PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

June 30th 2012

EDU 627

Lourdes Maria Pena

HOW TO DEFINE A DISABLED PERSON?

1) Pathology that interrupts physical or mental processes,

2) Impairment that limits a person’s ability to function and that may result in,

3) Functional limitation relative to the ability to perform or engage in life task and,

4) disability to perform socially expected activities.

- Nagi (1969)

“BEING DISABLED SHOULD NOT MEAN BEING DISQUALIFIED FROM EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE.”- EMMA THOMPSON

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISABLED BODIES

Medical approach Social model

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISABLED BODIES

Medical approach Social model

lack of physical, sensory or mental functioning.

Clinicians describe disabled to have:

Low self esteem Undeveloped life skills Poor education Poor relationships with

families and society. More negative for the

disabled.

It is not a medical problem but an exclusion from every day life.

The disabled do not need treatment, but acceptance.

The disabled want: Change in society Acceptance accessibility to public

places Different learning styles,

text phones, Braille etc. More positive for the

disabled.

CULTURE- LANGUAGE“BIG D TO DESCRIBE DEAF CULTURE”

Words to avoid. Preferred.

The disabled,The handicapped, The deaf, The hard of hearing. Deaf and dumb, Deaf, mute, A mute, The blind, The visually impaired, Victim of Suffering from,Afflicted by, Wheelchair bound.

Confined to a wheelchair Invalid, Person with a disability Mentally handicapped, Backward, Retarded, Simple, Mongol, Spastic, Crazy, mad, mentally ill Normal,Able-bodied ,Special needs.

Disabled people, Deaf* people, People with a hearing impairment, Deaf* without speech, Person without speech, person with a speech impairment. Blind people, People with visual impairments.

(Person who has, Person with,Person who has experienced Person who lives with)

Wheelchair user. Disabled person, Person with learning difficulties (or learning disabilities) Person with Downs Syndrome Person with cerebral palsy Mental health issues, Mental and emotional distress, Mental health survivor Non-disabled Access requirements.

CULTURE…CONT Race and ethnicity influence people’s attitudes

about life and personal identity for both disabled and non disabled.

The resilience of disabled persons is manifest in the art, music, literature and other expressions of their lives and their culture, drawn from the experience of disability (Brown 1996).

There are many ethnic backgrounds within the Disabled people.

The disabled all validate and celebrate their lives and of the disabled people.

Self affirming slogans are a symbol of their culture. The disabled promote independence and equality

(Riddell & Watson, 2003).

POSITIVE CULTURAL SYMBOLS

HISTORICAL OPPRESSION …Disabilities throughout history have always been viewed in a negative manner. Whether it was killing the disabled, accusing them of having evil entities in them, curses or just a sinner people of all ages with disabilities were treated inhumanely.

Greek Police attempting to stop the Disabled people from assembling in public places. (Dec 3, 2010)

HISTORY Disabilities throughout history have always

been seen in a negative manner: Neolithic tribes- believed disabilities were

caused by evil spirits, they performed skull surgeries to release the supernatural entities.

Greeks- believed the disabled were inhuman Romans- abandoned disabled babies to die. Persians- wanted a perfect world without the

disabled. The Disabled were banned from even

practicing their faith in Temples in Ancient Hebrew times.

Blindness was seen as a punishment for sin. 1924 under BUCK vs. Bell the supreme court

passed forced sterilization of Disabled people.

HISTORY“they were a substantial burden to society and

life, was probably little comfort to them.-Hitler”(pg 446)

In 1912 a French noble prize winner in medicine created the “Humane Disposal” or euthanasia of Disabled people.

The Holocaust is well known for the extermination of the Jews but little for the “perfection plan” of Hitler's large extermination of the disabled.

Between 75,000 -200,000 Disabled Germans were killed.

HISTORY- THE ENLIGHTENMENT

o The Elizabethan poor Law defined the Disabled as “worthy poor” in contrast to the lazy, unmotivated “unworthy poor. ”oDisabled war veterans were seen as Hero’s and accepted by society because their disability was brought forth by a good deed being society service. o1960s CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT gave rise to many rights based on race, sex, religion sexual orientation, and national origin, but it wasn’t until much later the Disabled with helped.o1973 Rehabilitation Act prohibited the discrimination of the disabled in federal agencies and organizations and those places with federal contracts. o1990 THE ADA- Americans Disabilities Act. Arouse from 3 major Civil Rights Movement Laws passed to finally protect the Disabled people of hate crimes and discriminatory remarks anywhere.

STATISTICS- U.S. POPULATION 54 million people have a disability. They represent

19 percent of the civilian non-institutionalized population

By age : 5 percent of children 5 to 17 have disabilities. 10 percent of people 18 to 64 have disabilities. 38 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities. Persons with disabilities are more likely to be victims

of violence or rape, according to a 2004 British study, and less likely to obtain police intervention, legal protection or preventive care.

59%of people 21 to 64 with difficulty hearing were employed. The corresponding percentage for those with difficulty seeing was 41 percent.

6% of disabled workers 16 and older who used public transportation to commute to work. In addition, 69 percent of people with a disability drove alone, 13 percent carpooled, 4 percent walked and 3 percent used a taxicab, motorcycle, bicycle or other means.

STATISTICS- EDUCATION & ECONOMICS

On average, 19 % of less educated people have disabilities. 19 %of children with disabilities in developing countries do

not attend school, says UNESCO Students with disabilities have a higher risk of depression

than the nondisabled. Research indicates that violence against student children

with disabilities occurs at annual rates at least 1.7 times greater than for their peers without disabilities.

