The Arc’s Watch & Learn: Disability Film Program

What are schools in your community doing to educate students about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities? The Arc’s Watch & Learn: Disability Film program is an educational outreach initiative for students of all ages. Watch & Learn aims to connect chapters of The Arc with schools in their community to teach students about individuals with disabilities through the power of film.

The program consists of a collection of short films categorized by age group (elementary, middle or high school) that provides students with an in-depth look at the lives of people with disabilities told from their perspective. Through these films, The Arc strives to create discussions among students to create awareness and acceptance of people with disabilities. Watch & Learn is part of The Arc@School.

Chapters that purchase the Watch & Learn program receive:

A one-year subscription to an online playlist containing four short films geared to a specific age range (elementary, middle, or high school levels) with unlimited use
Implementation guide that includes:
- Recommendations to help chapters reach out and facilitate partnerships with school districts
- Customizable templates and promotional tools
Discussion questions for teachers to create classroom dialogue around disability competency
Pre and post-surveys to gauge students’ perceptions about people with disabilities and knowledge gained
Technical assistance from The Arc

PURCHASE NOW

Elementary School Level Films

Bye

Directed by Anthony Morrison

Follow Jayden, a two-and-a-half-year-old child with autism, as he navigates his first two months of school in the Bronx.

I Love Grilled Cheese

Directed by Scott Anderson

Libby provides some insight about the joys of living with her best friend, and big brother, Max, who has Down syndrome.

Bumblebee

Directed by Jenna Kanell

Despite being told as a child he would never speak or walk, Vance accomplished what doctors’ thought was impossible. Now he has a new challenge: dating. Follow Vance, diagnosed with autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy, as he ventures out on his first date.

Jacob’s Turn

Directed by Nick Nanton

An inspirational short documentary about a four-year-old boy with Down syndrome and how his love of baseball transformed the hearts of everyone in his town.

Middle School Level Films

One Question

Directed by Anthony Di Salvo

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities answer the question: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

JMAXX and The Universal Language

Directed by Ryan Mayers

Jarell, a teenager with autism, has learned to use hip-hop dance as a means to communicate his true self to the world.

Humans of San Jose: Wataru Kubo

Directed by Kaho Kubo

A mini documentary on the personal thoughts of the filmmaker’s brother Wataru Kubo, who has autism.

Extra Ordinary

Directed by David Quinn

A glimpse into the lives of two young people with Down syndrome living happy and fulfilling lives.

High School Level Films

Love, Trails and Dinosaurs

Directed by Alex Oliver

Experience the loving relationship of a mother and her adult son with autism as they hike 900 miles of trails within the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s a powerful story that celebrates a spiritual journey through love, discovery, and healing.

What I Like About Myself

Directed by Myles Tyler-Vasell

As students in a photography group begin practicing interviewing techniques, a simple question receives surprisingly diverse and complex answers.

Heart Over Body

Directed by Jared Corey

Zack Childers is an athlete with cerebral palsy. He was told at a young age that he would never walk without a walker. Since then, Zack’s determination to prove people wrong has formed the person and athlete he is today.