Responses to Threads on Disability

Response to Thread One

Interacting and serving people with a disability starts with understanding that they are people and part of the community and need to be treated equally as people without a disability. People with a disability do not need the same assistance since they have different needs, for instance, a person in a wheelchair may have the ability to stand and walk for a short distance. The use of appropriate language while interacting with individuals with a disability is a key issue since it shapes ones relationships with them. When offering help to them you should not assume anything and if you dont know how to help, that person should be the first resource to consult on how to offer your help to him. Appreciate what they can do, offer your assistance carefully and respect their right to indicate what help they need or reject to your help.

Response to Thread Two

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which contains 2010 standards have set requirements for making swimming pools accessible to people with disabilities. These requirements ensure that individuals with disabilities enjoy activities such as swimming lessons, community swim at the same places with ease as everyone else. Program accessibility which applies to all swimming programs does not require that each pool is made accessible but steps should be taken to ensure that swimming program is made available in a public entity that has only one existing swimming pool. A public entity chooses the methods to use in order to meet the obligations for the program accessibility for instance if structural changes are to be made to existing pools the changes have to comply with the 2010 standards. Federal Law (1990) states that barriers should be removed and steps of ensuring accessibility of program to people with disability are put in place.

Response to Thread Three

Service animals are dogs trained to perform tasks or to do work for individuals who have disabilities. The work done by such animals are directly related to the individuals disabilities and they include alerting deaf individuals the presence of people, providing protection and pulling a wheelchair. ADA regulations do not provide for such service animals to be trained professionally or undergo any professional training program for those people with disabilities can assume the responsibilities of training the animals. According to ADA regulations, dogs whose main task is to offer emotional support and comfort do not qualify to be service animals. Such animals can accompany individuals with disabilities to all places where the public are allowed to go for instance in a hospital it will be inappropriate to exclude the animal from accessing patients rooms or examinations rooms.

References

Act, D. (2008). Americans with disabilities act. Title VI of the Civil Rights.

Duncan, S. L., & Allen, K. (2006). Service animals and their roles in enhancing independence, quality of life, and employment for people with disabilities. In Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy (Second Edition) (pp. 303-323).

Fine, M., & Asch, A. (1988). Disability beyond stigma: Social interaction, discrimination, and activism. Journal of social issues, 44(1), 3-21.