“Mobility and the Mouse”

Take several HS Visually Impaired students doing

traditional mobility,Combine them with

a group of young adults with

cognitive disabilities doing generic mobility – drop

them off at Disney World

And what do you get?

Participants:*HS Students with a Visual Impairment *HS Students & Young Adults with a Cognitive Disability

Premise: A collaborative learning environment is established in which CD & VI students rely on each other to build their skills and help each other increase their levels of independence, self esteem, and mobility skills.

VI students are mentors / role models for the CD students, assisting with:◦ Counting money◦ Making purchases◦ Assisting non-verbal

students◦ Meal planning &

preparation ◦ Maintaining a time

schedule◦ Read braille maps◦ Assisted with ADL skills in

the rooms

The CD students assist the VI Students with:◦ Reading menus in dark

restaurants◦ Sighted guide at night

within the crowds◦ Reading park signs◦ Navigating the airports◦ Locating luggage &

seats on the plane◦ Locate bus stops & read

the names on the bus

Checking in at the Airport

Our Journey Begins

Navigating the Airport

Getting to the Gate

First Time on a Plane

Helping each other find their seats

GETTING TOTHE

BAGGAGE AREA

CHECKING INTO THE HOTEL

HOME AWAY FROM

HOME

Girls & Guys are in their own villas and help each other with daily tasks.

PLANNING & SHOPPING FOR MEALS

CD Students: locate items & read prices

VI Students: estimate costs & pay for items

MEAL PREPARATIONVI Students – work on cooking skillsCD Students – read directions on packages

It’s a Vision Thing!

“Peanut butter is great on ice cream!”

Mobility Around the ParksGeneric mobility skills are worked

on with the CD students, including how to be a sighted guide.

Traditional Mobility skills are worked on with the VI students.

Taking the Bus

CD Students read the bus scheduleVI Students help to figure out the times

Getting to the Parks

CD Students reading bus stop signs

And doing sighted guide

Arriving at Magic Kingdom

Mobility in the Park

VI Student Using Braille a MapCD Students reading the print maps

Cane travel in less crowded areas

CD students are the sighted guides in

the crowds and at night

EVERYONE WANTS TO USE

THE CANE(Except the Visually Impaired

Student!)

CD Students do sighted guide

to the ridesVI Students get to drive!

Getting directions

Shopping

Buffet Lines

VI Student entering a Pin number

CD students describing what’s on the buffet

Technology

Checking for dinner reservations & reading menus using an iTouch.

CD & VI students programed them in together before they left for

Disney.

Dining

CD Students read the menuVI students assist with the orders

VI STUDENTS HELP FIGURE THE CHECK

EVERYONE WANTS

TO MEET THE MOUSE!

Disney World is an amazing place to incorporate a lifetime worth of skills, independence and mobility training in just a few days. But

even if you can’t make it to Florida, hopefully, this will help

spark some ideas on how to incorporate skills between groups

of students with multiple disabilities, in a unique setting.

However, the real magic is being able to see how

individuals with such different disabilities can work

together, teach each other, and…

Maintain friendships that have lasted long after the fireworks have burned

out.

LONG TERM BENEFITS FOR THE VI STUDENTSBuild self-esteem by being a positive role model & mentor, and helping someone else with a disability

Assist with the Special Olympics team during practices and travel with them for state meets. Organizing a tournament at their college and sharing their dorm rooms

Secure college jobs as RA’s in their dorms as a result of the training and experience they received on the Disney trips.

Employed at Café Arrowhead, & Lake Country Artisans the CD student’s businesses

Participation in the Lobster Boil fundraising activity

Travel independently both nationally & internationally

“It’s a small world after all!”

Presenters

After the first trip with my 9th grade VI student, I asked her what she thought about being with the

CD students;“I always knew the stereotypes about people with visual impairments, but I had no idea how people

with cognitive disabilities were treated – this really made me see things from a different side.”

10 years later she is a Special Education teacher at Arrowhead High School and was a chaperone on this

year’s trip. Lynn Goeden-Hough

My thanks to John Hough

and the Arrowhead CD Program / Students

and Arrowhead Special Olympics Team without whom none of this would

have been possible!