VSA Ohio, the state organization on arts and disability, has revealed the names of 21 schools selected for the Adaptation, Integration and the Arts (AIA) residency program during the 2014-2015 school year. Included on the list are Hanby Magnet Elementary and McVay Elementary in Westerville.
AIA partners teaching artists and educators in classrooms inclusive of students with and without disabilities to enhance teaching and learning through an arts-integrated residency and curriculum. Residencies are academic content standards-based, utilize Universal Design for Learning strategies, cross all art mediums, and reach grades PreK-12. The primary goals are to improve academic achievement; better prepare students for life, work and post-secondary education; and better prepare educators to support learning and inclusion for students with disabilities. Research confirms that sustained access to arts and arts education opportunities have a greater impact on students of all ages. As such, Teaching Artists are in the classroom for approximately 60 hours per year. Residencies represent an investment of approximately $4,000.
Adaptation, Integration and the Arts is supported by a grant from the Ohio Department of Education, Office for Exceptional Children and a contract for service with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Program administration is conducted in partnership with OhioDance and Ohio Alliance for Arts Education. Schools are selected by a statewide application process, typically distributed in June for the upcoming school year.
Bridging arts and disability, VSA Ohio’s programs and services provide inclusive environments and opportunities for people with disabilities to celebrate life through the arts. For more information please visit www.vsao.org.