1. what has been your perception of disability. Please respond in 2-3 sentences

2.In 2-3 sentences, state whether or not you believe the ADA legislation is enough in current times. If not, what needs to be addressed?

3. Ableism Based on what you read, provide an example of how one of these topics translate into your world? What have you not noticed until now?

Ableism Defined

You are most likely familiar with terms such as racism and sexism. However, one term that is less known outside of the disability advocacy realm, is the term ableism. Ableism is discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities. It is the belief that people with disabilities are inferior to those without disabilities. This -ism is based on the medical model which implies that people with disabilities require fixing, and are, therefore, “less than.” People with disabilities encounter ableism on a daily basis on a variety of fronts. Examples include:

• Accessibility being considered an “option”
• Legislation that does not have disability in mind
• Noncompliance with disability rights laws
• Events being held at non-accessible venues
• Strangers feeling entitled to ask questions about one’s disability
• Segregation of people with disabilities in educational and living arrangements
• Low employment rates of people with disabilities
• Being presumed as non-sexual beings
• Being thought of as helpless or as a burden
• Being hailed as inspirational simply because of their disability