Video 1:Grab your tissues and check out this video. It’s a tear-jerker. I learned about Megan, a teenager with Downs Syndrome, from a speech therapist we work with, who had worked with Megan. Megan’s participation in her high school cheerleading squad is incredibly heartwarming.

Video 2:This next video is equally moving, but not in a warm way. SEAK (Seeking Appropriate Education for Kids) is a family whose son has Aspergers, and together with the families of 10 other children put together this video. Now you can jump in, rate and add comments yourself. Some of the commenters are praising the video; others are saying it’s not strong enough. I think both is true.

One commenter made an incredibly valid point, about how important it is for the country to know how much money is spent by school systems trying NOT to provide a free, appropriate education. School systems regularly send their special education administrators to conferences (using tax dollars) where they learn how to NOT provide services and support under IDEA. They routinely hire attorneys, who earn their keep by forcing situations into litigation (due process). And more than one school system uses Child Protective Services as a threat to get parents of children with disabilities to acquiesce to what the school wants.

I think the dollar figure of what it costs taxpayers for due process hearings vs. what it would have cost to provide the education the child needs will be telling in many cases. I know in our case, the district has already spent enough money to educate my daughter for years to come.

It’s time the rest of the world knows that this happens…and it isn’t just isolated cases!

Video 3: Back to heart-warming. Here’s a video about how Johnny, a bagger with Down Syndrome who works at a grocery store, is making a real difference in his community.

Isn't YouTube incredible?

And for those who missed it during the Super Bowl, check out this Pepsi commercial, Bob's House, that was performed by a disabilities group called EnAble.

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