🤲Contemporary Social Policy Unit 11 – Disability Policy: Inclusion & Accessibility

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Disability refers to any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person to do certain activities and interact with the world around them
  • Includes physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, mental health, and various chronic conditions
• Accessibility means ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to the physical environment, transportation, information and communications technologies, and other facilities and services
• Universal Design is the design and composition of products, environments, programs and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design
  • Includes things like ramps, automatic doors, braille signage, and accessible websites
• Reasonable Accommodation involves making adjustments or modifications to a job, work environment, or the way things are usually done to enable a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy an equal employment opportunity
• Assistive Technology encompasses any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities
• Inclusion means ensuring that people with disabilities have the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of life, including education, employment, and community activities
• Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior

Historical Context of Disability Policy

• Prior to the 20th century, people with disabilities were often institutionalized, segregated, or excluded from mainstream society
  • Institutions were often overcrowded, unsanitary, and provided little to no rehabilitation or education
• The disability rights movement gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s, coinciding with other civil rights movements
  • Activists advocated for deinstitutionalization, independent living, and equal rights and opportunities
• The Independent Living Movement emphasized that people with disabilities are the best experts on their needs and should have the opportunity to make decisions about their lives
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, prohibiting discrimination based on disability and requiring accommodations in employment, public services, and public accommodations
  • Modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), originally passed in 1975, ensures that students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment
• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors
• The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin

Legal Framework and Legislation

• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted in 2006, is an international human rights treaty intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities
  • Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public
  • Consists of five titles covering employment, public services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and miscellaneous provisions
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance
• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities
  • Ensures that students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE)
• The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need
  • Requires that individuals with disabilities have access to workforce services and that One-Stop Career Centers are accessible
• The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) requires that buildings and facilities designed, constructed, altered, or leased with federal funds be accessible to persons with disabilities
• The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel and requires air carriers to accommodate the needs of passengers with disabilities
• The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act requires polling places to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for federal elections

Models of Disability

• The Medical Model views disability as a problem of the individual, directly caused by disease, trauma, or other health conditions which require medical care in the form of treatment and rehabilitation
  • Focuses on curing or managing the disability medically
• The Social Model sees disability as a socially created problem and a matter of the full integration of individuals into society
  • Disability is not an attribute of an individual, but rather a complex collection of conditions, many of which are created by the social environment
• The Rights-Based Model focuses on the inherent dignity of the human being and subsequently, on the person's right to be treated with respect and equality
  • Implies that all people should have equal opportunities to participate in society, with an emphasis on empowering persons with disabilities to make their own decisions
• The Identity Model views disability as a natural part of human diversity that should be celebrated and accommodated, not cured or eliminated
  • Disability is seen as an identity, akin to race, gender, or sexual orientation
• The Charity Model depicts people with disabilities as victims of circumstance who are deserving of pity and in need of help from the outside
  • Disability is seen as a deficit, and people with disabilities are assumed to be dependent and in need of care and protection
• The Economic Model emphasizes the economic costs and benefits associated with disability, such as the cost of accommodations and the potential economic contributions of people with disabilities
• The Biopsychosocial Model is an approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding disability and health
  • Recognizes that disability arises from the interaction of a person's health condition with personal and environmental factors

Inclusion Strategies and Best Practices

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn
  • Provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged
• Differentiated Instruction involves providing different students with different avenues to learning in terms of acquiring content, processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas, and developing teaching materials and assessment measures so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability
• Inclusive Classroom Strategies include using multiple modes of presentation, providing alternative ways for students to demonstrate learning, and creating a welcoming and supportive classroom environment
  • Examples include using visual aids, providing text-to-speech software, allowing oral responses, and promoting cooperative learning
• Inclusive Hiring Practices involve ensuring that recruitment, interviewing, and selection processes are accessible and non-discriminatory
  • Includes things like using inclusive language in job postings, providing accommodations during interviews, and basing hiring decisions on qualifications and abilities
• Workplace Accommodations are adjustments or modifications provided by an employer to enable people with disabilities to enjoy equal employment opportunities
  • Examples include modifying work schedules, reassigning marginal job functions, providing assistive technology, and making the workplace accessible
• Inclusive Community Participation means ensuring that people with disabilities have the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of community life, including recreation, leisure, and civic engagement
  • Involves making community events and activities accessible, providing transportation options, and promoting inclusion and diversity
• Person-Centered Planning is an approach to planning services and supports that focuses on the individual's strengths, goals, and preferences
  • Emphasizes the active participation and decision-making of the person with a disability and their support network

