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Table of Contents
The Disability Rights Movement is known as an international social movement that works to ensure that all individuals with disabilities have access to equal opportunities and rights.
See the fact file below for more information on the Disability Rights Movement, or you can download our 28-page Disability Rights Movement worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
HISTORY
UNITED STATES
- Over the past century, American disability rights have undergone substantial change. Before the disability rights movement, President Franklin D. Roosevelt‘s hesitation in allowing himself to be photographed in a precarious situation served as a demonstration of and a symbol of the stigma associated with impairments.
- He concealed his impairment while running for office, speaking in public, or doing other official duties. As a result, the idea that “disability correlates to weakness” was maintained.
- In the United States, disability was seen as a private matter, and there were few political or governmental institutions to assist those in these groups. The shift to voluntarism and parent-focused organizations like the March of Dimes occurred in the 1950s.
- Children with impairments were usually kept concealed by their parents out of fear of being pushed into forced rehabilitation during this time. This marked the beginning of activism and support-seeking for these groups.
- Disability advocates joined the women’s and racial rights movements in the 1960s to advance fair treatment and dispel prejudices.
- Around this time, cross-disability advocacy for disability rights started to gain traction.
- People with various disabilities (physical, mental, visual, and hearing impairments, as well as other basic requirements) banded together to fight for a common cause.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids discrimination based on disability and requires disability access in all public places, but it did not become law until 1990.
- The ADA is significant historically because it protected both businesses and employees by defining what a reasonable accommodation is.
- Disability rights activists continue to work on issues like law enforcement and how disabled people are treated to protect those who are discriminated against today.
UNITED NATIONS
- The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which addresses indigenous persons with disabilities, was formed by the United Nations on a global basis.
- A United Nations international human rights convention aimed at defending the rights and dignity of people with disabilities is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- The Convention requires the parties to promote, safeguard, and ensure that people with disabilities can fully exercise their human rights and are treated equally by the law.
SOCIAL MODEL VS. MEDICAL MODEL OF DISABILITY
- People with disabilities face challenges such as discrimination, stigma, and stereotypes daily.
- A large portion of the disabled community is excluded from facets of society that non-disabled people take for granted.
- Disability exclusion has roots in the idea that having a disability renders someone “less than,” but in recent years, the positivity movement, which holds that “the only disability is a negative attitude,” has also silenced the disabled population.
- Although both views contain the underlying message that if the disabled group wants to be a part of society, they must change, even though, on the surface, this statement appears to be supportive.
- Disability activist Stella Young explained how societal barriers are the only ones that persons with disabilities can overcome.
- People need to change how they view disability and work with disabled people to remove barriers if we want to create an inclusive and accessible society.
- According to the social model of disability, societal structure, not a person’s handicap, leads to disability. According to this theory, ableism is what causes societal barriers.
- People with disabilities can also be independent and equal members of society when barriers are removed. The social model of disability radically flips this viewpoint.
- It defines disability as the socially imposed psychological, physical, structural, communicative, and technological obstacles. It does not downplay the effects of a person’s handicap. Still, it does aim to shift the burden of accommodating people with disabilities from the individual to society as a whole.
- On the other hand, in the medical model, disability results from a sickness, injury, or accident that impairs function. The model emphasizes avoiding or treating the problem.
- Disability in this context refers to a “wrong” that must be fixed to restore someone to “normalcy.”
MEDICAL MODEL | SOCIAL MODEL |
I need to be βfixedβ to fit into society Canβt go to the theater/cinema because they are deaf. Canβt go to a restaurant because they are blind. Canβt work because they cannot go upstairs. | Society needs to change, so I can fit in. Theaters and cinemas donβt provide closed captions. The restaurant hasnβt provided braille or electronic menu options. The building doesnβt have a lift or ramp. |
Removing Barriers in Society
- As per the social model of disability, five major categories of barriers affect people with disabilities. Removal of obstacles involves knowledge, cooperation, lobbying, and legal support.
- To guarantee that our society is as open and accessible as possible, everyone can contribute to educating themselves about these obstacles and discovering innovative ways to get around them.
DISABILITY BARRIERS
- There are five main categories of barriers that exist: Attitudinal barriers, Physical barriers, Systemic barriers, Communication barriers, and Technological and Digital barriers.
ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS
- When interacting with those with disabilities in any form, it is produced by those who only see disability. Bullying, prejudice, and fear are manifestations of these mental obstacles. Low expectations for people with impairments are one of these difficulties.
- All other barriers are influenced by these obstacles. In low- and middle-income nations, attitudes toward disabled individuals can be much harsher.
Examples:
- believing a person with a disability is less than others
- assuming a person with a speech disability won’t be able to comprehend you
- forming opinions about someone based on stereotypes or ignorance
- giving someone the impression that you are offering them a “special favor” by accommodating them.
- Moreover, stigma, prejudice, and discrimination are societal attitudes that may result from how people perceive disabilities.
- For example, people may view disabilities as a personal tragedy, a condition that needs to be treated or prevented, a penalty for wrongdoing, or a sign that a person has no social skills necessary to function in society.
