Disability civil rights have advanced significantly over the past 30 years—many children with disabilities are fully included in school classrooms; city sidewalks feature curb cuts and public buildings are ramped; civil rights laws have begun to level the playing field.

But most Americans don't understand disability as a civil and human rights issue. More often, the public face of disability is the brave person overcoming obstacles, and the question of why obstacles exist in the first place goes unasked.

People with disabilities have lives and views on everything from the economic crisis to health care and from terrorism to fashion — so we should be represented more broadly.

Changing this is the goal of the Disability & Media Alliance Project (D–MAP).

We believe that change can come if we work with the powerful force of the news media to ensure that the public hears from more people with disabilities. We are the true sources and experts for disability stories, and we are the people who can familiarize journalists with the realities—good and bad—of living with disability.

Through D–MAP, we will be available to reporters and producers, learn to understand journalists' needs and constraints, and help to make stories what both the media and the public want them to be: accurate, interesting, and engaging.

This is especially important now, as journalism undergoes a sea change and evolves with new technologies and as the disability rights movement comes of age.

WHERE DID WE START?

In 2008, we began to plan D–MAP with the help of seed grants from the Herb Block Foundation's "Defending Civil Rights" program and the San Francisco Foundation's "Social Justice" program. This initial funding enabled us:

• To research trends in reporting on disability
• To speak with other successful civil rights media projects
• To form a Media Advisory Committee of respected journalists, media scholars, and media and disability activists

WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?

We are linking with the news media to learn how best to be effective partners, and we are developing:

• Guidance and toolkits for journalists
• A list of resources for journalists
• An up-to-date, annotated database of diverse and representative experts on disability issues, on call to news outlets
• Mechanisms for tracking disability reporting, analyzing coverage, and reporting on trends
• Presentations for media industry and association conferences
• An awards program for media professionals and media outlets

What Is Our Goal?

We want to promote accurate and fair reporting that helps to wash away demeaning stereotypes. To achieve this goal, we are:

• Working with journalists and media organizations to inform and enhance disability reportage
• Developing innovative story ideas

Coverage of disability shouldn't be inspiring or pitying or tragic or whitewashed. Rather, it should challenge public awareness and help promote inclusion and opportunity.