Children's Issues

This section contains videos pertaining to many aspects of infants and children.

Films and Videos on Children Available from Unicef
Video Stories for Children
Videos Available from Child Development Media, Inc
Videos Available from Starfilm: La Videotheque Internationale
Video's on Children from Around the World

Included are productions that are about children; that is, they are primarily for adults or general audiences and cover topics such as prevention of disability, early detection, parental education, the specific needs of the Girl Child or, the natural integration of children with disabilities and non-disabled children. Included are productions that are about children, that is, they are primarily for adults or general audiences.

Many of these are directly on topics relating to disability prevention, detection, parental education and rehabilitation. However, also included are exemplary videos on topics about other important aspects of child survival, development and protection. For example, there are entries about the Girl Child and other forms of discrimination.

These have been included because the editors and other social communicators have effectively used them in showing how a quality message about one form of discrimination can be a model for the production of similar messages about disability, for example. The stories of children from countries torn apart by war illustrate messages about survival, discrimination, the strength and resilience of children - the exact same messages that need to be illustrated about children with disabilities. Discussions among viewers about how a particular quality video can be adapted to a similar message about disability has and can continue to be a useful learning and advocacy tool.

In addition, videos about non-disabled children in general can be used to sensitise individuals and groups to the absence of children with disability and how the very simple inclusion of a child or two who is disabled in a production about children from around the world, or an animated disabled child in a cartoon series is an easy and effective means to demonstrate that all children are important. It is hoped that an astute programmer, manager or media producer will accept this challenge that has already been met by many around the world who have won awards but more importantly, changed attitudes in a subtle and sensitive manner. The entries in this and other sections of the catalogue vary in terms of cost. The catalogue itself is meant for people working in developing and industrialised countries and for those with a wide range of budgets. On page 66 we have included a recommended list of 10 videos for organizations on quite limited budgets. Together, these videos comprise a mini "model library".

There are also several entries of videos for children. Most of these are landmark productions and often award-winning media that are directed at children themselves, but are also appropriate for general audiences. Many of these are entertaining as well as educational. They include puppet shows, sensitive dramas from Bhutan and the U.K that educate non-disabled persons about disability, vignettes from UNICEF of children around the world and episodes from award-winning USA television programmes.

Many countries are beginning to expand their efforts to produce programming both for and about children. Some are also leading the world with productions by children themselves. The entries in this section are diverse and are included in the hope of convincing producers around the world that children's media can be some of the most creative and effective work that can be produced. They also provide alternatives to the often over-used, violent and stereotypic western-based cartoons. They are, in fact, models of pro-social programming that can reach either adults who in turn can have a positive or remediative impact on young infants and children. Or, they are models of media that can reach the young themselves with attitudes and behaviours that can positively impact theirs and others lives.

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Films & Videos on Children Available from UNICEF

UNICEF headquarters in New York City produces a video catalogue with a new supplement each year. The catalogue contains titles produced primarily by UNICEF Field Offices around the world, as well as from New York, together with television stations and various governments and NGOs. Titles include: child rights, immunisation, micronutrient deficiencies and children in especially difficult circumstances (which includes children who are disabled). A selection follows. All are available from: UNICEF, Broadcasting and Electronic Communication Section, Division of Communication, 3 U.N. Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017 USA. Fax: 1 212 326 7731; email: whetzer@UNICEF.org. Various video formats are available, as well as an international soundtrack. UNICEF also is able to accommodate requests from broadcast and cable stations.

Chain of Hope. This video is a sequel to a 1988 film entitled Chain of Tears. In this 1995 version, children from Africa who have been affected by numerous wars tell how they survive and continue to live with honour and values. Interviews with Graca Machel, the former Minister of Education of Mozambique and now Expert of the Secretary General of the U.N. on the impact of armed conflict on children are included. The video is available in a 50 minute and 20 minute version.

Ending Hidden Hunger. Sir Peter Ustinov narrates a report on how UNICEF is working toward eliminating micronutrient deficiencies from iron, vitamin A and iodine. Examples are taken from around the globe of both the problem as well as steps being implemented to reduce and eliminate these deficiencies that cause disability and death. 20 minutes.

Growing and Changing. This is a video that includes both animation as well as live-action. It is designed for parents of infants and young children, providing them with information about the child's first seven years of life. It includes the importance of early stimulation to enhance each child's development. Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, a noted paediatrician and First Lady of the USA, Hillary Rodham Clinton, are featured in this 30 minute video.

Hadlok: Hidden Wounds, Silent Victims. This video depicts children from the Philippines who have been civilian victims of conflict. It presents the psycho-social effects of war ranging from the trauma at watching their families die, separation and disability. Efforts to assist these children and to further protect them are presented. 28 minutes.

