This series of 3 episodes was created in an effort to drive a change in attitudes toward disability in Australia by sharing real stories of people with disability told by people with disability. The stories highlight the challenges for people with disability including experiences of marginalisation and discrimination and the unique perspectives people with disability bring to their chosen field or industry.
How should non-disabled people who care about the wellbeing of people with disabilities respond to blatant ableism when they see it?
Disability culture is large, diverse, and exciting. It’s also hard to get a handle on.
“It’s no longer a question of whether it’s necessary, but how to achieve the best impact,” Gorriti says. “Firms who embrace inclusivity with people-centric cultures and accessible spaces will become future employers of choice and outperform others by attracting the best talent.”
I’ve often felt that I am friends with people who disagree with my identity. But I don’t have the luxury of cutting off everyone who has offended me. If I were to cancel every person who made an ableist, sexist, Islamophobic, or racist comment pleading ignorance, I would be truly isolated.
you wake up in the morning and wonder how much it costs a taxpayer so you can get out of bed and ready for the morning? I know I do. The last few weeks have not been kind to those with disabilities because we are being turned into commodities, and our dignity is being left behind.
“The bottom line is that there are many individuals who prefer person-first language, and many others who choose to use identity-first language — and this is fine,” Dr Mellifont said. “If someone freely chooses to use person-first language or identity-first language, that’s their right to do so.”
I’d bought into the myth I wasn’t “really” disabled and the belief that referring to myself as such — despite the very real, debilitating challenges I navigate each day — was in some way an insult to people who were more visibly disabled.
However, these barriers could be avoided if government policies and services were changed to provide the supports and services that would allow people with disability to be equal members of an accessible society.
Born with limb difference, like most disabled people, I have experienced stares and unkind comments my whole life. To avoid unwanted attention, I’ve tried to hide my disability.
The European Space Agency on Wednesday named the first ever “parastronaut” in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space.
School is a crucial place to think about friendships for kids with disabilities because, as research confirms, it’s a space where all kids learn to make and maintain friendships. Some studies imply that schooling plays an even more important social role for students with a disability than for typically developing kids – with non-disabled students modelling appropriate behaviours.
“Engaging people who are disabled or who are heavily experienced in disability means you’re going to get the best outcome in terms of being accessible. It’s the knowledge, experience, and the type of thinking that you can’t really get from someone who doesn’t have that lived experience.”
The Disability Inclusion Profile and surrounding process is designed to helps schools and families identify the strengths, functional needs, and educational adjustments schools can make to assist students with disability and additional learning needs. The profile is part of a broader package to strengthen inclusive education across the school system including the expectation that schools must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability, regardless of the availability of additional funding.
Today, Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott AO launched a new job site designed to connect people with disability to inclusive employers. Called The Field, the website has been designed and led by people with disability and aims to remove accessibility barriers present in other jobseeking sites.