ARCHITECTURAL OR PHYSICAL
- Physical or architectural obstacles are features of buildings or outdoor areas that are inaccessible to people with impairments.
- These obstacles involve how a building’s stairs or entryways are constructed, how the rooms are organized, or how wide the hallways and sidewalks are.
Examples:
- inaccessible sidewalks and doors for a wheelchair, scooter, or walker
- desks that are too high for someone in a wheelchair or other form of mobility aid
- poor lighting that makes it challenging for someone who lip-reads or has impaired vision to see
- door knobs that are challenging for someone with arthritis to grasp
ORGANIZATIONAL OR SYSTEMIC
- Policies, processes, or practices that unfairly discriminate against people and potentially hinder them from fully participating in a scenario are organizational or systemic obstacles. Unintentionally created organizational or systemic impediments are common.
Examples:
- They are denying eligible people with disabilities the chance to participate or gain from programs, services, or other benefits supported by government funds.
- They are putting up physical obstacles that prevent people with disabilities from accessing programs, services, benefits, or chances to participate.
- Denying eligible people with disabilities the reasonable accommodations they need to accomplish the essential tasks of the position they aim to be hired for.
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
- People with disabilities that affect their hearing, speaking, reading, writing, or comprehension are affected by communication difficulties. Every action we take involves communication. Communication is necessary to work, form relationships, and look for support.
- Someone shouldn’t be excluded from the conversation because they don’t communicate like you.
- Communication obstacles can often be easily overcome.
Examples
- Improperly formatted electronic documents that a screen reader cannot understand.
- Lectures that are disorganized and unclear.
- Lack of clarity in the language.
- Printed text that is overly small or written in a challenging font.
- Videos that are not transcribed or have captions.
TECHNOLOGICAL AND DIGITAL BARRIERS
- People with disabilities can benefit greatly from technology. Some of the hurdles in this list have been aided by it. People with disabilities can now access school, work from home, and increase communication and community connections because of technology.
- However, there are still several significant technological accessibility obstacles.
- There are technological obstacles when a gadget or technological platform cannot be utilized with an assistive device or is not usable by its intended audience.
- Although technology can improve user experience, it can sometimes unintentionally create hurdles for some users. Information and communication constraints are frequently linked to technology barriers.
Examples
- Electronic documents are inaccessible without accessibility features like alternative text (Alt Text), which screen readers interpret to describe a picture.
- Handouts or course materials that are only available in print
- Requiring college students to access a website that isn’t accessible.
- Screen-reading software cannot view websites for courses or learning management systems.
ISSUES
ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
- The disability rights movement has also placed a lot of emphasis on access to employment and education. Access to jobs and financial independence is made possible by adaptive technology, which allows people to perform tasks they previously could not.
- Access to the classroom has improved educational possibilities and independence for those with impairments.
FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION AND ABUSE
- The campaign for disability rights also prioritizes freedom from abuse, neglect, and rights breaches.
- Inappropriate seclusion and restraint; improper use of force by staff and providers; threats, harassment, and retaliation by staff or providers; failure to provide sufficient nutrition, clothing, and medical and mental health care; failure to provide a clean and safe living environment, and other problems that pose a severe risk to a person with a disability physical and psychological well-being are all examples of abuse and neglect.
- Inadequate constraints on the freedom to speak and associate with others, failure to get informed permission for treatment, failure to protect the privacy of medical information, and other rights restrictions are examples of violations of patients’ rights.
POLITICAL ISSUES
- Political rights, social inclusion, and citizenship are becoming more prominent in developed and some developing nations.
- Finding practical means to guarantee that disabled persons can participate in and contribute to society in all sectors of life has replaced the earlier worry about the alleged cost of keeping dependent impaired individuals.
- The estimated 650 million disabled persons live primarily in developing countries, where much work needs to be done to solve issues ranging from accessibility and education to self-empowerment, self-supporting jobs, and beyond.
Disability Rights Movement Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Disability Rights Movement across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about the Disability Rights Movement, which is known as an international social movement that works to ensure that all individuals with disabilities have access to equal opportunities and rights.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Disability Rights Movement Facts
- Pick Out a Letter
- Disability Rights Movement
- Better Society
- Where Do I Fit?
- Social vs. Medical Model
- βUglyβ
- Civil Rights
- Understanding Disability
- Breaking the Barriers
- Towards Inclusion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an essential goal of the disability rights movement?
The purpose of this movement was to abolish the disparaging mistreatment of those with disabilities. It aimed at empowering them to take control of their lives and influence social policies and practices, ultimately striving for full inclusion in society.
What was the impact of the disability rights movement?
After many years of advocating and lobbying, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in 1990 to guarantee that individuals living with disabilities would face no discrimination or barriers when seeking employment opportunities, as well as equal access to public accommodations.
What inspired the disability rights movement?
Brown v. Board of Education, a landmark civil rights law that deemed school segregation unconstitutional, set in motion the acknowledgment of individuals’ rights with disabilities.
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Link will appear as Disability Rights Movement Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 30, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
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