A 2004 United States survey found that only 35 per cent of working-age persons with disabilities are in fact working, compared to 78 per cent of those without disabilities.

One third of the employers surveyed said that persons with disabilities cannot effectively perform the required job tasks. The second most common reason given for not hiring persons with disabilities was the fear of costly special facilities.

HEALTH STATUS “PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE THE SAME RIGHT

AS ALL HUMANS”

More than 50 million—which is about 1 in 5—Americans report having some level of disability.

The U.S. Census 2000 counted 49.7 million people with some type of long-lasting condition or disability

 impairment or condition does not define individuals, their health, or their talents and abilities.

DISABLED PEOPLE: Experience difficulties or delays in getting the health care they

need. have not had an annual dental visit. have not had a mammogram in past 2 years. have not had a Pap test within the past 3 years. have not engage in fitness activities. are more likely to Use tobacco. Are more likely to be overweight or obese. are more likely to Have high blood pressure. Experience symptoms of psychological distress. Receive less social-emotional support. Have lower employment rates.

ELDERLY DISABLED VETERANS http://

www.va.gov/opa/feature/vanews/vanews.asx

The link provided above shows how veterans age 55 or older come together Disabled or not and partake in communal exercise, games, work and conference’s to help get them active.

Older Disabled veterans struggle with respect. These are people that have served our country.

Door to door transportation with accessible ramps are being put to use more now.

(watch video)

BARRIERS TO EDUCATION Teachers lack the correct

training for specific Disabled students

Young students and adults require much needed medical attention throughout the day that school have yet to have a staff for these necessities.

Schools lack appropriate equipment necessary for students with hearing and vision aids

Some students have a disability ignored by parent and struggle academically until school personal addresses situation.

Immobility- education providers are not physically accessible. They cost the school enormous amounts and the funds are not available.

Bullying- Many Disabled people have inappropriate behaviors, which can be allowed for in class but which may create difficulties or embarrassment for the student in public.

STARING- by non-Disabled people causes low self esteem and insecurities.

STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL

First I believe it is important for the school and teachers to be aware of their students current health and of any Disabilities.

This can affect the health and well-being of people with disabilities of any ages.

How to Improve the conditions of daily life in the class rooms: Encouraging communities to be accessible so all can live

in, move through, and interact with their environment. Encouraging community living. And nonjudgmental

stares. Removing barriers in the environment. Teachers should reinforce policy and make sure others

are respectful. Also promote equality and an environment that is tolerant and understanding of differences and disabilities. Through this reinforcement the Main focus should be always be education.

LESSON PLAN Class age- college

students. In small groups –

conduct possible survey questions about Disabled peopled.

>These questions should vary and not only pertain to the stereo typical physical disabilities but everything across the spectrum.

Construct the survey- pass it out to each other in the class room, then to peers on campus.

Purpose- the purpose of the survey is raise awareness of what people may “think” they know. Realize what is false, what the stereotypes are and to educate!

LESSON PLAN / AWARENESS DAY the small groups should come together in class

and cross analyze their results and those of their peers on campus.

The next task should be to prepare a day of awareness on campus. Searching for guest speakers to talk about how they have lived with their disability, and find resources for those who are living with a disability and are not treating themselves because of fear of exclusion by society.

This day of awareness could be combined with our campus Rally Around Diversity Day. So it is reinforcing diversity, respect and acceptance for all people, not only pertaining to Race or Ethnicity but also people with Disabilities.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES Veterans Crisis Line- 1-800-273-8255

www.veteranscrisisline.net center for universal design Removing Barriers to Health Clubs and F

itness Facilities conferences for the blind MCDHH local Massachusetts Social Security Adm

inistration (SSA) field office. Disability Rights Healthy People for the Disabled and Non

-Disabled

INTERNET RESOURCES. medical model picture social model picture disabilityinfo.org Mass Rehab Commission MRC http://

www.socialsecurity-disability.org/social-security-disability-resources/worcester - helps disabled around Worcester, Ma.

SOURCES. Brown,S.E. (1996). Deviants, invalids, and

anthropologist: Cross-Cultural perspectives on conditions of disabilities in one academic discipline. Disability and Rehabilitation, 18(5), 273-275

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics. DATA 2010 [Internet database]. Hyattsville, MD: CDC; 2010 [cited 2010 Sep 30]. Available from: http://wonder.cdc.gov/data2010/focus.htm

Disability Rights Commission: Disability Discrimination Act - Best Practice Trainers Resource Pack 2002.

http://ddsg.org.uk/taxi/medical-model.html http://ddsg.org.uk/taxi/social-model.html Lum, D. ( 2011). Culturally competent practice. (4th

ed.). Belmont, California: Cengage. DOI: www.cengage.com

Nagi,S.Z. (1969). Disability and Rehabilitation. Columbus,OH: Ohio state University Press.

SOURCES. Riddell,S.,& Watson,N.(Eds.). (2003). Disability,

culture and identity.Londo: pearson Ridley,C.R., Baker,D.M.,& Hill,C.L.(2001).Critical

issues concerning culture compentence. The Counciling psychologist, 29(6), 8822-832

US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy people 2010 (conference ed, in 2 vols). Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2000. Available at http://www.healthypeople.gov.

World Health Organization (WHO), Commission on Determinants of Health. Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the determinants of health. Final report. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 2008