UT Martin seminar raises awareness of disabilities

JACKSON, Tenn. — A local university held a special seminar to spread awareness of disabilities.

University of Tennessee at Martin featured Judy Heumann, a lifelong advocate for the rights of disabled people for their annual Bettie Graham Special Education Seminar.

Organizers of the event say they want to spread awareness that their is no stigma for having a disability.

“We want people to realize that disabled people are disabled people like everybody else, and the word special is not like gifted. If you said my dad was gifted, people would look differently, but once you say someone is special needs, if anybody knows about the term, I think all too frequently they’re thinking about it, ‘That’s too bad’ or something negatively,” Heumann said.

Students were able to submit questions.

They were able to ask different things surrounding their future careers as educators and what they can do to help end the stigma as well.

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