Marklate Me: Playing Magic with Social Mobilisation. This video produced in Sierra Leone shows how traditional forms of entertainment, such as folk songs and drama are used as part of an immunisation campaign. Schools and local communities are mobilised. 30 minutes.

Raised Voices. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is documented in this video whereby children and adolescents discuss issues of importance to them and present solutions. Children from South Africa, for example, are depicted writing a charter to present to political leaders. A teenager with AIDS from the USA visits other children in schools to talk about the disease. From the United Kingdom, children work cleaning up their neighbourhoods. And in Brazil, a group of street children organise for their rights. The video is 30 minutes.

Rights and Wrongs. This 27 minute video exposes the absence of child rights in a variety of countries and forms including child labour, child prostitution, malnutrition and disease. Children from Yugoslavia, India, Brazil and the United States are interviewed. Child soldiers and children affected physically and psychologically by war are presented, along with street children and girls who are often denied education, hope and often, even a life.

Ujeli: A Child Bride in Nepal. This 59 minute video documents the life of Ujeli, a young girl in Nepal who is married at the age of ten, despite warnings to her parents from teachers and doctors about the dangers of early marriage and child bearing. The major danger presented is that of maternal mortality, along with also excluding girls from the school system. The video is in the form of a creative drama where most of the actors are real people from poor Nepali communities. The video has won several international awards.

VADA. This is the story about how Angolans, after 20 years of war, are trying to put their lives back together. A local theatre group called Julu, travels around the country both to act out and listen to the needs, suffering and solutions of the Angolan people. 48 minutes.

Silent Shout: helping children learn about landmines is a ten minute animated video which is accompanied by a pamphlet and teacher's guide, one for industrialised countries and a separate one for developing countries. It contains clear and practical messages about awareness of landmines, prevention, psychological trauma and information about advocacy for the total ban of landmines. It is a wonderful educational piece for children around the world and could easily be adapted in productions for individual countries plagued by accidents, disability and death due to landmines. The individual stories of four animated children are depicted along with several examples of how to identify landmines and avoid them. The video is directed by Michael Sporn and narrated by actor Alan Alda. - Available from: UNICEF, Division of Communication, 3 U.N. Plaza, N.Y., N.Y. 10017 USA. Fax: 1 212 326 7731.

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...the following are video stories FOR children:

Barriletes is a 15 minute video that features a group of children from Guatemala who run a television station.

Kalinga is a short story about a group of street children in Bangalore, India. It is 17 minutes.

Kumari is the story of a girl from a village in western Nepal and her family, their local paper making business and a marriage proposal.

Map Rap is an acronym for "Magazine of Asia Pacific, Round Asia-Pacific". The video includes children from several countries in school, leisure activities and games with a background of contemporary music. 30 minutes.

Meena Film Series: Count Your Chickens and Dividing the Mango produced by UNICEF in South Asia in collaboration with Hanna-Barbera Productions. It is an animated series about a heroine named Meena and is designed to promote the status of the girl child in a manner that is full of adventure, comedy and based on real-life discriminations and problems solved. Although not about a girl who is disabled, the format could be used as a model for the production of similar media about a "young disabled girl" in any part of the world. 30 minutes. There are several more modules available.

Nepal's Public Service Announcements are designed to reassure parents about immunisation of infants. These were part of the landmark "prevention" study attached at the end of the catalogue. There are also more recent PSAs on immunisation, breast-feeding education and several other topics. Produced by the Government of Nepal and UNICEF Kathmandu. English subtitles.

Rwanda is about an orphan from the war in Rwanda who is helped by workers in the orphanage as well as local children who sing and dance for him. 15 minutes.

Shamin is a 15 minute video telling the story of an Indonesian boy's determination to save money and go to school.

Note: Each UNICEF Country Office also produces numerous films and videos that are not included in the UNICEF catalogue. Often times, UNICEF has supported Governments and NGOs in producing documentaries on topics related to the prevention and rehabilitation of persons with disability. Some countries, like India, have had an entire "Media Cell" within Government that supported and distributed videos about various aspects of disability. Other country offices have produced Public Service Announcements on topics relating to prevention, community-based rehabilitation, early intervention and attitudes toward disability. There are also a few offices that have worked together with the National Broadcasters to include disability as part of their regular television programming. You are encouraged to check with the UNICEF office in your country. At the end of the catalogue you will find an article documenting a landmark UNICEF study on "Prevention Messages Through PSAs.

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Videos Available from Child Development Media, Inc.
Child Development Media, Inc. was founded in the USA and addresses the educational, training and material needs of all disciplines serving children, their families and service-providers. They have their own catalogue of over 300 titles of videos that include early intervention for children with special needs, general child development, assessment and diagnosis and training of parents and professionals. What follows is a sample of videos that would be useful in many cross-cultural settings. Child Development Media, Inc. also produces "Video Theatres/Festivals" for interested parties in and outside the USA.

