A Journey Thru Her World Disabilities Awareness Patch

A Journey Thru Her World is an All Ages Award from the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas Council.

# Activities

Brownies: Complete 6
Juniors: Complete 8
Studio 2b Cadettes/Seniors: Complete 10
All levels must include the three "\*" activities.

* 1. Many people with disabilities are able to rise above the odds and do amazing feats

with their lives. Learn about at least 3 people with a disability and how they
overcame their challenge.

2. Arthritis is a disease that cripples fine motor skills (hand movement) and occurs more
commonly among elder people (perhaps your grandparents). Many times people with
arthritis are unable or have difficulty opening jars, bags, etc. To experience this
disability tape your pointer finger and thumb together with 4 inches of masking tape
and then try to open a pill bottle, a package of crackers, or lift a penny off a counter
top.

* 3. List at least 5 different adjustments you’ve seen in public places that can help a

person with a disability.

4. Learn the alphabet in American Sign Language and create a sign for your name.

5. Braille is a system of writing for the blind that uses characters made up of raised
dots. Learn the alphabet in Braille and then practice it by writing your name.

6. Learn about the different diseases of the eye that could cause blindness such as
cataracts or glaucoma. Find out what the symptoms are and if there is a cure. At
what age is the disease most common and how might people with the disease have to
make adjustments to their life style.

7. Sometimes it is hard to know exactly how to act around someone with a disability. To
better understand how people with disabilities feel learn about proper disability
etiquette. Know when to jump in or hold back with helping.

8. Auditory Communication Therapy, developed by Alexander Gram Bell, is a method of
teaching deaf children how to speak and communicate with others as if they had no
impairment. Research this method of learning and discover how it differs from deaf
people who only sign. If possible, invite a deaf person who has learned this method
to one of your troop meetings and discuss with her how she might live her life
differently because of her impairment.

9. Learn about the different technologies available to people who have disabilities.
(Example: JAWS- a program developed to read the text on a computer screen for
blind people, or Dragon Naturally Speaking- a computer program for people who are
unable to use their hands.) If possible, try using one of the systems to type a
paragraph or your name.

* 10. Find out about the various types of sports available for the disabled community and

the types of equipment that are used to adapt the sport.

11. Invite someone with a disability to a troop meeting or outing and plan ways to make
the environment more accessible or comfortable for that person. (Example: Learn to
say simple phrases in sign language for a person who is hearing impaired or make the
meeting place wheelchair accessible for a person in a wheelchair.)

12. Interview someone whose career involves working with disabled people and find out
what is most fulfilling about their job and what some of the difficulties might be.

13. Many blind people are able to live independently though the use of guide dogs. Find
out how guide dogs are trained and how they are able to help their blind masters. If
possible, see a guide dog in action and/or visit a center that trains guide dogs.

14. As a troop create an activity that could help educate others about the disabilities you
have learned about and, if possible, try the activity with another troop.

15. Learn about different diseases of the ear that could cause hearing loss such as
tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or Otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the ear that
causes hearing loss).

16. Medicine has had tremendous strides in its technology over the last few decades.
Discover at least two new breakthroughs in medicine within the last ten years that
greatly improves the condition of a disability.

17. Interview someone with a disability. Find out about their abilities and discover how
similar your life is to the individual you interview.

18. Learn about how birth defects cause disabilities in children as they grow older.
Learn what can be done to prevent birth defects (example: pregnant women eating
more folic acid).

Patch program created by: Senior Girl Scout Christine LeBlanc, January 2002

For information such as price, availability, etc. or to order patches, contact the Girl Scouts of
Southwest Texas Council Shop in San Antonio at (210) 349-2404 or (800) 580-7247,
extension 244. Six weeks advance notice required for orders of 100 or more patches.