Up With People! (The Senses).(special qualities developed by disabled people to replace lost senses)

A Special Playground

Kids who use wheelchairs haven't been able to play on most playground equipment. But some parks have built new equipment. Now kids who are disabled can play along with their friends.

People are called disabled when part of their body doesn't work. Maybe one or more of their senses or some of their bonds and muscles don't work. But people who are disabled often can do things most people can't.

People who are blind often listen more carefully than most people. They may read Braille. People who are deaf often can speak with their hands. They may tell what people are saying by watching their mouths--this is called reading lips. People who cannot use their legs often can use wheelchairs very well.

A law called the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed a few years ago. The law says that public places must have ways for people with disabilities to get around Public places must have ramps and elevators. Instructions must be provided in Braille. Buses and trains must have lifts to help people in wheelchairs get on and off.

Reading with Your Fingers

How would you read if you could not see? People who are blind use the Braille alphabet. Each letter is made up of dots. The dots for each letter are raised so that a blind person can feel them.