Unit I - Understanding the disability (Notes)

Meaning of disability:

disability ->  A condition (as one present at birth or caused by injury) that damages or limits a person's abilities :  the state of being disabled.

disability -> A physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities: children with severe physical disabilities.

disability -> has been used either as a synonym for “inability” or as a reference to legally imposed limitations on rights and powers.

What is a disability?

­  A disability may be generally defined as a condition which may restrict a person's mental, sensory, or mobility functions to undertake or perform a task

­  Disabilities affect people in different ways. Many people associate the 'disabled' with someone who is in a wheelchair, or who is blind or deaf. They have the attitude that people with a disability are totally different and therefore need to be treated differently. Unfortunately, this kind of stereotyping is in itself a form of discrimination.

­  People with a disability come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours, sex and cultures - just as we all do. The only thing that separates a person with a disability is that, for one reason or another, they are unable to do certain things in the same way as the mainstream of society. They may require some form of adaptation or alteration to assist them to overcome the effect of their disability.  A person's disability is always specific to that person.

­  A Disability is generally a condition either caused by accident, trauma, genetics or disease, which may restrict a person's mental processes, senses or mobility.

Definition of disability:

* Disability is defined as a physical, mental or psychological condition that limits a person activities. people can either be born with disability or they can acquire it.

* Disability is the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, intellectual, mental, sensory, developmental, or some combination of these that results in restrictions on an individual's ability to participate in what is considered "normal" in their everyday society. A disability may be present from birth or occur during a person's lifetime.