All are available from: Child Development Media, Inc., 5632 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 286, Van Nuys, CA 91401 USA, Fax: 1 818 994 0153

Attentive to One Another is from Hungary and presents how bathtime can be one of the most important opportunities for a child's learning and her/his relationship with adults. The video is produced by the Pikler-Loczy Association for Infancy at the Emmi Pikler Institute in Budapest, Hungary and the cost is $120.00.

Freedom to Move on One's Own is a video based on the work of Hungarian paediatrician Emmi Pikler who suggests that the movements and positions of infants who move freely can affect a child's cognitive and social development. The video is produced by the Pikler-Loczy Association for Infancy at the Emmi Pikler Institute in Budapest, Hungary and the cost is $120.00.

Hanen Resources for Parents of Children with Language Delays includes a guidebook, six training tapes and audio cassettes. The set costs $320.00. Some of their materials are available in other languages. The videos include It Takes Two to Talk which is full of practical ideas that parents can use to encourage language, Moving Forward with Music that demonstrates how music can be one of the easiest and most successful ways to have fun while encouraging language development, and Playing Games that includes pay activities both with and without toys. There are also other Hanen Videos on topics including community-based prevention programmes and working in early childhood settings. Produced by the Hanen Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Helping Your Child Learn is a three part series that is available in English and Spanish for $95.00. Volume One shows parents how to teach skills to children during daily routines. Volume two includes various skills and behaviours that children with special skills need to learn and demonstrates how to break them down into small steps and Volume three demonstrates how to use verbal, physical and visual cues to help children learn more effectively. Each video is approximately 30 minutes. Developed by the South Dakota Deafblind Project and the south Dakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs.

Learning Through Play is a four part video series that provides caregivers with useful suggestions for interacting with high risk infants and young children with special needs. Each part covers a specific age group (Part I - Birth - 5 months, Part II - 5-8 months, Part III - 8-12 months and Part IV- 12 -18 months). The series is based on Piagetian theory and includes activities that can be done both in home and institutional settings. The cost is $120.00. Produced by the University of Nebraska Media Centre.

Nurturing Touch: Instruction in the Art of Infant and Child Massage is based on both Indian and Swedish massage as well as USA based touch relaxation. It is a step-by-step demonstration that includes suggestions for listening and responding to the infant's cues. It also includes relaxation exercises for caregivers. The video is 50 minutes and is produced by Kalena Babeshoff, C.M.T., President, International Association of Infat Massage Instructors. The cost is $85.00.

Observing Kassandra: A Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment of a Child with Severe Disabilities. This is a 50 minute video with an accompanying 28 page booklet and forms to be completed. It is part of a series on "Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment" (TPBA) in which all aspects of a child's development are assessed and addressed. One strength of the video is the use of play as the tool for assessment, something that is transferable across cultures and also appropriate for parents and untrained caregivers. $165.00 purchase. Produced by Dr. Toni W. Linder and contributors.

Project CRAFT: Culturally Responsive and Family-Focused Training is about families from various ethnic backgrounds who have children with disabilities and how professionals need to be sensitive to their diversity. The video explores stereotypes in the media, family values, building relationships, communication styles and the differences in language acquisition. It includes a booklet and offers suggestions for individuals and groups. It is produced by Deborah Chen, Linda Brekken and Sam Chan and costs $75.00.

The Baby's Attention During Play is a 30 minute video produced in Hungary which explores the types of environments that help develop healthy infants and children. It is based on the research of Anna Tardos. The video is produced by the Pikler-Loczy Association for Infancy at the Emmi Pikler Institute in Budapest, Hungary and the cost is $120.00.

The Dialogue of Love looks at the interaction between newborns and their parents and how at the earliest age, babies can and do communicate. This communication is the foundation not only of the parents' relationship with their child but also encourages cognitive development. It is a good resource for parent education. The cost is $90.00 for the 14 minute video and is produced by Monica Hedenbro and HSM Media, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.

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Videos Available from Starfilm: La Videotheque Internationale
For 15 years, this team, Monique Saladin, head of research at the French National College for Industrial Science & Technology (CNAM), and Alain Casanova, film director, have collaborated on films concerning disability, marginality and social integration. Two major services of Starfilm are: an International Video Library and a Multi-Media Collection on the theme, "At the Dawn of Life," comprising more than 30 works on child psychiatry from the foetal stage to the older adolescent. Following are some of the Starfilm International's videos on children with disabilities directed by Monique Saladin and Alain Casanova.

