Demystifying Disability: Can We Talk

1
Demystifying Disability Can We Talk?

• Keith W Drahn, Ph.D.
• Director of Disability Services
• Messiah College

2
Disability? So What?

• Worlds largest minority population
• Disability is the only minority group any one of
  us can join at any time
• Many able-bodied people are uncomfortable around
  a person with a visible disability
• Many people have invisible non-apparent
  disabilities
• People with disabilities are over-represented
  among those below federal poverty guidelines
• Unemployment rates remain at about 70
• Only 18 of people with disabilities obtain a
  college education

3
Disability and Poverty

• Lack of research and asset-building programs
  leaves many disabled persons in a financial and
  social limbo By Jessica Martin April 6, 2006
  -- The straightforward solution for many people
  living in poverty is building savings. For the 9
  million disabled Americans living in poverty, the
  answer isn't as simple.
• "The poverty rate among Americans with
  disabilities is nearly double that of persons
  without disabilities, and while there is a
  complex web of federal and state-based programs
  offering financial assistance to eligible persons
  with disabilities, policy rules often preclude
  the accumulation of assets, which are often key
  for exiting poverty," says Michelle Putnam,
  Ph.D., assistant professor of social work at
  Washington University in St. Louis.

4
Financial Aid and Disability

• Financial aid officers are not generally informed
  of a students disability
• Universities are prohibited from asking students
  to identify a disability in their application
  materials
• Awareness may come only during a face-to-face
  conversation with the student or parent
• Some will reveal a disability early others hide
  it
• Some private scholarships may be designated only
  for students with disabilities
• Perceptions of hostility or discrimination toward
  a student with a disability can result in civil
  action

5
Who is Disabled?

• Americans with Disabilities Act
• An individual with a disability is a person who
• has a physical or mental impairment that
  substantially limits one or more major life
  activities
• has a record of such an impairment or
• is regarded as having such an impairment.
• Discrimination occurs when a person with a
  disability is denied equal access or equal
  treatment on the basis of their disability when
  they are otherwise qualified
• Work closely with Office of Disability Ser vices
  to determine who is eligible as disabled.

6
Otherwise Qualified?

• A student with a disability must be able to meet
  the standards of the program with or without
  assistive technologies.
• If a student cannot meet the standards with or
  without the use of assistive technologies or
  accommodations, they may not be otherwise
  qualified cannot perform the essential functions
  of a job or required task
• Not generally a financial aid issue

7
ADA Amendments Act Expanded Definitions

• Major life activities include, but are not
  limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual
  tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping,
  walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking,
  breathing, learning, reading, concentrating,
  thinking, communicating, and working.
• Major Bodily Functions include, but are not
  limited to, functions of the immune system,
  normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder,
  neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory,
  endocrine, and reproductive functions.

8
Talking About Disability

• Language is dynamic
• Words change
• Words matter
• Acceptable terms today become pejorative tomorrow
• Idiot, Imbecile, Moron, Complete Idiot
• Mental Retardation
• Educable, trainable, severe-profound
• Retard
• Developmental disability
• Intellectual impairment

9
Negative Words

• abnormal
• burden
• crippled
• deformed
• handicapped
• incapacitated
• imbecile
• maimed
• moron

• palsied
• pathetic
• pitiful
• poor
• spastic
• stricken with
• suffer
• tragedy
• unfortunate

10
Disability-embedded language

• Negative Terms

• Okay to use

• Blind as a bat
• Deaf as a post
• Retard
• Wheelchair-bound
• Confined to a wheelchair
• Deaf and dumb
• Victim of condition
• Psycho
• Crippled vehicle

• I hear you
• I see what you mean
• I feel for you

11
Why it Matters

• Attitudes are the greatest barrier to achieving
  normalcy and acceptance
• Everyone has a right to be treated with dignity
  and respect
• Appearances can be misleading
• Physical disabilities do not equate to
  intellectual disabilities
• Adults with disabilities should not be treated as
  children
• Most people with disabilities have accepted their
  situation and do not suffer
• Always use people-first language

Dr Stephen Hawking
12
Use People First Language

• Replace the deaf or the blind with people who
  are deaf person/man/woman who is blind
• Replace mentally retarded with person with an
  intellectual disability
• Replace epileptic with she has epilepsy
• Avoid use of such terms as afflicted with,
  victim of, suffers from
• A person is NOT wheelchair-bound, nor confined to
  a wheelchair. Say she uses a wheelchair
• Offer a welcoming attitude and willingness to
  talk about disability secondary to a prospective
  students skills and abilities.
• DONT ASSUME CAPABILITIES BASED ON APPEARANCE!

