disABILITY Advocate ProgramA Program of Services for Students with Disabilities at the University of Texas at Austin

Mission

The disABILITY Advocate program promotes understanding and awareness about disabilities in order to create a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities at the University of Texas at Austin.

Advocate

•Verb: to support or recommend publicly;

plead for or speak in favor of•n 1. a person who upholds or defends a

cause; supporter•2. a person who intercedes on behalf of

another

What is a Disability?• Merriam-Webster Dictionary

• Disability:• 1 a : the condition of being

disabled• b : inability to pursue an

occupation because of a physical or mental impairment;

• 2: lack of legal qualification to do something

• 3 : a disqualification, restriction, or disadvantage

World Health OrganizationDisability: Any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.

Americans with Disabilities ActAn individual with a disability is defined

by the ADA:• as a person who has a physical or

mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,

• a person who has a history or record of such an impairment,

• or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

“Not So Uncommon”

“You can become disabled from your mother’s poor nutrition or from falling off your polo pony.

And, since disability catches up with most of us in old age, it is a minority that we all, if we live long enough, join.”

(Joseph Shapiro, No Pity)

Disabilities All Around You

•1 in 5 Americans has a disability (US Census, 2001)

•The majority of disabilities are invisible

•A disability is only one aspect of a person

•You have more in common with someone with a disability than you have differences

Disability Models

•Biomedical/Rehabilitation Model▫Disability viewed as a problem to be fixed▫Society has no responsibility to accommodate

•Environmental/Social Model▫Disability caused/increased by environment▫Society/Culture creates limitations

•Minority/Human Variation Model▫Disability viewed as difference without

judgment value▫Society accommodates differences

Medical Disabilities Mobility Disabilities

• Can affect concentration, energy level, and physical function

• May fluctuate/change over time

• Cystic fibrosis • Diabetes• Multiple sclerosis• Cancer • Epilepsy• Chronic Migraines• Narcolepsy• Crohn’s Disease

• May use assistive device which is considered part of personal space

• Can be progressive/stable

• Muscular Dystrophy• Spinal Cord Injuries• Cerebral Palsy• Spina Bifida• Neurological Conditions• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Psychological Disabilities Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Stigma associated with psychological disabilities is often greater than physical disability

• Majority of psychological/mood disorders first appear in late adolescence or early adulthood• Depression• Generalized Anxiety and

Panic Disorder• BiPolar Disorder• Obsessive Compulsive

Disorder (OCD)• Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder (PTSD)• Schizophrenia• Eating Disorder• Adjustment Disorder

• A continuum of symptoms and specific diagnoses that are identified by impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others

• People with ASD diagnoses are often incredibly bright but may be seen as “a bit odd” 

▫ Asperger’s Syndrome▫ Autism▫ Pervasive Developmental

Disorder (PDD)

• “Autism is not a processing error, it’s just a different operating system."

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Learning Disabilities

• People with ADHD are often easily distracted and unable to focus and concentrate for sustained periods of time

• Not all people with ADHD are hyperactive

▫ Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder:

Hyperactive Type Inattentive Type Combined Type

• A Learning Disability does not mean a person has a low IQ

A Learning Disability is diagnosed by looking at the discrepancy between a person’s IQ and his/her achievement scores

▫ Reading Disorder/Dyslexia▫ Written Expression

Disorder/Dysgraphia▫ Mathematics Disorder▫ Learning Disability Not

Otherwise Specified (NOS)

Blind and Visual Impairments Deaf and Hard of Hearing

• Visual disabilities are not always obvious

• The person may move about without assistance and read printed texts

▫ Blind▫ Low Vision▫ Visually Impaired▫ Visual Processing

Disorder▫ A Person who is

blind/visually impaired

• Find out individual’s preferred mode of communication ▫ interpreter, writing on

paper, reading lips• Communication method

may change depending on the environment

one-on -one vs. group

▫ Hard of hearing: partial hearing loss

▫ Deaf: severe to profound hearing loss and rely on visual modes of communication, may identify with Deaf Culture

Disability Statistics at UTAs of Spring 2011

there were 1687 students with a

disability registered SSD

This is only a fraction of the

number of students,

faculty, and staff on campus with a disability

Disability Statistics at UT

Language Awareness Be aware of the words and

phrases you use that may have negative connotations relating to disability:

What’s wrong with you?

She must be off her meds

You’re psycho

That’s so ADHD

You need to see a therapist

That was retarded

• Terms such as “impaired” define someone by a characteristic that is lacking

• Most people are not offended by using phrases that focus on ability - “run to the store,” “jump on that idea,” “Great to see you,” “Have you heard?

