West campus observes Disability Awareness Week with variety of events

October 19, 2009

Arizona State University’s West campus will observe Disability Awareness Week with a calendar of events designed to increase awareness that individuals with disabilities are as competent and capable as those without.<separator></separator>Disability Awareness Week is Oct. 19-22.<separator></separator>“This is an important week, because it is an opportunity to inform and to reach out,” says Adele Darr, director of the West campus Disability Resource Center. “The events we have scheduled, we hope, will bring the campus community together in recognition of the accomplishments and the success stories that have been achieved by students with disabilities.”<separator></separator>The schedule begins Monday, Oct. 19, with a noon showing of “Two Worlds – One Planet,” a powerful and poignant documentary tracing the struggles and triumphs of students and their families at Gateway Academy, a K-12 private day school in Scottsdale, Ariz., specializing in students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified). <separator></separator>The Award of Excellence for the Accolade Award at the 2008 Hot Springs Film festival, “Two Worlds” will be shown in the University Center Building (UCB), Room 302. Following the film, O. Robin Sweet, executive director of the Gateway Academy, will speak about the Spectrum College Transition Program that helps students with disabilities make the transition to college and how to work with students with Asperger’s Syndrome.<separator></separator>On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Ability Counts Club will host a “Corridor of Discovery” in the Sands Classroom Building Breezeway from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.<separator></separator>Disability Awareness Week comes to a close on Thursday when ASU alum Geoff Rubin, creator of an adaptive physical education program called “Get Fit Mind and Body,” will speak from 2:15-3 p.m., in UCB 302.<separator></separator>For more information about the above events, e-mail to <a href="/abilitycounts.asu@gmail.com">abilitycounts.asu@gmail.com</a> or call (602) 543-8171.

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