13
What are the issues?

• 1. Eligibility for funds
• Full-time eligibility at less than 12 credits
• 24 credits/year hard to achieve for some students
  with severe disabilities
• Students need full access to libraries, food
  service, housing, health/counseling
• May need to adjust local funding to help
  compensate for ineligibility for federal
• Disability-specific scholarships
• High-maintenance conditions require costly
  supports financial aid formulas mean
  disability-specific scholarships are just used to
  replace other funds, not add to resources.

14
What are the issues?

• 2. New eligibility waivers for students with
  intellectual disabilities
• Inclusive movement is now extending to
  universities

15
What are the issues?

• 3. Recruiting and retention requires greater
  sensitivity to individuals
• A hostile or uncaring attitude can scare away
  qualified students
• It costs more to recruit a new student than to
  keep one you already have
• A reputation for being disability-friendly can
  attract 5-10 of your recruits
• What would a 5 increase in numbers do for your
  bottom line?

16
What are the issues?

• 4. Language matters
• Insensitive comments can be hurtful and drive
  qualified students away
• Positive, understanding comments can increase a
  students confidence in deciding to enroll
• Happy customers tell their friends and become
  recruiters for your institution unhappy
  customers tell them to look elsewhere

17
What are the issues?

• 5. Legal Issues
• Accessibility of services is important
• Denying someone a service because you think they
  have a disability is illegal under the ADA, even
  if the person does not have a disability.
• Perceptions are very important. They can lead to
  actions that are discriminatory

18
Changes are Coming Growth Areas

• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Aspergers Syndrome
• Non-Verbal Learning Disability
• Psychological Disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• OCD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Eating Disorders
• Tourette Syndrome

19
Growth Areas Intellectual Disabilities

• Financial Assistance for students with
  Intellectual Disabilities
• HEAOA added section 484(s) to the HEA to provide
  that a student with intellectual disabilities who
  enrolls in a comprehensive transition and
  postsecondary program is eligible to receive
  title IV, HEA program funds under the Federal
  Pell Grant, FSEOG and FWS programs

20
Intellectual Disabilities

• What is a comprehensive transition and
  postsecondary program?
• Offered by an IHE
• Designed to support students with ID seeking to
  continue academic, career and technical, and
  independent living instruction to prepare for
  gainful employment
• Includes an advising and curriculum structure
• Participants not less than half-time
• Enrolled in credit-bearing courses
• Auditing in inclusive settings w/o credit
• Enroll in inclusive non-credit-bearing,
  non-degree courses
• Internships/work-based training in inclusive
  settings
• Student activities, government, clubs, social
  events, sports
• Satisfactory progress as determined by the
  university

21
Intellectual Disabilities, continued

• Under the newly added provision, the student
  does not have to be a high school graduate (or
  have obtained a GED, or have passed an ability-to
  benefit test) and does not have to be enrolled in
  a program that leads to a degree or certificate

22
Implications

• Expect to see
• more transition programs developed cooperatively
  between public high schools and local colleges
  and universities.
• Part-time, dual enrollments in HS and university
• Unique curricula for some, adapted integrated
  curricula for others.
• New regulations assure institutions do not
  jeopardize title IV funds by admitting students
  with intellectual disabilities into nono-degree
  or non-certificate programs.

23
Military Veterans

• Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome
• Orthopedic Impairments
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Deaf or hard-of-hearing
• Blind or low-vision
• Disfigurement
• Chronic and Acute Depression

24
Resources

• Do-It (University of Washington)
• http//www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics
  /financial-aid.html
• Federal Resources on Disability
  http//www.disability.gov/education/financial_aid
  
• Incight Go Getter Scholarship Incight
  971-244-0305 http//www.incight.org/scholarship_
  links.php
• Messiah College Office of Disability Services
• http//www.messiah.edu/offices/disability/financia
  l_aid.html

25
Financial Resources for Some

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Plan for
  Achieving Self Support (PASS)
• State Vocational Rehabilitation Services

26
Now you Know!

• Any Questions?