All are available from: Starfilm International: 91 rue Saint Honoré 75001, Paris, France. Tel. 33 1 40 26 11 60. Fax. 33 1 45 08 80 99.

Daniela. At 5 years old, Daniela was deaf and blind, could not speak and rejected all forms of contact. When the children's home where she was living closed its doors, Daniela was adopted by a family. This film recounts Daniela's gradual "rebirth". She was 9 years old at the time of filming. A 1985, 58 minutes video. Italian original version. French subtitles.

The Change of a Life and Claire at School. Marie-Odile and her husband Dominique first had a child of their own, Emmanuelle. They subsequently adopted a little Korean girl, a little Tunisian boy and Clair, a 3-month old baby, born trisomic. She has found a lovely family. Her face lights up, she smiles, she opens up to life. A true transformation, illustrated in episodes filmed at various times. The first listed is a 1985, 58 minutes video. And the second one is a 1987, 6 minutes video. French original version. English subtitles.

Magic Armchair. This film shows the difficulties and constraints encountered by the parents of children suffering from serious neuromuscular diseases during the day (and night) and the extraordinary independence which these children enjoy with the benefit of the "turbo-seat". A 1990, 15 minutes video. French original version. English subtitles.

Be Still... My Pain. Four families which have a disabled child tell their difficult stories. The parents discovered their child's disability either at birth, by chance or in later life. They attempt to analyse their suffering and feelings of guilt, still present, to varying degrees of intensity, twenty years later. This film is targeted at both parents and professionals. A 1993, 65 minutes video. French original version. English subtitles.

We Must Talk...We Must Know... When a close relative (parent, brother, sister, grandparent, etc.) becomes seriously ill and is undergoing treatment for cancer, a child is usually kept in the dark. Of the diagnosis, the illness, its seriousness, the treatments and their after-effects, nothing is said to him/her. The illness is not named. If only we could listen to them and allow them to express their feelings at times like this! Perhaps then we would be able to offer some explanations, answer some of their questions about cancer. Writers: Nicole Dattee-Landfry and Annie Gauvain-Piquard (Institut Gustav Roussy). Animation by Fernando Puig Rosado. A 1994, 16 minutes video. French original version. English subtitles.

The Missing Link: The School Integration Assistant. Started by local associations over the last ten years in many corners in France, the integration assistant can often be effective in helping individual cases of school integration of children with disabilities. It is this "missing link" that is portrayed by four cases from school in Selestat, in the middle-Alsace. A 1997, 25 minutes video. French original version.

Unusual Children Seek Welcoming Classroom. Tristan, Julie, Leo, Juliette and Philippe. They are schoolboys and schoolgirls like others, except that to be accepted at school, high school or universities, they had to struggle, to get the help of their parents or the assistance of teachers who were not prepared to accept them. The film tells us their stories, full of pleasant and unpleasant encounters. It also shows the fears they incite and the ambiguities they unveil. The right of education for disabled people does not ensure a place for them among the other schoolchildren. The various journeys of these children represent valuable matter for a debate concerning social integration. A 1977, 58 minutes video. French original version.

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Videos on Children from Around the World

Breaking New Ground: 4 H Projects for youth with disabilities is about how one can adapt girls/boys clubs to include children who are disabled. It is an 11 minute video highlighting how club leaders and families can and should adapt all games, projects and field trips to be accessible for children with a variety of disabilities. It is a positive model for Girl/Boy Guides and Scout programmes. This 4 H project is part of a larger "AgrAbility Project" that assists people to adapt farming, dairy, ranching and building projects for people with disabilities in rural areas. Although some involve high technology, other examples are quite simple and could be adapted in developing countries. Available from: Purdue University AgrAbility Project, 1146 Agricultural and Biological Engineering Bldg., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA. Fax: 1 765 496 1356.

Chahe Handicapped Kaho (Song of Handicapped Children) Intended primarily for children and their families, this joyous montage of video footage was produced in 1993 by UNICEF India in collaboration with the Ministry of Welfare. Its clear message is that children with disabilities are "just like you" and should not be hidden, but introduced to play, therapy, school, CBR and other experiences. 18 minutes - Available from: Joint Secretary, Ministry of Welfare, Government of India, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi, India. Fax: 91 11 3384918.

Child-to-Child: at the roots of health was nominated the "Best Community Health Video of 1996" by the American Medical Association. The video is based in Mexico where Child-to-Child activities, i.e. older children working and playing with younger ones, empower children to identify and work on the problems affecting their own health and that of their communities. The video is 17 minutes and covers disability as well as dehydration, diarrhoea disease, measles and pollution. There is an 80 page companion guidebook that supplements these as well as other health related activities for children. Cost varies from $49.95 for individuals or low-income groups to $95.00 for organisations. - Available from: Peterson Productions, PO Box 617, Tiburon, CA 94920 USA, Fax: 1 415 435 5321.

