For the past six years WXXI and Al Sigl Center have partnered on a project dedicated to taking the “dis” out of disability.Dialogue on Disability: The Herman & Margaret Schwartz Community Series is a week-long programming initiative, beginning January 14th, designed to stimulate community dialogue about the perspectives and abilities of people with disabilities. At the heart of this initiative is programming, broadcast on WXXI-TV and AM1370 that delves into the issues with disabilities.
| Monday, Jan. 14 | Tuesday, Jan. 15 | Wednesday, Jan. 16 | Thursday, Jan. 17 | Friday, Jan. 18 | Saturday, Jan. 19 |
| Morning: 7:30 a.m.: Arthur (TV) Noon:1370 Connection 12 noon: 1370 Connection (AM) |
Morning: 10 a.m.: Sesame Street (TV) Noon:1370 Connection 12:30 p.m.: Caillou (TV) 4 p.m.: Arthur (TV) 10 p.m.: Mapping Stem Cell Research (AM)
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Morning: 6 a.m.: Reading Rainbow (TV) 10 a.m.: Sesame Street (TV) Noon: 1370 Connection 4:30 p.m.: Maya & Miguel (TV) |
Noon:1370 Connection 9 p.m.: You’re Not Alone (TV) 10 p.m.The Teachings of Jon (TV |
Noon:1370 Connection 9 p.m.: Need to Know (TV) |
3 p.m. The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal 3:30 p.m. Musical Abilities |
Special kids programming, too!
More resources can be found at PBS Parents
Authur: Prunella Sees the Light
Monday, January 14 at 7:30 a.m. and Tuesday, January 15 at 4 p.m.
To make everything perfect for her sleepover with Marina, Prunella happily styles her room to resemble a "Henry Skreever" book. But then she panics - since Marina is blind, will decorations she can't even see offend her, or worse, make her trip?
Sesame Street: Big Bird, Snuffy and Friends Hike
Tuesday, January 15 at 10 a.m.
On this episode of Sesame Street, the gang invites the National Theatre of the Deaf on the show.
Caillou: Getting the Message
Tuesday, January 15 at 12:30 p.m.
Caillou learns there are many different ways to communicate. He makes friends with Robbie, a deaf boy he meets in the park, and learns how to communicate using sign language.
Reading Rainbow: Silent Lotus
Wednesday, January 16 at 6 a.m.
In this episode, host LeVar Burton talks with his deaf friend Terry Lean about what being deaf is like and the different ways deaf people communicate. She also teaches LeVar a few phrases in American Sign Language. Lea Salonga narrates Silent Lotus, a book about a girl born deaf who learns how to express herself through dance.
Sesame Street: Bob's Deaf Niece Visits Sesame Street
Wednesday, January 16 at 10 a.m.
Rosita and Telly want to play a game of tag but they can't find anyone to play with them. They meet Bob's niece Samara and wonder if she would like to play. She can't hear them because she is deaf. Samara explains that even though she can't hear them, she can talk to them by using sign language.
Maya and Miguel
Give Me a Little Sign
Wednesday, January 16
at 4:30 p.m.
Tito befriends a new boy, Marco, who is deaf. Marco starts to teach Tito some American Sign Language, and they decide to do a project together for the school's "Contraption Convention."
Dialogue on Disability Week
WXXI-TV and AM 1370 Schedule (1/14-1/19) & 1/27
1370 Connection with Bob Smith on AM 1370
Archived Audio from Monday, January 14 – Friday, January 18, 12 noon – 2 p.m. on AM 1370
01/14/08 An examination of services for children; Mike Radell of the Epilepsy Foundation, Pat Graff of CP Rochester and Noreen Podyma of the Hearing & Speech Center
01/15/08 CP Rochester executive director Brian Klafehn on adaptive living
01/17/08 Angela Parris of ARC Rochester on the Institute for Social Inclusion project
01/18/08 Guest host Elissa Marra presents Healthy Friday; Legislative Issues on the Disabilities Front
Guest: Chris Hildebrandt from the Center for Disability Rights in Rochester, NY
All of the above episodes are listed in the 1370 Connection: Featured Audio podcast. Healthy Friday is also available in a podcast.
Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita,
an Independent Lens production.
Tuesday, January 15 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11)
Dr. Jack Kessler, a prominent neurologist, shifts his diabetes research to stem cell research when his daughter is paralyzed from the waist down. The program brings the stem cell debate to the forefront and examines the constantly evolving interplay between the promise of new discoveries, the controversy of modern science and the courage of people living with devastating disease and injury. Check out this video on Independent Lens.
You’re Not Alone
Thursday, January 17 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11)
You’re Not Alone follows a group of multicultural families dealing with the day-to-day challenges of raising children with disabilities and special needs. These inspirational stories give hope and strength to everyone by showing that families of children with special needs can easily achieve a productive and meaningful life.
The Teachings of Jon
Thursday, January 17 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11)
Jon is an insightful and humorous documentary by Jennifer Owensby about her brother Jon, a 40-year-old man affected by Down syndrome. Jon has an IQ of 20, cannot talk and earns less than $13.00 a year —yet his greater purpose is to teach others how to love.
Need to Know
Friday, January 18 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11)
Need to Know will present a special segment on Dialogue on Disability. Details to come.
The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal
Saturday, January 19 at 3 p.m. on AM 1370
Author Jonathan Mooney discusses his book The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal. Many children have cognitive differences in America. More often heard in the term learning disability, millions of children are medicated and segregated during the schooling. Some are forced to ride "the short bus." Mooney was a short bus rider himself and recently bought a short bus and took it on a 35,000-mile journey across the US to seek out kids who shared this experience. We'll hear about cognitive differences and how kids and parents deal with them as well as what may be a better approach to learning overall.
Musical Abilities
Saturday, January 19 at 3:30 p.m. on AM 1370
What kind of challenges do disabled musicians have to overcome to perform? Does the sound of a disabled artist's music reflect his or her handicap? How important is image in today's music industry? The special includes interviews with singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt and Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, who explain how they adapted new techniques and relearned how to play music after accidents left them disabled. The show features music from Vic Chesnutt, Def Leppard, the Upstate New York band, Flame, and the Long Island group, Range In Motion.
Other special programs throughout the month
Al Sigl Center is a resource organization that provides shared and dedicated facilities, business services, and enhanced awareness and financial support for a partnership of independent human service agencies, to help them achieve their goals and foster the goals of people with disabilities whom they serve. Dialogue on Disability is made possible thanks to support from the Fred L. Emerson Foundation. 
Today's Man (as part of Independent lens)
Tuesday January 8 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11)
Filmmaker Lizzie Gottlieb searches to understand her brother's strange and extraordinary life after he is he is diagnosed at age 21 with Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. By Lizzie Gottlieb. Check out this video on Independent Lens.
Rolling
Sunday January 27 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11)
A special world premiere, Rolling, follows three courageous individuals as they record their day-to-day experiences as wheelchair bound individuals. Provided with over two years of footage, we follow Galen, Vicki and Ernie as they make monumental decisions concerning their health and overall well being.
