Abstract:
Under the inclusion model, students with disabilities are being educated more frequently with their non-disabled peers. Typically developing young children may have a difficult time adjusting to students who look, sound, or behave differently, which can negatively effect an inclusive environment. This project focuses on using children's literature to promote disability awareness and allow students to view their peers with disabilities in a positive and relatable way. Lilly is a poetic story for beginning readers that depicts a young girl with an intellectual disability who does not have functional speech. Simon is a narrative for young readers that relates the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of a third grader with bipolar disorder. The two books help fill a gap that is present today in children's literature.
