Peoplewithdisabilitiesacomprisealargepartofthepopulation.
Itisestimatedthatover35millionAmericanshavephysical,mental,orotherdisabilities.
Abouthalfofthesedisabilitiesare“developmental”,i.e.,theyoccurpriortotheindividual'stwenty-secondbirthday,oftenfromgeneticconditions,andaresevereenoughtoaffectthreeormoreareasofdevelopment,suchasmobility,communication,employment,etc.
Mostotherdisabilitiesareconsidered“adventitious”,i.e.,accidentalorcausedbyoutsideforces.
Priortothe20thcentury,onlyasmallpercentageofpeoplewithdisabilitiessurvivedforlong.
Medicaltreatmentforthesedisabilitieswasunavailable.
Advancementsinmedicineandsocialserviceshavecreatedaclimateinwhichpeoplewithdisabilitiescanexpecttohavesuchbasicneedsasfood,shelter,andmedicaltreatment.
Unfortunately,thesebasicsareoftennotavailable.
Civillibertiessuchastherighttovote,marry,getaneducation,andgainemploymenthavehistoricallybeendeniedonthebasisofdisability.
Inrecentdecades,thedisabilityrightsmovementhasbeenorganizedtofightagainsttheseinfringementsofcivilrights.
Congressrespondedbypassingmajorlegislationrecognizingpeoplewithdisabilitiesasaprotectedclassundercivilrightsstatutes.
Stilltoday,peoplewithdisabilitiesmustfighttolivetheirlivesindependently.
ItisestimatedthatmorethanhalfofqualifiedAmericanswithdisabilitiesareunemployed,andamajorityofthosewhodoworkareunderemployed.
Abouttwo-thirdsliveatorbelowtheofficialpovertylevel.
Significantbarriers,especiallyintransportationandpublicawareness,preventdisabledpeoplefromtakingpartinsociety.
Forexample,whilenolongerprohibitedbylawfrommarrying,apersonwithnoaccesstotransportationiseffectivelyexcludedfromcommunityandsocialactivitieswhichmightleadtothedevelopmentoflong-termrelationships.
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