Children, Disability and Development: Achievement and Challenge is a 1994 reflection on the U.K.'s Save the Children Overseas Disability Work. It was filmed and based on a Global Disability Seminar held in 1994 and was produced by Roy McConkey. The participants at the seminar discuss how various SCF sponsored CBR projects work, why they work, how organisations like SCF have serves as a catalyst. The main part of the video concentrates on "CBR" but there are other sections, "Integrated Education" and "Empowerment and Disabled People". In all sections it is reiterated that children as well as adults need to be advisors and leaders in order to ensure sustainability. Projects in Kenya, Guyana, Southern Africa, Zanzibar, Thailand, Vietnam and China are highlighted. - Available from: Save the Children Fund, 17 Grove Lane, London SE58RD, U.K. Fax: 44 171 703 2278.

Children with Special Needs - Early Intervention is part of a larger series on Children with Special Needs produced by The Young Adult Institute serving children with a variety of disabilities. This video simply describes the feelings that are common to parents around the world when they are told they have a child who is disabled. It discusses how these parents often move from thinking solely about their children's limitations to their potential. It demonstrates several early intervention techniques that can be started shortly following birth and are designed to prevent more severe disability. It also discusses and demonstrates early intervention that is done at home and meets the needs of the child as well as her/his entire family to programmes that take place in centres for children with disabilities. Viewers are provided with simple intervention examples that benefit all children, like dancing with a baby, water play, an older sibling reading to the infant, etc. - Available from: Young Adult Institute, 460 West 34 Street, New York, N.Y. 10001 USA.

Count on Me An engaging animation of a young disabled boy explaining to the world, and especially other children, that he is not so different from anyone else. This short video touches upon accessibility, prejudice and the typical fears and fantasies of childhood. Video and accompanying book created by well-known Brazilian author and illustrator, Ziraldo Pinto, and produced by CORDE, the national disability agency in Brazil. 5 minutes. -Available from: CORDE, Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bl. I, Anexo II, 2o. Andar/204, Brasilia, DF, Brazil, 70064-900. Fax: 55-61 225 0440.

Doing Things Together is a six minute animated video about a child with an upper limb prosthesis. - Available from: Amputee Coalition of America, P.O. Box 2528, Knoxville, TN 37901 USA. Fax: 1 423 525 7917 8. Driving with Richard is a 40 minute video about a child with severe intellectual handicaps and his mother. The mother seems on the verge of a nervous breakdown due primarily to Richard's demanding behaviour and her complete absortion in his needs. She also felt that the medical community demeaned his value once he was evaluated and diagnosed. But the film is really about a parent reaching out for and receiving support from other parents. In this case it is the mother of another child who was not born with a disability but who, a result of meningitis, had brain damage cerebral palsy and blindness. The video serves as a model for parents of disabled children in any country who can identify with the stress, behaviours and practical dilemmas faced on a daily basis. In this film we see a "women's camp" where all women who attend are caregivers of children or adults with disabilities. This support group has helped all of the women to gain perspective, to have their own lives and to express and let go of the variety of emotions they deal with as well as to celebrate with one another. - Available from: Ronin Films, P.O. Box 1005, Civic Square, ACT 2608 Australia.

Educating Peter is an award winning film about the problems and the rewards of integrating children with disabilities into regular school classrooms. The video is the story of Peter, a child with Down Syndrome who is followed for a year in his first year of integration at school. The video contains many unanswered questions but it does show how teachers, parents and students - as well as Peter - change through time together, hard - Available from: Direct Cinema, P.O. Box 10003, Santa Monica, CA 90310 USA Cost: US$ 34.95.

Free From Silence is a video about new efforts in the USA and Australia to help children and adolescents with autism. They utilise a techniques called facilitation which involves the use of a computer to communicate. - Available from: ABC News, 47 West 66th Street, N.Y. N.Y. 10023 USA. One can also receive information and videos about facilitation from Dr. Doug Biklen, Syracuse University, 805 S. Crouse Street, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 USA

Mother and Son This NHK film won the 1994 Japan Prize for outstanding television documentary and is a compelling story of how a mother learns to accept and love her son with Down syndrome. Told from the mother's point of view, it is an unvarnished, realistic portrayal of daily trials, brightened by natural interactions between the boy, his siblings and his schoolmates. 30 minutes. - Available from: JSRD, 1-22-1, Toyama 1 chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162, Japan. Tel: 81-3-5400-91/92; Fax: 81-3-5400-1638.

