Watch Emma's Gifts

EMMA'S GIFTS is a film about differences -- how they matter and how they don't. Emma was born with Down syndrome which makes her different from her twin sister, Abigale. Our expectations are automatically lowered. Yet, in telling Emma's story through the eyes of her parents, the film challenges our perception of difference. Why does the assumption exist that difference equals deficit - that special needs equals little potential? At age 3, Emma's reading ability defies society's stereotype of low expectations. Emma is not different. She is an individual full of excitement and curiosity. She walks through the door of the same pre-school class as her typical peers. Watch her run and skip on the playground; her classmates have yet to learn to see her differences. In time they will. As we experience this family's journey through the preschool years, we see the power of advocating for a child's rights and the importance of early intervention. As we experience the strategies used to mainstream Emma in the school environment and witness the grueling process of the Individual Education Plan meeting, we see that anything is possible - that everyone benefits from including children with special needs in their community and educational environments. Ultimately we are encouraged to embrace difference and never to underestimate the gifts that every individual has to offer.