Petersen
Abbey Petersen
Professor Brett Campbell
Disabilities 1400
30 April 2013
Final Paper
Disability is defined as an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental,
sensory, emotional, development, or some combination of these. A disability may be
present from birth, or occur during a person’s lifetime. A disability is a broad term,
covering impairments, activity limitation, and participation restriction. Impairment is a
problem in the body’s structure or function; an activity limitation is a difficulty
encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while participation restriction
is a problem experience by an individual in involvement in life situations. As one can
easily see, there are many different types of disabilities that include, but are not limited
to, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders, blindness or low vision, brain injuries,
deaf/hard-of-hearing, learning disabilities, medical disabilities, physical disabilities,
psychiatric disabilities or speech and language disabilities. The topics to be discussed in
this paper are the different types discrimination and stereotyping of those with
disabilities, an explanation of the cultural gap between the non-disabled and disabled
populations, and improvements in services and suggestions for society to better include
those with disabilities.
Discrimination against the disabled or ableism is discrimination action against
people based on the physical ability of their body. Disability discriminations in the
Petersen
workplace occur frequently, and most often. Discriminations happen when an employer
or other entity treats a qualified individual with a disability who is an employee or
applicant unfavorably because he or she has a disability. The law forbids discrimination
when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job
assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or
condition of employment. The law also requires an employer to provide reasonable
accommodation to an employee or job applicant with a disability, unless doing so would
cause significant difficulty or expense for the employer. The law also protects people
from discrimination based on their relationship with a disabled person. It was in the 20th
and early 21st centuries, that a number of countries passed laws aimed at reducing
discrimination against those that are disabled. These laws have begun to appear more
frequently as the notion of civil rights has become more globally influential.
While discrimination has dwindled down due to the many laws that have been
passed, stereotyping, unfortunately, has not. Some common stereotypes that are
associated with disabled people are as follows.
1. Inspirations – When a disabled person overcomes every challenge, “doesn’t
think of themselves as disabled”, and never asks for help.
2. Victims – Vulnerable, weak, or a tragic object of violence and abuse.
3. Burden and Outcast – Costly, non-contributing burdens on society. They can’t
and don’t “fit in” anywhere except amongst others of the same kind.
4. Non-Sexual – Can never be in a relationship or marriage.
5. Incapable - Unable to participate in everyday life.
Petersen
These stereotypes still have the power to alter and affect the lives of individuals with
disabilities as well as the lives of their family members and care providers.
Americans with disabilities still face sharp gaps in securing jobs, education,
transportation, and in many areas of daily life including recreation and worship. Studies
show that only 29% of disabled persons of working age, ages eighteen to sixty-four,
work full or part-time, compared to 79% of the non-disabled population. 34% of adults
with disabilities live in households with a total income of $15,000 or less, compared to
only 12% of those non-disabled persons. Approximately 20% of adults with disabilities
have not completed high school compared to 9% of adults without disabilities.
Additional surveys conclude that only 33% of adults with disabilities are very satisfied
with life in general, compared to 61% of the non-disabled population. Only 69% of
adults with disabilities socialize with close friends at least once a week, compared to
more than 84% among the non-disabled. About 33% of adults with disabilities go to a
restaurant at least once per week, compared to 60% of those without disabilities. Only
17% of non-disabled adults consider daily transportation a problem in any way, while
30% of disabled adults identify is as a problem.
The understanding about persons with disabilities has evolved dramatically in
many parts of the world. There is a growing realization that limitation on the
participation of persons with disabilities in society and its institutions stem from
interactions between the individual’s impairment and attitudinal and environmental
barriers. This trend has fostered an increasing recognition of the rights and abilities of
persons with disabilities, and their potential to contribute to society. Inclusion means
Petersen
that all products, services, and societal opportunities and resources are fully accessible,
welcoming, functional and usable for as many different types of abilities as reasonable
possible. The concept of inclusion emphasizes physical accessibility issues, such as easeof-use of physical structures and elimination of barriers to ease of movement in the
world, but the largest part of its purpose is on being culturally transformational. All
employers can examine their practices and develop strategies for seeking out and hiring
people with disabilities. Businesses must and can implement Americans with Disabilities
Act requirements for accommodations in the workplace for people with disabilities, at a
reasonable cost. Recent business studies show that it requires less than $300 a month,
on average, to accommodate a worker with a disability. In addition to business
inclusion, the idea needs to be incorporated into school systems as well. We shouldn’t
be striving to educated children in the least restrictive environment but rather in the
most inclusive one. Inclusion is founded on social justice principles in which all students
are presumed competent and welcomed as valued members of all general education
classes and extra-curricular activities in their local schools. Disabled students should be
able to participate and learn alongside their same-age peers in general education
instruction, and experience meaningful social relationships. All people should be able
freely, openly and without pity accommodate any person with a disability without
restrictions or limitations of any kind. Although disability rights has historically existed as
a relatively cohesive movement. The movement centered on inclusion has only recently
begun to take shape and to position itself in the eye of the general public.
Petersen
It is clear to see that there are several struggles that are faced on a daily basis by
persons with disabilities. Due to the several discriminations in the world we live in
today, laws and acts have been passed in hopes of lowering the amount of
discriminating. Unfortunately, stereotypes are almost impossible to put an end to.
Stereotypes have the ability to affect the lives of not only the disabled person, but the
lives of their family members or care takers as well. Statistics prove that there is an
extreme gap between those with disabilities, and those without. It is the job of the
society to help include the disabled populations on daily tasks, as they are just as willing
and able to participate in the joys of life.
Petersen
Works Cited
"Disability Discrimination Information." . N.p.. Web. 30 Apr 2013.
<http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/discrimination/>.
Block, Laurie. "Stereotypes About People With Disabilities." Web. 30 Apr 2013.
<http://www.disabilitymuseum.org/dhm/edu/essay.html?id=24>.
"Issues for Students with Disabilities." The Top Ten Stereotypes of Disabled People. N.p..
Web. 30 Apr 2013. <http://www.accessuvic.ca/student-accessibility-issues8.html>.
"Americans with Disabilities Still Face Sharp Gaps in Securing Jobs, Education,
Transportation, and in Many Areas of Daily Life." . N.p.. Web. 30 Apr 2013.
<http://www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/fall98/gaps.htm>.
"Moving Towards Disability Inclusion." 2011: n. page. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/--ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_160776.pdf>.
"Inclusion (Disability Rights)." Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 30 Apr 2013.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_(disability_rights)>.
Jorgensen, Cheryl. "Inclusion: The Right Thing for All Students." School Book. N.p., 11
Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Apr 2013. <http://www.schoolbook.org/2011/11/11/inclusion-theright-thing-for-all-students>.
The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2010. Web. 30 Apr 2013.