Puppets Against AIDS in Zimbabwe is a video produced by the African Research and Educational Puppetry Programme (AREPP) which encourages regional co-operation in Southern Africa. Two puppeteers who work in various media, Nyanga Tshabalala and Gary Friedman, document how a group of puppeteers from South Africa were invited to tour through Southern Africa including Zimbabwe. They were asked to experiment working with young children and adults using puppetry as a vehicle to teach about AIDS. The puppet troupe met with a drama group from Zimbabwe and joined forces in their presentation. They also conducted week long workshops with local people on how to use puppets as a medium. Tens of thousand in Zimbabwe experienced the performances - most who had never heard about AIDS before. 1992. - Available from AREPP, PO Box 51022 Raedene, Johannesburg, 2124 South Africa. Fax: 27 11 483 1786.

Puppets with a Purpose is the title of a 21 minute video, as well as the title of a book which supplemented a 1996 UNICEF workshop on the use of puppets for development purposes. The video is produced by Ms. Raman Mann of India, well-known for her documentary work on women, girls and other development issues. She interviews the Master Puppeteers and presenters, together with UNICEF staff from 25 countries. Two specifically dealt with disability, Kids on the Block of Hong Kong and The Puzzle Place of the USA. Most of the others dealt with related topics like the Convention on the Rights of the Child, girl child or peace education issues. Participants interviewed in the video discuss puppetry can help bridge the gap between traditional media and new electronic media. Master Puppeteers came from such diverse countries as Iran, Romania, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Cambodia and of course the host country, Indonesia. . Available from: UNICEF, Division of Information, H9F, 3 U.N. Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017 USA. Fax: 1 212 326 7768.

Puzzle Place Party of One is one of a television series produced in 1995-6 in the USA by Lancit Media. This particular episode helps pre-school and other children to deal with discrimination and prejudice. It is primarily a puppet programme. In this episode one boy is having a birthday party and his mother does not want him to invite the puppet who is black. Another puppet who is Native American tells him about prejudice and there are very poignant clips from real children who talk about their experiences with prejudice, including one girl who is deaf. All the puppets talk about how prejudice makes them feel, why it is wrong and how, if one friend experiences this hurt, others, through talking and support, can make him/her feel a bit better. The children all promise not to be prejudiced when they grow up. - Available from: Lancit Media, 601 West 50 Street, 50064, New York, NY 10019. Tel: 1 212 977 9100, Fax: 1 212 977 9164.

Reading Rainbow: Taxi Dog is one episode from the Reading Rainbow series that encourages young children to read and tell stories. The book from which the title is taken is not about disability but later in the programme there is a case study that includes a story about a girl who uses a wheelchair and how her dog helps her. He assists with everything from putting the light switch on, pulling her wheelchair, reaching for things that are too high for her and even giving money to a cashier for her purchases. This is a good example of imbedding a story about disability into a regular tv/video programme for children. - Available from: Lancit Media, GPN, P.O. Box 80669, Lincoln, Nebraska 68501 USA.

Special Needs Education: Access and Quality is a 55 minute video produced by UNESCO in 1995. It presents in detail issues and viewpoints from the Salamanca Debate sponsored by UNESCO. The cost is $40.00 and the video is available in English, Spanish and French. - Available from: UNESCO, Special Needs Education, Division of Basic Education, 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07-SP, FRANCE. Fax: 33 1 45 68 56 31

Tarah is a 1995 programme of the internationally renowned Sesame Street, produced by Children's Television Workshop, features a regular actor on the show, a young girl who uses a wheelchair. Tarah interacts with Big Bird and other characters on the show to solve accessibility problems on the Street. A puppet segment on accessibility is also included. 60 minutes. - Available from: Children Television Workshop, One Lincoln Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10023. USA.

Teacher Education Resource Pack: Special Needs in the Classroom was produced by UNESCO in 1993 and is designed for teacher education. It is a three part series, the first being an introduction (46 minutes), the second a training video ( 50 minutes) and the third about inclusive schools (60 minutes). Each video is $30.00 but if one orders all three, the information video is free. Available from: UNESCO, Special Needs Education, Division of Basic Education, 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07-SP FRANCE. Fax: 33 1 45 68 56 31

The Same Inside is a 22 minute video that includes interviews with several children who have various orthopaedic conditions, including limb loss. - Available from: Amputee Coalition of America, P.O. Box 2528, Knoxville, TN 37901 USA. Fax: 1 423 525 7917.

Upper-Limb Prosthesis Options for Kids: Below Elbow provides information from children and their parents about their experiences with various prosthesis. Developmental concerns for different age children are included in this 22 minute video. - Available from: Amputee Coalition of America, P.O. Box 2528, Knoxville, TN 37901 USA. Fax: 1 423 525 7917.

