Saturday, April 5, 2008

YouTube roundup: Videos with disability content




In various searches and listserve tips, I have collected a number of YouTube videos that address disability culture, disability arts, disability issues or disabled people, in general. (I have put any description after the video's link.) Let me know of other interesting ones you have seen.

Winner of TV's "Last Comic Standing."

Known as Creature Discomforts, they are meant to bring awareness to disability issues in Britain. (One is pictured above.)

Academics at Australian university QUT speak out against a Ph.D. thesis project titled "Laughing at the Disabled" and are taken before a disciplinary hearing for publishing their views in the national press. Students speak out.

ADAPT is a national organization that has fought for decades for the rights of disabled people. This includes protesting Greyhound to put lifts on buses, Congress to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and now they continue to fight. Right now ADAPT is fighting for the money that is spent to keep people in nursing homes to follow the person into society.

To mark the International Day for Disabled Persons in 2007, Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin joined the International Labour Organization to call for decent work for disabled persons. "Let's make decent work a reality for all," she signs.

You can see Keplinger's most recent artwork, which he has posted in several YouTube videos.

"Hand in Hand" performed by disabled dancers Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei, for CCTV Dance Contest.

From Portugal? Thanks to the Rolling Rains Report for this translation: "Breaking architectural barriers. The silent scream of the sledge hammer shows to society that citizenship includes mobility."

From CNN's "Paula Zahn Now" show.

Disabled people in Laos are using media programs initiated by NGOs to raise public awareness about themselves and to champion for their rights.



IllusionistDave tries to debunk myths about disabled people. He's considering creating a blog, "Ask the Disabled Guy," where he would answer questions.

known as "Lazy Legs."

An Olimpias Disability Culture Project. A Collaboration between Lakshmi Fjord (audio-description), Petra Kuppers (poetry), Neil Marcus (audio improvisation), Lisa Steichmann (photography), Sadie Wilcox (video).

From the choreographer of the AXIS Dance company.

From Boating Today TV.

An investigation into the housing problems facing disabled people in Scotland.


And for people wanting to see TV commercials that feature sign language, here's a list videos: