aimee. she's 17, so she's a young adult. we'll go into a restuarant, and they'll come around to take orders... and then they'll look at me and say, "what would she like to drink," or "what would she like to eat?" and i always say, "she'd like to order her own lunch." and sometimes aimee is very articulate, and sometimes she's not. it may depend on how she feels that day. but i let her say it two or three times if she needs to until she can order for herself. and it's really out of respect and dignity, and it's educating other people that... they should go up and speak to her and then if she couldn't answer then of course i would do it for her, but i think it's really important to educate others on an ongoing basis. i've done the same thing with my sister with down syndrome, and... sometimes i'm also amazed at the number of waiters and people in restaurants who are just understanding immediately...

and will try to engage you back and try to relax everyone and say it's okay to talk about it. we can talk about how people in the work place can undestand and accomadate this if your employer is dealing with issues where staff member or person from your office has to go and take care of a need involving a disabled person how to understand that how to talk about that with the employee what are your thoughts about that i do think that is importnat to have the conversation it is a balancing act for a lot of families there are many needs and in some cases twenty four seven care for a child with a disibility and so i think it's one of those things that take a village i think that if the employer has the ability to provide some accomodations to offer some suppourt such as flexible hours or the ability to make up the time if necessary

then those things should be offered but i think that the critical piece is that that we are demonstrating the concern for the family and for the child regardless of the situation it could be a medical need it could be a disibility there are all kinds of things the interfere in families day to day work and the sensitivity of the employer to have the conversation i think is the critical first step and quinn what about the sensitivity on college campuss or at a high school i mean i think sometimes that's where the challenges begin personally i remember when i was in grammar school my only fight was over my sister with someone who approched her and knocked her down and i was her big brother and i had to defend her and i don't think anybody understood her situation then we have more knowledge now but what about now in school i think it's very difficult because there is no official forum to actually have these discussion

when i was i was younger and uhh there was a kid he had down syndrome he was buy the bus stop his name was richard when i was i was younger and uhh there was a kid he had down syndrome he was buy the bus stop his name was richard and i remember really vividly there was these three kids who, it was chinese new year, and they would they would light firecrackers and throw them at him. and it just scared him. and i remember these kids were bigger than me, and i like, beat myself up about it all the time but like, you know you witness this stuff, and there's nothing you can do about it. well, you think there's nothing you can do about it. but that's the thing is that... there needs to be like an actual forum for this kind of discussion for... i don't think there is. i don't think...not to my knowledge, maybe it's changed since i've been in grade school but to my knowledge there hasn't been any. so i mean... you know i think it depends. my son, my younger son now is 33. but when he was in high school...

he told me, he came home one time, and he said he was standing with a group of young men... and a young woman walked by who had down syndrome, and he has a brother with special needs, so he's very sensitive... to individuals with special needs. and he said that, one of the guys in the groups said, "hey, michael... there goes your girlfriend. and he goes, "yeah. so what?" and he said then the guy that said that just kind of dropped his head and didn't know what to say... and they all kind of disappeared. but he said, "mom, i wasn't going to let them put her down." and they all kind of disappeared and walked away. and i said, "good for you for standing up for her." you know? and she didn't hear it. but they were just kind of being rude. and so i don't think they said that again in front of him. but people do need to make a stand. individuals do need to make a stand. and one of the things...

that we found is that siblings, brothers and sisters... really do need to talk about what it's like to grow up with a special needs brother or sister early, because then they are much better able to handle the pressure they see in schools. and that's one of the things we do at parents helping parents. we have a very strong sibling support group. and an adult sibling group. i'm sorry. so in the event that we can't say in situations, and it happens a lot that we can't introduce people to... so in the event that we can't say in situations, and it happens a lot that we can't introduce people to... so in the event that we can't say in situations, and it happens a lot that we can't introduce people to... disabilities so early... is there any we that we can possibly educate people who have already developed these kinds of fears and prejudices? i think having awareness campaigns can do that. and i also think that the more inclusive we can become as a community, that addresses the system's issue that you talked about before. and not being afraid. just... open our mouths, and admit sometimes we don't understand, and we'd like to learn. that might be very much the starting point.

this has been fantastic, i thank you for doing the story. and i thank you all for being here. and i also want to thank you for joining us. we hope you'll come back for another edition of equal time.

- this is a problem unlike, i would say, any we've seen before, and this is why it poses such interesting questions. - it affects the food that we're trying to grow and the water resources that we're trying to get for people. so climate change is very much intertwined with so many other things that we care about and are important to humanity. - there needs to be a way to get beyond that, "i'm right; you're wrong," to, "look, this is affecting all of us." - we're very good at maintaining all this information among the academic elite, but we cannot convey the same information to the rest of the world and the rest of the population. and i think that's where the main work needs to be done. - i guess i would want to hear, how are we going to do this? - the conversation i want to hear