You Don't Have to See to Count the Cows is a classic 1980's children's film that won a Cannes Film Award. It is about a family in Bhutan where one child is not doing well in school and so the family believes that he should just stay at home and be a farmer. A dedicated teacher finds out that he needs glasses and persuades the family to see if this will help. The family is reluctant, saying that they are poor and that they will instead send the child to the monastery and ask the monks to pray for his eyes. The cultural sensitivities are handled beautifully in that, after visiting the monks, the boys meets an old man who needs help selling his vegetables and makes the money to buy his glasses. It is a beautiful presentation, one that could serve as a model for anyone interested in producing educational and entertaining films for and about children. 32 minutes. - Available from: Statens Filmcentral, Vestergade 27, 1456 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Look at Me still stands out as one of the best educational and entertaining films about a disabled boy and his friendship with someone non-disabled. It masterfully takes the viewer through first impressions and stereotypes, to slow getting to know one another, to friendship. It also proves that first and foremost, a film must be a good story, and that the things that really bind people together are our similarities and shared experiences, in this case, how the boys care together for an injured dog. - Available from: Central Television, Carlton Studio, Lenton Lane, Nottingham NG7 2NA, UK.

Help for Professionals - ADHD Series. This comprehensive video series explains the day-to-day management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) children. Demonstrations show educators and staff how to use time-out strategies and other behaviour management techniques. An indispensable tool for professionals in parent education and staff training programs. Manual included with each video. # 5664 ADHD: In Adults, 36 min., $95.00; # 5665 ADHD: In The Classroom, 36 min., $95.00. - Available from: KidsRights, 10100 Park Cedar Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210, USA. Tel. 1 800 892 KIDS or 1 704 541 0100. Fax. 1 704 541 0113.

Parenting the Developmentally Delayed Child - ADHD Parenting Series. This is a comprehensive video series to explain the day-to-day management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) children. Parents learn the latest strategies for handling an ADHD child at home or in public. Manuals included with each video. # 5662 ADHD: What Do We Know?, 36 min., $95.00; # 5663 ADHD: What Can We Know?, 37 min., $95.00; # 5666 ADHD: Around The Clock, 46 min., $95.00. - Available from: Kids Rights, 10100 Park Cedar Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210, USA. Tel. 1 800 892 KIDS or 1 704 541 0100. Fax. 1 704 541 0113.

Every Step of the Way is both a training video and a documentary of individuals who have been learning what is today called facilitated communication, a process whereby individuals who use a computer to communicate are, with as minimal as possible assistance, given physical support which enables this process. This landmark intervention has enabled many children and adults to communicate for the first time in their lives. The facilitated communication slogan is "Not being able to speak is not the same as not having anything to say,". Individuals are primarily those who have been labelled autistic, but they can also have other developmental disabilities. In this video, we hear from the individuals as well as their facilitators, family and staff of the Facilitated Communication Institute in Syracuse, N.Y. USA. - Available from: Facilitated Communication Institute, Syracuse University, 370 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244 USA. Cost of purchase: $ 50.00 NTSC, $60.00 PAL

We Have A Lot To Offer is an introduction to facilitated communication. It includes footage of Australian educator Rosemary Crossley and American Educator Douglas Biklen, as well as the thoughts of parents, teachers and individuals who use facilitated communication. The video includes background on the method, a rationale for why some people with disabilities are helped by this approach, information on how to determine that the method is working, and a discussion of how to confirm that the words typed are those of the individual with the communication disability. In this and in a video also available from the Facilitated Communication Institute called With Family and Friends, the sentiment is echoed "Facilitated Communication does not give you a normal child. It gives you communication with that child" (something that previously was often not possible). - Available from: Facilitated Communication Institute, Syracuse University, 370 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244 USA. Cost of purchase: $50.00 NTSC, $60.00 PAL

A Part of Our Life: Facilitated Communication with Pre-school Children demonstrates how one can introduce facilitated communication to young children with a variety of developmental disabilities. The classroom depicted is at the Jowonia School in Syracuse, New York and includes both children with and without disabilities. The video provides personal portraits of five children who use facilitated communication to express their thoughts and feelings. - Available from: Facilitated Communication Institute, Syracuse University, 370 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244 USA. Cost of purchase: $ 50.00 NTSC, $60.00 PAL

Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education is a video package produced by Save the Children, UK. It is based on the Inclusive Education project in Lesotho and is designed to be used for in-service and pre-service teacher training. The aims of the package are: to provide classroom -based models of good practice for teachers; to support local trainers of teachers; and to share information about inclusive education. Cost is 30 pounds for 2 videos and manual. - Available from: Save the Children, Publications Sales, 17 Grove Lane, London SE5 8RD, U.K. Fax: 44 171 708 2508

Observing Children Playing is a video training course for families, teachers, CBR workers, volunteers and others who are involved with children both with and without disabilities. The videos were filmed in Morocco and consist of four sections depicting types of play that can be observed in children: social play, energetic play, skillful play and cognitive play. Included are suggestions on how at times, children with disabilities need help and encouragement to play and how caregivers can help stimulate children's development. Cost is 10 pounds for a video and handbook. - Available from: Save the Children, Publications Sales, 17 Grove Lane, London SE5 8RD, UK, Fax: 44 171 708 2508.

