Peoplewithdisabilitiescomprisealargepartofthepopulation.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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