BEHS 320 Week 4 Discussion

As we have studied so far in this course, and as is mentioned in many of our readings, every person with a disability arrives at their disability in a unique way.  No two disabled people, even if their disability “label” is the same, share exactly the same experience of living with their disability, how it impacts their life, and when or how they choose to share their disability status.  This is what gives the disability rights movement its unique formation and provides many different avenues for others to interact with the disability community.

This week, you will read about the experiences shared by those with non-apparent disabilities, such as learning and psychiatric disabilities, and disabilities that may be obvious or not, such as deafness and blindness.  Members of many of these groups have formed their own advocacy and disability rights movements.  You will read about the impact on the broader disability rights landscape that sometimes, these groups do not agree.

1.  Because people arrive at their disabilities in unique ways, what barriers would you expect in forming one, single coherent disability community identity?

2.  Growing up with a learning disability can carry stigma that encourages some children to hide or feel shame about their disability identity.  Similarly, soldiers returning with PTSD often report fear, anxiety, or shame about sharing their disability status with family and friends.  How might the experience of a person with an obvious disability (like a physical disability, using a wheelchair, etc.) be different from a person whose disability is non-apparent (such as a learning disability or PTSD)?

3.  An example of two different approaches to disability inclusion:  There are two main advocacy groups for people who are blind – the and the .  And although both groups are comprised of people who are blind or have vision impairment, the groups disagree fundamentally about the principle of accessibility for blindness and low-vision.  For example, paper money is usually inaccessible to people who are blind.  NFB believes that US currency should be designed to be more accessible to the blind (such as creating different sized notes and adding notches on the side to indicate value).  AFB believes that adapting to US currency (like using apps on smartphones to scan bills with the phone and then read aloud the value) better prepares people who are blind, such as if they traveled to another country.  Which approach to disability accessibility appeals to you more and why?

Because people arrive at their disabilities in unique ways, what barriers would you expect in forming one, single coherent disability community identity?

Forming one coherent disability community identity is challenging as not all disabilities present the same challenges or limitations, which can hinder the sense of unity of identity. For example, one with a learning disability compared to someone paraplegic will not require the same amount of assistance or accommodations (Disabled World, 2022). As every disability presents different challenges and limitations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states there are seven most common barriers: attitudinal, communication, physical, policy, programmatic, social, and transportation (2020). So, while there are differences in those with visible and non-visible disabilities and their experiences which can impact their connection to community, all disabilities deserve civil rights and protection against discrimination.

2.  Growing up with a learning disability can carry stigma that encourages some children to hide or feel shame about their disability identity.  Similarly, soldiers returning with PTSD often report fear, anxiety, or shame about sharing their disability status with family and friends.  How might the experience of a person with an obvious disability (like a physical disability, using a wheelchair, etc.) be different from a person whose disability is non-apparent (such as a learning disability or PTSD)? 

Having a non-apparent disability can be challenging for the individual to receive the necessary accommodations. People may question why they need them or what they are for, which can make the individual fearful or anxious to ask. For example, suppose a person has epilepsy and tells their employer they cannot meet a client outside of the office without proper notice to be able to get a taxi or bus; this may be questioned more than a person using a wheelchair (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, n.d.). Another example is individuals who use service dogs for tasks such as alerting individuals of low blood sugar levels, falls, or psychiatric alerts. Whereas if an individual is blind and has a guide dog, establishments are less likely to question what the need for the service dog is required.

3.  An example of two different approaches to disability inclusion:  There are two main advocacy groups for people who are blind – the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB).  And although both groups are comprised of people who are blind or have vision impairment, the groups disagree fundamentally about the principle of accessibility for blindness and low-vision.  For example, paper money is usually inaccessible to people who are blind.  NFB believes that US currency should be designed to be more accessible to the blind (such as creating different sized notes and adding notches on the side to indicate value).  AFB believes that adapting to US currency (like using apps on smartphones to scan bills with the phone and then read aloud the value) better prepares people who are blind, such as if they traveled to another country.  Which approach to disability accessibility appeals to you more and why?

Adapting United States currency and not making an individual with vision impairment rely on applications or smartphones provides greater inclusion. Furthermore, it does not make individuals rely on technology if they cannot afford or use these devices. Another challenge of using applications is if one runs out of battery or there is inclement weather. The United States Department of Treasury (2022) states that they continue to add raised tactile features that can help identify denominations by touch. The implementation of this feature has been slow-moving, however, making those rely on currency readers and applications.

 

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 16). Disability and health disability barriers.

Disabled World. (2022, July 22). Invisible disabilities: List and general information. 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Epilepsy in the workplace and the ADA. 

United States Department of Treasury. (n.d.). Status Reports September 2022.