One of Us: Four Stories of Inclusion is an upbeat look at integrating people with developmental disabilities into mainstream society. Four year old Daniel has Hypotonia. his motor, language and social skills have all improved dramatically since he was integrated into a regular pre-school class. Ten year old Peter has Down Syndrome. He and his parents had to fight for the years for his right to attend a neighbourhood school. His teachers and classmates testify to the benefits of having him included in their activities. Twelve year old John has complex medical needs, yet a welcoming church and neighbourhood improves his sense of acceptance and well-being. And Maryann, an adult with Cerebral Palsy, searched out and found co-operative housing in her home community and now works to make churches in her area accessible to people with disabilities. Together their stories make a positive case for full inclusion of all ability levels in the community. The video is 27 minutes and the cost is $195.00. - Available from: Fanlight Productions, 47 Halifax Street, Boston, MA 02130 USA, Fax: 1 617 524 8838. Email: fanlight@tiac.net

Your Baby Has Down Syndrome is a tribute to Mackenzie Sara Noca. It is also an emotional journey, embarked upon with several parents of children who have Down Syndrome. These are ordinary people who, with extraordinary candour, share their passage through grief to joy as they learn of their child, special nature. Dr. William Cohen, Director of the Down Syndrome Centre in Pittsburgh, PA provides factual advice for parents and professional. - Available from: Children's Hospital, Down Syndrome Centre, 3705 5th Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 18213 USA.

The Kids on the Block Early Learning Series is a three part educational video curriculum that introduces child-size puppets to children as they help them learn about aggression, compassion and perseverance. This series is a new extension of the long-standing Kids on the Block puppets who have, since 1977, taught children about disability. A discussion and follow-up activities are included with the video. Contact the Kids on the Block for purchasing information. - Available from: The Kids on the Block, Inc., 9385-C Gerwig Lane, Columbia, MD 21046 USA. Fax: 1 410 290 9358. Website: http://www.kotb.com

The Kids on the Block Promotional Video is the story of the life size puppets who were created in 1977 and who use the magic of life puppet theatre to teach school age children and adults about disabilities, medical and educational difference, and social concerns. Using candid, honest and entertaining dialogue, the puppets encourage children in the audience to ask questions about differences or social concerns. Purchasers of the entire "programme" receive puppets, scripts, props, follow-up materials and resources as well as a video training guide. This promotional video explains the complete "programme". Contact the Kids on the Block for purchasing information as well as for the promotional video. - Available from: The Kids on the Block, Inc., 9385-C Gerwig Lane, Columbia, MD 21046 USA. Fax: 1 410 290 9358. Website: http://www.kotb.com

The Growing is an Iranian film about a boy who is physically disabled and who lives in the country with his mother. He works hard at practising to use his crutches and has his balance bars outside the house where he can watch the trains go by. This is the story of how he gets help from the trains to walk. - Available from: Iranian Young Cinema, Ghandi Ave., 19 st. no 21, P.O. Box 15175/163, Tehran, Iran.

Puppies for Sale is a short 1998 video about a young boy who befriends a special puppy and wants to buy him - but it is also a story about disability and compassion. Academy Award-winning American actor, Jack Lemmon plays the pet store owner. The video was produced by Ron Krauss and all donations for purchase are given to the Crippled Children's Society of Southern California. The donation is $15.00. - Available from: Aron Productions, 9903 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 822, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Fax: 1 310 553 3152.

Kidsrights: See and Sign is a production that teaches children and adults American Sign Language (Ameslan or ASL). It covers the origins of sign language, the manual alphabet, facial expressions, basic signs needed for conversation with others. It also discusses the special culture of deaf persons. This video is a good model for any country wishing to produce a similar video on their indigenous sign language. The format is simple, clear and a good instructional tool. Cost: $29.95. - Available from: Kidsrights, 10100 Park Cedar Drive, Charlotte, N.C. 28210. Fax: 704 541 0113.

Starting Small is part of a multi-media resource package to help early childhood educators teach children about fairness, equity and tolerance. It includes an hour long video depicting various approaches to teaching tolerance to young children around the United States. It includes a teacher's guide and curriculum and the package costs $325. Please indicate and include letterhead if you are writing for a school and/or developing country as a discount might be available. - Available from: Starting Small, Teaching Tolerance, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104 USA. Fax: 1 334 264 7310.

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