Accessibility in Various Sectors

• Accessible Transportation includes public transit systems, paratransit services, accessible taxis, and accessible pedestrian infrastructure
  • Involves things like wheelchair lifts on buses, visual and audible announcements, braille signage, and curb cuts
• Accessible Housing refers to housing that is designed or modified to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities
  • Includes features like wide doorways, grab bars, lower countertops, and accessible appliances
• Accessible Education means that students with disabilities have access to the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled peers
  • Involves providing accommodations and support services, using inclusive teaching practices, and ensuring that facilities and materials are accessible
• Accessible Healthcare involves ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the same quality of healthcare as the general population
  • Includes things like accessible medical equipment, sign language interpreters, and training for healthcare professionals on disability issues
• Accessible Technology refers to technology products and services that are designed to be usable by people with a wide range of abilities
  • Includes features like text-to-speech, voice recognition, adjustable font sizes, and compatibility with assistive technologies
• Accessible Voting means ensuring that the entire voting process, from registering to vote to casting a ballot, is accessible to people with disabilities
  • Involves things like accessible polling places, voting machines with audio and large print options, and allowing voters to receive assistance
• Accessible Recreation and Tourism involves making recreational activities, facilities, and tourist destinations accessible to people with disabilities
  • Includes things like accessible trails, beach access mats, adaptive sports equipment, and accessible hotel rooms

Challenges and Barriers to Implementation

• Attitudinal Barriers include stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination towards people with disabilities
  • Can result in low expectations, social exclusion, and denial of opportunities
• Physical Barriers are structural obstacles in natural or manmade environments that prevent or block mobility or access
  • Examples include steps, narrow doorways, inaccessible public transit, and lack of elevators or ramps
• Communication Barriers occur when information is not provided in an accessible format or when communication supports are not available
  • Can include lack of sign language interpreters, lack of braille or large print materials, and websites that are not compatible with screen readers
• Policy and Systemic Barriers are policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities
  • Can include eligibility criteria that exclude people with disabilities, lack of enforcement of accessibility laws, and inadequate funding for disability services and supports
• Economic Barriers include the additional costs associated with living with a disability, such as for assistive devices, personal support workers, and accessible housing
  • People with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty and be unemployed or underemployed
• Lack of Awareness and Understanding about disability issues and the needs of people with disabilities
  • Can result in lack of inclusion, inappropriate interactions, and failure to provide accommodations
• Limited Resources and Funding for implementing accessibility and inclusion measures
  • Can result in slow progress, piecemeal solutions, and unmet needs

Future Trends and Emerging Issues

• Aging Population and increasing prevalence of disability as people live longer with chronic health conditions
  • Will require more accessible housing, transportation, and community services
• Technological Advancements such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and smart home technology
  • Have the potential to increase independence and participation for people with disabilities, but also raise issues of accessibility, affordability, and privacy
• Intersectionality and the recognition that people with disabilities also have other identities (race, gender, LGBTQ+) that intersect and can result in multiple forms of discrimination
  • Requires an intersectional approach to disability policy and practice
• Climate Change and the disproportionate impact on people with disabilities in terms of emergency preparedness, evacuation, and recovery
  • Requires inclusive disaster risk reduction and response strategies
• COVID-19 Pandemic has highlighted disparities faced by people with disabilities in terms of access to healthcare, education, employment, and social services
  • Has also accelerated the adoption of remote work, learning, and service delivery, which can increase accessibility but also create new barriers
• Shift towards Deinstitutionalization and community-based services and supports
  • Requires investment in affordable, accessible housing, personal assistance services, and community participation supports
• Increasing Recognition of Neurodiversity and the strengths and abilities of people with neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia
  • Requires a shift away from a deficit-based view of disability towards a diversity and inclusion perspective