Disability History
What is the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and what does it provide?
A federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities by requiring reasonable accomodations and modifications for individuals with disabilities.
What is "Ableism"
A set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities.
In basic terms, "Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people."
A person’s disability defines who they are as an individual.
Myth: People often label individuals with a disability according to their condition or limitations. It is common in our daily lives to hear references such as “the disabled” or “the epileptic.” Individuals with disabilities are people first. Remember the slogan “Label Jars, Not People.”
What is a Disability?
An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
There are four main categories that define disabilities:
Behavioral or emotional.
Sensory impaired disorders.
Physical.
Developmental.
What disability makes it tough to read and spell?
Dyslexia
What were the 504 sit-ins and why did activists take part in them?
The 504 sit-ins were a series of protests in 1977, that were organized by disability rights activists to demand the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
This law prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in programs receiving federal funding.
Activists took part in the sit-ins because the federal government had delayed implementing regulations to enforce the law, despite its passage four years prior.
What is an "Institution" in the context of disability
An "institution" generally refers to a facility where a significant number of people with disabilities live together, often without their own choice or control over their daily lives.
These institutions are typically run by staff, not the residents themselves, and can encompass a range of settings like asylums, state schools, or other residential facilities.
Disability is a bad word
Myth:
Sometimes people are nervous about saying the word “disability.” Being thoughtful and considerate with the words you chose to use when talking about disability and people with disabilities is a good thing, but avoiding the term disability altogether is not helpful.
Disability is not a bad word or something that should be hidden. We need to understand what it means to have a disability and, importantly, the barriers people with disabilities face are often within culture and environments. Disability is not a bad word, but inaccessible practices and ableism are not acceptable.
Define: Behavioral or Emotional Disabilities
-A behavioral disorder can be disruptive, and if it is not diagnosed in childhood, it can impact a person’s ability to hold down a job and maintain relationships.
(Behavioral disorders include anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, disruptive or impulsive behaviors, and pervasive development disorders)
-An emotional disability often relates to a disability that prevents a person’s ability to maintain or build interpersonal relationships with others. They can also struggle to control their emotions and often feel unhappy in their life.
Emotional disabilities are a type of behavioral disability, but that’s because our emotions often influence our actions.
This disability refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
The camp was meant to provide a nurturing community environment for people with a range of disabilities, such as polio and cerebral palsy.
What is Crimp Camp
Why is the term "Special" considered problematic by most critical disability studies scholars and disability activists?
It can be perceived as a euphemism that minimizes or stigmatizes the disability.
It can also be seen as condescending and implying that those with disabilities are somehow different or "extra".
Disability advocates prefer more neutral and respectful language, such as "person with a disability"
Disabilities are always visible
Myth: Many people have invisible disabilities.
Examples of invisible disabilities include learning disabilities, various medical disabilities, mental impairments and disorders, etc. Also, you may not be able to tell just by looking at a person that they are visually impaired or deaf, for example. Do not make assumptions about a person’s abilities. Ask them if they have any needs that require accommodation.
Define: Sensory Impaired Disorders
This type of disability relates to the senses: hearing, smell, taste, touch and sight.
If a person has a sensory disability, this means that the senses are no longer at the usual levels that others experience.
This is a disorder that includes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, controlling behavior and hyperactivity.
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
This is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.
What is the Individual's with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
What does "Neurodivergent" mean?
Differing in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal (someone whose brain processes information in a way that is not "typical" of most individuals).
Physical Disability also Means “Cognitive Impairment”
Myth: Although many individuals have both physical and cognitive impairments, we should never make such assumptions. This misunderstanding often happens with individuals who have cerebral palsy. The word palsy specifically refers to lack of muscle control. Only about half of people with cerebral palsy have an intellectual disability
Define: Physical Disabilities
A physical disability is a condition that impacts a person’s physical abilities, stamina, mobility and their ability to move and use their hands. There are many obvious physical disabilities, but even a condition such as epilepsy is a physical disability, even though you may not be able to tell visually, or by speaking to the person. That’s because a seizure incapacitates the person who has this condition and can place limitations on a person’s life.
This is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease
What is Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
This medical practice was used historically and into the late 20th century on people with mental retartdation in institutional care
What is Sterilization
What is the difference between an impairment and a disability
An impairment refers to a loss or abnormality of a person's physiological, psychological, or anatomical structure or function. (ex: Loss of vision, a stroke, a broken leg.)
A disability, on the other hand, is the restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being, resulting from an impairment. (ex: Difficulty reading, limited mobility, challenges with certain types of work)
People with disabilities want to associate with each other
Relationships and friendships are a matter of personal choice. People with disabilities may share similar characteristics; however, it should not be assumed that everyone wants to associate or develop friendships with each other.
Define: Developmental Disabilities
A developmental disability refers to conditions that occur during childhood years, as they affect a person’s ability to develop in the same way as others.
They impact a person’s ability to learn, impact their language, or initiate behavioral difficulties within a person.
These types of conditions are said to develop through childhood, up to the age of 22 years old.
This is is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.
What is Alzheimer's Disease