At the DMA, we believe that everyone should have access to arts education, regardless of age, learning style, or disability. Our commitment to accessibility means that we strive to accommodate the needs of participants in all DMA educational experiences.
Our Special Education Art Workshops bring the wonders of the DMA to Pre-K through 12th grade students in your special education classroom (FLS, TC, and ADL), FREE OF CHARGE, through an hour-long workshop that inspires students to engage with works of art from our collection.
All workshops include hands-on exploration, experiences, and art-making activities that provide opportunities for individual creative expression. Workshops are offered in English, Spanish, and Bilingual Spanish/English.
DMA staff members and volunteers are trained to facilitate experiences alongside
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Students on the Autism Spectrum
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Students who are Blind or Partially Sighted
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Students with Color Vision Deficiency (CVD)
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Students with Developmental and Learning Disabilities
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Students with Hearing Impairments
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Students with Limited Mobility
Special Education Art Workshops are currently available for any Dallas ISD campus, as well as for schools (private or public) within Dallas city limits.
Visits are only available Tuesdays–Thursdays between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in March–May 2025 (special education classrooms will receive priority booking during these months).
The Special Education Art Workshops Request Form will open on Monday, November 4, 2024, to begin booking for the SPRING 2025 semester.
The workshop is a full 60 minutes long. Please double-check lunch schedules and testing dates before booking.
In order to guarantee appropriate DMA staff and volunteer scheduling, only ONE Special Education Art Workshop can be booked per day.
We are more than happy to visit additional special education classrooms in your school, but they would need to be scheduled on additional days. Classroom sizes can be a minimum of five but cannot exceed more than 15 students. For ADL classrooms, the school may be required to provide additional aids and supports.
A teacher must remain in the classroom at ALL times. If the teacher leaves the classroom, DMA staff and volunteers are required to leave the classroom as well.
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Open request form and fill in school/classroom information (must request four weeks in advance).
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Submit the request form.
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A DMA Education staff member will contact you to confirm your reservation. If there are any questions with your request form, you will be contacted at the email or phone number provided.
In order to process your request, forms will need to be filled out completely.
If you have any questions, please email govangogh@dma.org or access@dma.org.
Trained DMA staff and volunteers visit your classroom and lead hour-long experiences that encourage students to engage with works of art, develop and express ideas and opinions, and make personal and academic connections.
We bring everything, including art-making supplies, in our vibrant Go van Gogh Van! We kindly request at least one visitor parking spot for our van.
Teachers are required to remain in the classroom with volunteers. Additional school aids and/or DMA volunteers may be needed depending on the classroom environment.
In the request form, help us to better customize our lesson plan/visit for your students by selecting the experiences that best cater to your classroom needs.
Request forms must be completed and submitted at least four weeks prior to the desired visit date.
If you have any questions, please email govangogh@dma.org.
BON APPETIT!
Designed for FLS and TC classrooms
Welcome to a delicious program where we explore the wonderful world of food! Through a delightful song that will have us tapping our toes and a heartwarming storybook that will spark our imaginations, students will dive into the flavors, colors, and joy that food brings. Students will then have the opportunity to express their creativity through their own food-inspired artwork. Get ready to savor the artistic journey, where creativity and inclusion blend together like the perfect recipe for a delectable experience!
BON APPETIT!
For ADL classrooms, we offer a tactile experience of the Bon Appetit lesson plan designed for classrooms with various levels of support or compound disabilities.
• Students will experience lifelike tactile materials of various fruits and vegetables.
• They will play a game with different smell jars to enhance their sensory experience.
• They will explore fruits and veggies sensory bottles.
• Finally, they will create a work of art inspired by the activities.
Where are these programs available?
Special Education Art Workshops are available free of charge for schools within Dallas city limits or part of Dallas ISD, grades Pre-K through 12th. We are in the process of revamping our offerings for schools outside of Dallas; if your school or district is interested in staying informed, email govangogh@dma.org or access@dma.org.
I am located outside of DISD and/or Dallas city limits, what do I do?
If you are located outside Dallas ISD or Dallas city limits and would like to schedule a visit, please fill out the following form and a DMA Education staff member will contact you.
Click HERE for Special Education Access Programming.
How do I schedule a visit to my school?
To schedule a visit, follow these four easy steps:
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Determine three possible dates for your visit, double-checking test dates, holidays, class change times, and lunch schedules. If scheduling for other teachers at your school, confirm dates and start times with them before submitting your request.
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Choose your program topic and select customizable experiences.
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Fill out the request form at least four weeks before your requested program date.
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Check your email. A DMA Education staff member will contact you to confirm your reservation. If there are any questions with your request form, you will be contacted at the email or phone number provided.
When are visits available?
All of our Special Education Art Workshops receive booking priority March–May 2025. Visits take place between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and may be scheduled Tuesday–Thursday.
How many classrooms can Special Education Art Workshops visit at one time?
In order to guarantee appropriate DMA staff and volunteer scheduling, only ONE Special Education workshop can be booked per day.
We are more than happy to visit additional special education classrooms in your school; they would need to be scheduled on additional days.
Classroom sizes can be a minimum of five but cannot exceed 15 students. For ADL classrooms, the school may be required to provide additional aides and supports.
Can we combine classrooms?
No. We are happy to visit additional classrooms on additional dates. Please submit a separate form for each classroom.
What does the DMA provide for Special Education Art Workshops?
The DMA provides everything for the workshop, including all art supplies and tools. We arrive in our vibrant Go van Gogh Van! We kindly request at least one visitor parking spot for our van.
How many aides and/or supports need to be in the classroom?
Additional supports and/or aids are dependent on each classroom’s needs. We can discuss specific numbers during the confirmation phase prior to our visit. For ADL classrooms, the school may be required to provide additional aides and supports.
A teacher must remain in the classroom at all times.
Are workshops available in Spanish?
Yes. Workshops are available in Spanish, English, Bilingual Spanish/English
What are the types of Special Education classrooms in DISD?
Activities of Daily Living (ADL): meant for students with compound disabilities who also require medical assistance, the lesson plan will emphasize play-based learning.
Total Communication (TC): meant for children with communication needs, typically on the autistic spectrum or are non-verbal.
Functional Living Skills (FLS): meant for students with adaptive and cognitive disabilities, focuses on transferable life skills.
What if I have a conflict with my workshop or need to cancel?
Workshops cannot be shortened to accommodate conflicts such as lunch schedules or class time changes. If changes occur to your visit after you submitted your Special Education Art Workshops Request Form, such as changed testing dates, number of classrooms, or number of students, email govangogh@dma.org or access@dma.org at least one week before your program date.
If you have more questions, please email govangogh@dma.org.
