March is Disability Awareness Month

1. March is Disability Awareness Month Disable the Label 2009

2. Organization • The Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities

3. MDAM Be a part of Disability Awareness 2009 Defining people only by their disabilities can be hurtful and limiting. See others for who they really are and you’ll learn a lot about true character.

4. Overview • 19th annual MDAM campaign • Unique theme every year • Artwork featured people of all ages, with and without disabilities, painting over a wall with disabilities written on it R

5. Opportunity • Educate people on people with disabilities • Evaluation forms from previous year allowed the Council to improve campaign and materials R

6. Additional Factors • Well-known campaign • Media were friendly and helpful • Educators, community and organization leaders expected the campaign and were ready to organize activities R

7. Ethical Issues • Advocacy • Independence • Fairness • Writing and phrasing R

8. Goals • Raise awareness and understanding of disability issues in the home, business, school and neighborhood. • Promote independence, integration and inclusion of all people with disabilities. P

9. Key Publics • Children • Youth 12-20 • People uneducated on people with disabilities P

10. Key Messages • Put people first. Instead of saying “the blind boy,” say “the boy who is blind.” • See others for who they really are--don't just focus on their disability. Define people by their true character. • Say "my friend has a disability," rather than "my friend is handicapped." • Treat people equally. Don't feel sorry of go overboard in how you treat people with a disability just to make them "feel" better. • Give the person a chance to say something or do an activity on his/her own. Like you, he/she has ideas and wants to try new things. • Wait to offer help until someone is ready or asks for help. Then you can help him/her out. • It’s okay to ask questions when you're unsure of what to do. • Visit IndianaDisabilityAwareness.org for more information. P

11. Strategies • Media: PSA’s, Press Releases and Television Ads • Outreach: On Target Newsletter, Governor's E-newsletter and Conferences (All to order MDAM materials) P

12. Communication • Follow-up calls to coordinators to find events to pitch to media • Press Releases sent to Indiana television, radio and newspapers • PSAs sent to Indiana radio stations C

13. Educational Materials • Bookmarks • Stickers • Posters • Activity Idea Booklets • MDAM Information Packet • CD-ROM C

14. Discussion • Media- all publics • Press releases • Personal feature stories • Educational Materials- children and youth • Classroom activities • Community events C

15. Results and Evaluation • Recorded media coverage • Clippings • Google alerts • PSA follow-ups • Coordinator feedback forms • Satisfaction and comments on MDAM • Activity • Impact on and number of participants • Impact on community E

16. Next Steps • Use coordinator feedback • Traditional Media • PSA • Press releases • Social Media • Twitter • Facebook fan/event page • Blogs • Training & idea sharing conferences E

17. Works Used • About. (2009). Retrieved April 19, 2010, from Indiana Disability Awareness: www.indianadisabilityawareness.org/about.html • Borshoff. (2009, Feburary 19). Celebrate March Being Disability Awareness Month: PSA Pitch. Indianapolis, IN, USA. • Borshoff. (2009, Feburary). MDAM Bookmark 2009. Indianapolis, IN, USA. • Borshoff. (2009). MDAM Evaluation 2009. Governor's Council for People With Disabilities: Indianapolis. • Borshoff. (2009, Feburary). MDAM Press Release 2009. Indianapolis, IN, USA. • Regnier, J. (2010, March 30). Account Coordinator. (E. Vincent, Interviewer)