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"Get Off Your Knees"

EDI co-sponsors TV film

Viewers of 99 public television stations around the nation this month are watching "Get Off Your Knees:  The John Robinson Story" co-sponsored by ILR's Employment and Disability Institute.

John Robinson, a congenital amputee, is profiled in the 60-minute documentary.

It was released by its producing station, WMHT Public TV in Troy, during October as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

When Robinson was born without hands or knees, his parents didn't know if he would ever be able to walk or feed himself.

A Syracuse University graduate, director of corporate support at WMHT and an avid golfer, Robinson also volunteers as soccer coach soccer in Albany, where he lives with his wife and three children.

The road to Robinson's film began when Dan Swinton, a new producer/director at WMHT Educational Telecommunications, moved into the office next door two years ago.

Captivated by his colleague's take-charge attitude, Swinton asked Robinson if he would collaborate on a documentary.

The Employment and Disability Institute (EDI) was invited to underwrite production costs, along with Syracuse University and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Dave Brewer, director of the Model Transition Project based at EDI, was a consultant during the film’s production.

"The John Robinson journey illustrates both the challenges experienced by people with disabilities, as well as the shared leadership that we can bring to the table to meet those challenges.  It's about career development and community participation for all," he said.

"In keeping with EDI's mission to advance meaningful employment for people with disabilities, we're honored to co-sponsor this important project with WMHT," Brewer said.

In the United States, about 13 percent of the non-institutionalized, working-age population has a disability; about 37 percent are employed, according to "Disability Status Report: New York," published through EDI last year. The employment rate of working-age people who do not have disabilities is about 80 percent.

For more than 40 years, ILR researchers and practitioners have been helping companies, labor organizations, government agencies, schools and communities accommodate and integrate individuals with disabilities in the workplace.

A preview of the film, an audio slide show narrated by Robinson and other information about employment and disabilities can be seen at http://www.wmht.org/index.php?s=1&b=10&p=77.

Robinson said circulation of his story through the Internet, television and other media is helping build awareness of education, employment and technology in the disability community. 

"We hope to find people (parents and individuals with disabilities) willing to share their stories," he said on his website, www.getoffyourknees.org.

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