The Disabled : An Unseen Entity Of The Community And Most People

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices, and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their goals are to enhance the capacity of professionals who work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, promote the development of a society that fully includes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and sustain an effective, responsive, well managed, and responsibly-governed

Despite many crucial developments surrounding acceptance of others there is still a long and arduous path ahead of our society. People with disabilities, whatever a given disability may be and mean for the individual, are frequently stigmatized. They are not always offered equal opportunities, nor are they always offered the proper support to fortify their capabilities so that the individual may be the best they can be. Because of this there are many people who never go or return to college, are unemployed, or are isolated from the community.

According to Heller and Factor (as cited in Wood & Jackson, 2003) the number of “older adults age 60 and older who are diagnosed with mental retardation or developmental disabilities is expected to reach 1,065,000 by 2030.” In fact, “in the last 30 years, the life expectancy of people with intellectual disability has increased more dramatically than that of the general population” (Bigby, 2010). Doka and Lavin (2003) report that advances in medical care and a shift to deinstitutionalization have contributed to this increase in life expectancy for developmentally disabled adults. Increasingly, federal policy has linked addressing the housing needs of older adults with those of low-income and non-elderly disabled individuals, according to

Disabled people are not often represented in “normal” roles in society, especially in the workforce. Therefore, many people objectify them in the the sense that they are looked at as object of inspiration. (“I am Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much”. Stella Young.)

As the trend of recognition and celebration continues for the privileged achievers born with a silver spoon into a life with physical, emotional, financial, and/or social stability, the other common theme that the disabled community regularly witnesses is the expectation of adaptability and optimism. The society expects the disabled community to be thankful for their donations and benevolence rather than striving for an equally successful life. In this picture, the ADAPT organization is fiercely preparing the disabled citizens to not only adapt to procure success but furthermore, it is training them to resist against the patriarchy to protect the rights of their own community and of others. As the grassroots the United States disability rights organization, ADAPT expands its operations in 30 states through well-initiated system and chapters.

The treatment of individuals with disabilities has changed dramatically since the 1800’s. Reynolds 1988, describes, Progressive inclusion, the evolution of services provided to those with various disabilities. In the early 1800’s residential institutions, or asylums were seem as common place accommodations for individuals with hearing, visual, mental or emotional impairments. Institutions remained the primary educational support until a century later in the early 1900’s. The parents of students with disabilities brought upon a legislation change. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, these parents pressured courts and legislatures to introduce a change in educational services. Reynolds

It’s hard being disabled because there are disadvantages in everyday tasks. Although many disabled people are extremely successful, the American dream for some is accomplishable. The American Dream is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. It is often easier for corporations and businesses to hire nondisabled people because of the accommodation for those with special needs. Also many special needs individuals don’t have the freedom or receive the same respect as those without disadvantages.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 required all schools receiving federal funding to provide handicapped students with equal access to a public education and at least one free meal per school day. This act was designed to protect state and local personnel’s rights, when attempting to meet the individual needs of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. It became known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. It allows parents of children with mental and/or physical disabilities to have a say so in their child(ren)’s education process.

Before the twentieth century, social outlooks reflected the views of many that people with disabilities which viewed disabled people as unhealthy, flawed and abnormal. For many years, society as a whole treated disabled people as objects out of fear and pity. The predominant approach was that disabled individuals were incompetent of partaking in and contributing to society and that they must depend on welfare or charitable organizations, (Burtner, 2016). Towards the end of the 1800’s, institutions were built by the state and local organizational agencies to house people with developmental impairments. The institutions were commonly built on the borders of the city. Social attitudes adopted this segregating style of managing. Segregating from society stigmatizes people. (Burtner, 2016).

In nineteen ninety Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act. This act was established in order to eliminate discrimination of people with disabilities and to break down barriers in society that limits the freedom a disabled person. According to Section 2 Subsection A part one, "some 43,000,000 Americans have one or more physical or mental disabilities, and this number is increasing as the population as a whole is growing older." As the number suggests there are a lot of people that would be classified as disabled making this act very important. This paper will look at the Americans with Disabilities Act as how it pertains to helping people with disabilities based on who is covered, what are their rights, and what legal actions

All throughout the 20th Century Americans have fought with endless vigor to gain equal rights. In many ways we've created new opportunities for minorities in America, but with each passing year new problems arise. For example, the American female community has made leaping bounds in the field of equality; this past election was the first time in history that a woman has made it to the position of presidential nominee. However, they still have struggles, as do many of the cultural groups living in America. A community that's currently facing equality struggles is the American disabled community. Many people with disabilities—mental and physical—have a harder time finding employment because of their health issues. Many activists of the disabled community such as Helen Keller (who is deaf and blind) and Judith Heumann (who has polio) have pushed to pass many disabled-rights laws (B4 Civil Rights). One such law is the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), which was passed in 1990 and made workplace discrimination against disabled people illegal (B4 Civil Rights). Americans have also tried to create a new amendment to the Constitution to end discrimination against the disabled, but it was never ratified (B4 Civil Rights). Although the disabled community faces struggles, they fight endlessly for their rights even today.

Many groups of people experience disenfranchisement. This paper will seek to review people experiencing disenfranchisement related to ableism in its various forms. The oppression of the disabled and the social injustices they bear will be considered, as well as the myths and stereotypes associated to the disabled. The author will seek to gain knowledge and understanding of this group of people and their functioning within our society.

The society, despite its current level of development, violates the rights of persons with disabilities, when it is led by prejudices, when it denies employment and study opportunities to an individual with a disability or when building inaccessible buildings. But accessibility must also occur in all areas available to anyone: health, education, work, culture; Sports, leisure, and recreation, technology, media,

All they want is to take part of society as a normal individual. The disability-movement has fought for the disabilities rights throughout the years and has achieved goals such as accommodation of architectural infrastructures to serve better people who are physical impairments. The public policies have been great accomplishments because it has helped people with disabilities to be part of society. The disability-movement points out the healthcare finance policies have taken freedom away from the disability community, “ Health-care financing policies force disabled people into Institutions and nursing homes rather than funding independent living. Income-maintenance and public health-insurance policies include “disincentives” that penalize disabled individuals for trying to work productively.”(p.4). The government has done a great job on protecting disabled individuals’ rights. However, the health-care system has isolated this group even more by restricting the level of productivity that they have within the system, as a result this medical model marginalizes this group of people and this program available for this community does not fully address their issues.

To address the issue of educational rights of the disabled, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), passed in 1975, established that disabled children had the right to “...a free appropriate public education, [and] the right to that education in the least restrictive environment”(National Council on Disability 2000: 28). The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, is arguably the greatest achievement of the Disability Rights Movement. The act greatly expanded the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 1978 amendments, and the IDEA. President Bush, at the signing of the act, proclaimed that “it will ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard: independence, freedom of choice, control of their lives, the opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the American mainstream” (President George