INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENTLY-ABLED PEOPLE IN THE COMMONWEALTH

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Media and Development Workshop

Final Communique of the Media and Development Workshop, where Yocomm presented a best practice case study to the delegates.

INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENTLY-ABLED PEOPLE IN THE COMMONWEALTH

The passage from attending to integrating even to this day creates confusion and is the cause of difficulties. Integration is not a simple affair; since it is hard to understand what is actually is meant by the word. Many believe that integration means including, being with disabled/differently able of the same age, being in the same place, whereas others think it signifies conforming to norms, where one tries to make normal and to adapt the disabled performance to the parameters of healthy ones. Still others think that integration is impossible to attain. They pose the question as to why the disabled/different able are there, since they are unable to carry out many things their peers are able to. At times this distance appears to be so great that it is impossible to imagine a single point in common between those who are different and the others. The integration of these disabled/different able in their society and schools, is not carried out by conforming to the standard norms and behaviors, but by contributing to the growth and cohesion of the group, through the development of their abilities and potentials in learning, communication and in forming relationships, and socializing

Yocomm aims to help in the integration as well as the development of differently able in the Commonwealth and in its societies. More specifically, it wishes to provide a plat form of the experience and success in various communities around the Commonwealth so that it would help others as well to succeed in there endeavors.

Profile: Donna Koolmees, occupational therapist
Inspiring ability in young Jamaicans with disabilities WhenDonna Koolmees introduced the computer to a teenager with speechproblems caused by cerebral palsy, a sceptical teacher remarked that itwould be futile. ‘This boy is very low functioning – he can’t doanything with the computer’, said the teacher. But as anoccupational therapist, Ms Koolmees knew differently. She used anadapted keyboard and positioned the teenager, a wheelchair user, in away that enabled him to type. Within minutes, the boy had typed hisname. ‘He had the biggest smile ever’, Ms Koolmeesrecalls. Using assistive devices such as a specially designed computerkeyboard with larger keys or mouse, she was able to draw out thepotential of the student with disabilities.
Country:Jamaica
NewsSource:www.thecommonwealth.org	Publishdate: 04-January-2010

A New Voice Shouts to the Commonwealth - Nothing About us Without Us.
Disabled youth and adult people from 16 Commonwealth countries came together from 15-17 March, 2008 in London to launch a unique Commonwealth Disabled Peoples’ Forum (1), the purposes of which will be to provide a link between disabled people’s organisations in all Commonwealth countries and all the political structures of the Commonwealth. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2007 the civil society challenge to CHOGM was to mainstream disability in sustainable development, to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) and to adopt disability inclusive policies. This cannot be achieved without a strong, democratic forum of disabled youth and adults to ensure implementation.
Country:Other
NewsSource:The Web	Publishdate: 20-March-2009

Steven Hammond, MP during his visit to Sri Lanka.
Steven Hammond, MP views the designs of Tharindu Harshamal a hearing impaired youth, employed in Sri Lanka. Proceeds from the sale of the designs will go towards improving the lives of other hearing impaired children.
Country:United Kingdom
NewsSource:Yocmm-UK	Publishdate: 16-May-2008