DISABILITY JUSTICE
WHAT IS ABELISM?
WHAT IS ABELISM?
"Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability. Like racism and sexism, ableism classifies entire groups of people as ‘less than,’ and includes harmful stereotypes, misconceptions, and generalizations of people with disabilities." WEBSITE: Access Living
"The medical model of disability differences should be ‘fixed’ or changed by medical and other treatments, even when the impairment or difference does not cause pain or illness. The medical model looks at what is ‘wrong’ with the person and not what the person needs. It creates low expectations and leads to people losing independence, choice, and control in their own lives".
WEBSITE: Access Living
"The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society is organized, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference. It looks at ways of removing barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people. When barriers are removed, disabled people can be independent and equal in society, with choice and control over their own lives".
WEBSITE: Access Living
DISABLISM IS AN ISM!
"We all need to partner to changing attitudes towards disabled persons. Barriers are not just physical. Attitudes found in society, based on prejudice or stereotype (also called disablism), also disable people from having equal opportunities to be part of society".
WEBSITE: Access Living
RESPECTIVE INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
"Person first language emphasizes the person before the disability, for example, “person who is blind” or “people with spinal cord injuries.” Identity first language puts the disability first in the description, e.g., “disabled” or “autistic." Person first or identity first language is equally appropriate depending on personal preference. When in doubt, ask the person which they prefer.
It is important to note that while person first language is often used in more formal writing, many people with disabilities, particularly younger people, are choosing to use identity-first language. How a person chooses to self-identify is up to them, and they should not be corrected or admonished if they choose not to use person-first language." WEBSITE: ASKEARN.ORG
READ MORE: Person First vs. Identity First
DISABILITY JUSTICE: INTERSECTIONAL ABELISM
Disability justice is a social justice movement which focuses on examining disability and ableism as they relate to other forms of oppression and identity such as race, class and gender.
INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: CREATING AN ACCESSBILITY PATH
ABELISM IN THE CLASSROOM
"A key element to creating a classroom free of ableism is reimagining the concept of inclusivity. But with so many students with individualized learning programs, sometimes it can be difficult to create a learning environment that is as inclusive as you’d like it to be. In this video we hear from Special Education teacher Jeremy Ault about the ways in which educators can approach ableism by formatting your instruction, and shifting both your and your student’s mindsets." PBS Wisconson Education
ALLEN GOLDSTIEN
“What the typical students get is that we’re all people first, that we all want the same thing which is work and love," Allan Goldstein said. There’s no message more important than this for Allan Goldstein, a senior lecturer at NYU. “We’re breaking down barriers," he said.
He invites people with disabilities from ADAPT Community Network into the classroom to work closely with students on digital video projects. “At the beginning of this I considered myself a pretty good ally of people with disabilities but I’ll be honest I would look at Felix on the first day of class and I would just see the chair," Jackie Hanna, an NYU student, explained.
INTERVIEW: ART'S ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION
Tom di Maria, Emeritus Executive Director
Creative Growth Art Center
ARAT, Arts Accessibility Advocate, Dr. Reji Mathew interviews Tom di Maria
an internationally recognized advocate for arts accessibility
(close captions available on video, image description of Creative Growth Artist's work linked in description box)