Language reflects AttitudePreferred Terms Outdated Terms

• Person First Language mentions the person before the disability: ▫ A person with a disability▫ A woman with epilepsy▫ Living with lupus▫ Stroke survivor▫ Uses a wheelchair▫ Accessible

parking/seating▫ Able-bodied/without a

disability▫ Accommodations

• Emphasizes the disability first/Sees disability as tragic:

▫ Disabled person▫ An epileptic woman▫ Suffering from lupus▫ Stroke victim▫ Wheelchair

bound/confined to a wheelchair

▫ Handicap parking/seating▫ Normal▫ Special accommodations

Disability As Identity Marker• Cultural/Minority Model

▫ Disability is not always viewed as something to be “fixed”▫ No need to be “sorry” for someone’s disability

• Pride in Identity▫Deaf People prefer Deaf instead of Hearing Impaired▫Cochlear implants viewed as a threat to Deaf culture

• Disability as an aspect of diversity▫ Services for Students with Disabilities brought into the

Division of Diversity and Community Engagement• Disability Studies is an emerging field of study

▫Focus on history, art, research, laws

What Does Disability Look Like?

Assume Competence, Not Disability

•Disability does not always mean inability!

•People with disabilities can travel, play sports, have families, and pursue education and a career

disABILITY Advocate in ActionA student discloses to you

that they are struggling in classes because of a disability.

• A co-worker reveals they are dealing with a newly diagnosed disability

• How could you respond?▫ Be supportive and empathetic▫ Don’t be “sorry” about the

disability▫ Respect privacy-don’t ask for

details about the disability or disclose information to other people

• What referrals could you make?▫ Services for Students with

Disabilities▫ Counseling and Mental Health

Center▫ University Health Services▫ ADA Coordinator-Linda

Millstone▫ Employee Assistance Program▫ Ombuds Office

disABILITY Advocate in Action• A student with a “D”

permit parks and appears to walk without difficulty into the nearest building. As the student passes you, you hear someone comment (loudly enough for the student to hear)“I can’t believe that some people are lazy and rude enough to use a handicapped parking space when they obviously don’t need it.”

Legislation Regarding Disability• Section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• "No otherwise qualified person with a [disability] in the United States shall, solely by reason of a [disability], be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.“

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

• Include proper access to electronic and information technology.  This requires agencies that develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology to ensure that the materials are accessible.

Americans with Disabilities Act• Signed in 1990, most

recent changes took effect in 2011

• Recognized people with disabilities as an oppressed group

• Designed to protect people with disabilities from discrimination

• Requires public places to become accessible

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has five titles:

• Title I - Employment (all Title II employers and private employers with 15 or more employees)

• Title II - Public Services (state and local government including public school districts and public transportation)

• Title III - Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities

• Title IV – Telecommunications• Title V - Miscellaneous

Provisions

Barriers for People with Disabilities•Physical Barriers:

▫ lack of ramps/elevators, visual/auditory/tactile signage, captioning

•Instructional Barriers: ▫Inaccessible course packets and materials,

timed tests, iClickers

•Attitudinal Barriers: ▫discrimination, disbelief, prejudices,

stereotypes

Reducing Barriers is Everyone’s Responsibility

•Housing and Food Services•Information Technology Services•Facilities Services•Parking and Transportation Services•ADA Coordinator•Services for Students with Disabilities•Departments, Advisors, Professors•You

disABILITY Advocate in Action• You are planning a

program/class/special event on campus.

• What are some things to take into consideration to ensure the event is accessible to people with varying abilities?

• Physical barriers▫ Accessible space-room &

seating, Language access• Instructional barriers

▫ Advertisements, Powerpoint/visual aids, handouts

• Attitudinal barriers▫ No mention/offer of

accommodations, unwilling to be flexible or adapt to meet different needs

• If you need assistance or accommodations, for this event please contact

The Bigger Picture• People at UT are

students, faculty, and staff…who may have a disability

• Assume competence and ability when working with people with disabilities

• Be aware of barriers and challenges facing people with disabilities

• Work to create inclusive programming, instruction and environments for people of varying abilities

Ready. Willing. ABLE.

•As a disABILITY Advocate I will strive to: Promote inclusion Acknowledge and promote appropriate

language use Accept and accommodate different needs and

abilities See the person first, not the disability Recognize that disability comes in many forms

Thank you for participating in SSD’s disABILITY Advocate Program! With your

help we can create a more welcoming, understanding, and inclusive environment

for people with disabilities at the University of Texas at Austin

For more information about the disABILITY Advocate Program or SSD’s services please call 512-471-6259 or visit us at http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/index.php