Learning firsthand

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers

THE ONLY WAY TO DRAW- Alex Hillman, 12, of Thousand Oaks paints by using his mouth during an exercise at Redwood Middle School. Students learned about coping with disabilities, in this case paralysis, during a recent abilities awareness program. They learned what it's like to sign checks if you're blind, how wheelchairs work and the basics of sign language.