The book begins with an analysis of the stereotypes that the non-disabled use to view those with disabilities. One can see through Shapiro's interviews with former poster children how the stereotype oppresses and plays on people's fears that the same could happen to them. It also becomes clear through the narrative that this discounts the disabled's own experience and their desire to be accepted as they are. As with other minorities, the disabled have become more sensitized to how they are portrayed in the media and popular culture and this has led to a raised consciousness on this issue.

The author goes on to demonstrate how our society automatically underestimates the capabilities of people with disabilities especially in the work place. This leads

An overriding difference between the disability rights movement and other civil rights movements comes down to money. Shapiro makes the point that all James Meredith had to do was have the courage to enter classes at a previously segregated school. In the case of Section 504 and later the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) it requires that money be spent to make the necessary improvements. The other side of this issue is that of affirmative action. Other civil rights movements demanded affirmative action or guaranteed eqality of results. Disabled people argued that all they needed was integration and an equal opportunity to achieve.

Education is the next area of segregation that the author discusses. The argument here is that separate but equal, as was also true for racially segregated schools, is not at all equal. In the case of children with disabilities special education classes have such low expectations that children are not able to reach their full potential. Shapiro provides several examples of educational situations from elementary through high school where child children with disabilities are successfully mainstreamed to the benefit of all the children in the class. What he does not discuss are the situations where children are mainstreamed to the detriment of the non-disabled. For me, this is the issue that I struggled with the most in reading this book. It was very clear for many reasons that the disabled children would thrive in a normal classroom. It is also apparent that it is important for the non-disabled children to have the experience of working and playing with disabled children to raise consciousness, begin t

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Approximate Word count = 1116
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)