European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 23, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Alan Dachman director of project vital Welcome Harold it lots who is Hamu cupped to a Cable Tete Vitam How. A phom video helps handicapped by Phyllis Mensing associated press Baib Gregornik and Bob Smith were unlikely candidates to become television Slars both Are developmentally disabled. Deside their handicaps Gregornik. 25, and Smith. 27, Are nol Only performing in front of the camera now but behind Ilas Well As producers writers and directors one of i heir shows called wishes and ideas was developed at american Cable co. Studios by and about people who have physical mental or emotional problems. The two arc participants in an unusual program called project vital for video induced training and learning which offers people Wilh disabilities a Chance to learn video techniques and work on their own programs it s the brainchild of Alan Dachman 37, who has spent most of his adult life As a writer producer director and editor in theater him and television. He also co produced a Ballet lovers that was performed a i the pans opera Dachman s hairier Robert Heads Little Erma Bombeck Day a Nali Cotal inundation that educates and trains children and adults who Aio mentally retarded or developmental disabled. Little City maintains a residential training and treatment Center in suburban Palatine which has about 300 residents trom All Over the country. The foundation started project Villa in 1985 in cooperation with american Cable systems of Illinois it gels funding Horn More than 10 foundations including the Chicago Board of Trade foundation and the state. As part of their commitment to serve communities a number of Cable companies provide tree production training studio Lime and equipment to produce Community programs that Are shown on Public Access channels. It was Bachman s idea to use project vital students in the production of these Community programs. Project vital students spend time with Dachman and his staff to get to know the equipment and develop ideas Tor their own video shows and then gel the Chance la work with Community Cable Crews. Kathy Isbell a consultant from Croton on Hudson n.v., who Sel up an upcoming Pitot test or american Cable systems in Ossining n.y., says. I think this is a wonderful  it s rare when you have a program that is so sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities and have them in a High tech held says Carl Sutor executive director of the Illinois governor s planning Council on developmental disabilities. Seven years ago Alan Dachman came to Little cily to make a video documentary. He began to notice a change in the residents when lha cameras rolled. At the beginning they wanted Logel in he film and at Lisl the Way they tried to do it was by waving their arms and  Dachman says then they realized thai would t work so they began to control  the students Learned that they had to be quiet during the taping thai they had to be Able to read instructions to handle the equipment that they had la talk clearly to be understood. Killeen people have participated in Dachman s video class and most Are now working on heir own shows. Gregornik who is Heaning impaired. Says she wants to film a video autobiography and help Olhorn who can t hear. I want the whole world to see Mosho says i want so help disabled people lobe their  Smith Trolo his own songs and developed a video called Flo car n Roll Unity a Story about a Dinosaur who gats Agundio. I vac patterned alter his favorite television show. Idt Cam Obj came i grew up Wilh my Dol dinosaurs and i like them very much Smith says. "1 also liked dream of Jeannie and wished i could have a Gemo  Tho Center for new television a regional Media arts facility was so impressed with Smith s show that it awarded him one of 22 Grants from a held of 200 applicants Smith was the Only applicant with a developmental disability. I Bill 6 slow learner and i slopped at third  he Trolo in his application. But i am always continuing my education and now i am learning to produce videotape  Dach Nian it Wolf Cong on a curriculum Lor the video class so it can be expanded id other cities Pilot proc cos Are planned in new York and Minnesota with funding irom a number of private and government agencies. Sally Koenecke Community television coordinator Lor Dowden Cable systems of Mound minn., says. We re going ahead because we want to make this Type of approach available to he Doveton mentally disabled in our area Lof Irmo Soderlund Community Access Coss Udalof for american Cable systems in Chicago says there s no reason the project vital students could not work with Community Crews. I think Here Are at limes problems that arise Wilh individuals and specific Behaviours but that happens with anyone she says. It does require patience. They do take longer to team things. Ii slows Down the process bul it does not impede it. Certainty they be taught me to slow Down and not assume even one understands All the words i m saying to try to Deal Wilh people s  Dachman thought Al first that his students might have some qualms about going in Irani of the camera but he was wrong. They turned out to be hams. Everybody wants to be on to he says they want to be accepted. They team hand signals vocabulary and they have an incan love id read because they want to read the Cue care1. They want people to see them. I have an instinctive relationship Wilh people who Are disabled. I be never been frightened by them. I be always loved them. Right off the Bat there s a real open  there is an old homily that says. "th3 Early Bird catches the worm As a Rule but he who comes along Valci May be having lobster and crepes  i have no idea what that Means. I Only know that my husband subscribes to it. His reputation Tor being late is legend he has never heard the Star spangled Banner played Ai the Ball game never seen a theater curtain Rise and never heard the words the meeting Wal now come to  by the time we get to an event. The Only parking places Tell Are in a Tow away zone or on a Lawn. We have crouched our Way into darkened rooms so often thai people think we Are three icel tall i on the other hand am a woman who is Early or a Root canal i always assume i will have a Hal on the Way Page 16 the stars and stripes to the Airport so i allow or it. I Wear two watches ask the Lime from two people and Divide by four. The fact that we have managed to remain married All these years is nothing Short of a Miracle the other night a rare thing occurred we were Early. We found a place to Park the car near the door. There were no crowds around the bar there Weie seats to sit and relax in before the dinner started. It s All your fault he grumbled As he sipped his drink. It you had forgotten the tickets we would have been in a wild frenzy about  what s so great about frenzy i asked. "11 s eci Ling. It s challenging. This is Boring How did it happen we made that Light at the intersection the one that has two left Lane Lurn signals and two for monday. November 23,1987 oncoming  i never make that Light he said. Why tonight your Luck ran out i guess. Let s go to  what s his on the table he asked. It s a salad. When you re on Lime you get to eat it and then they take away the empty  you could Tell he was Oil balance through the entire meal Tike a Man out of his element. He excused himself to go to the restroom. Some Lime later As i sat in the dark watching a slide presentation a figure cast a Shadow on the Large screen to was my husband crawling Back to his Seal. Did i miss anything to whispered. Only the entire  somehow his entire metabolism had corrected itself. 1c 1m7, Lai a4h to s f of h