Helping People with Disabilities Help Themselves: Promoting the I CAN Attitude

Helping People with Disabilities Help Themselves is a book about several disabilities that people of all ages may encounter. If you are a person with a disability or know of someone who is, this book will help one cope and succeed by using positive thinking. The author, Barbara Jean Young, has over thirty-four years of experience in various areas of disabilities. As a special education teacher, a retardation specialist, a parent advisor to deaf, blind, and babies and preschoolers with multiple disabilities, and a sign language instructor, Mrs. Young has worked with people of all ages, from infants to adults, having a variety of disabilities. In this book, she tells personal stories of how she was able to help each individual live a more successful and meaningful life. Ironically, in mid-life, Mrs. Young suddenly suffered several disabilities herself resulting from a serious automobile crash involving a drunk driver. In a twist of fate, Mrs. Young had more severe disabilities than most of the people she was helping. Through this experience, she is able to provide the reader with a special insight into what it is like having a disability, and how to cope. Through her experiences, Mrs. Young explains in her book how to assist people who have disabilities and help them attain a more positive attitude. This book also has a special section after each chapter listing references that can be used to seek help for people who want to learn more about disabilities.