Common Disability Barriers
Is your building accessible to people using wheelchairs?
Is your program or service designed with people affected by disabilities in mind?
Is your organization’s culture open and welcoming?
Is your communication clear and easy to understand for people with different abilities?
Barriers
We can get so used to a word that we often use it without thinking about what it really means. Barrier is one of those words. Webster defines a barrier as “something material that blocks or is intended to block passage” or” something immaterial that impedes or separates.” Another definition from the Cambridge Dictionary points out that a barrier is “anything that prevents people from being together or understanding each other.”
Based on the above definitions of the word barrier, we see that a barrier can be many things. It can be visible like a fence that marks the boundaries between two properties or an ocean that separates two continents. A barrier can also be invisible such as people’s attitudes or a society’s culture. Moreover, a barrier may exist naturally, like a river, or unnaturally when people close their doors. In addition, a barrier can happen unintentionally when you accidentally block the entryway and can also occur with the intention to deny access.
Before we talk about the common barriers the disability community experiences daily, we need to look at the words access and accessibility. In a nutshell, access means the ability, liberty, or permission to enter or approach. It can be entering an office, approaching a person, obtaining a product, receiving a service, or joining an activity. Accessibility thus indicates the quality of being approachable, reachable, and obtainable. Therefore, when barriers exist, it means something or someone is not accessible. The access is blocked, and it lacks accessibility.
Regarding disability, many existing barriers hinder people with disabilities from equal access to products, services, information, places, or opportunities. These barriers also exclude many individuals affected by disabilities from full participation in all areas of life. This article will look at five main types of barriers. In the next post, we will examine what we can do to remove these barriers. The goal is to make our society accessible to everyone and allow everyone equal access to opportunities and full participation in daily life.
Barriers to full participation
Physical Barrier
Physical or architectural barriers are elements or conditions in the structural environment or outdoor space that impede or prevent people with disabilities from easy access and navigation. Your building is often people’s first impression of your business or organization. A carefully designed physical space strengthens the message you want to convey. Buildings and facilities designed with disability accessibility convey the message that you value and welcome people with disabilities.
Examples of physical or architectural barriers include:
- There is no handicapped parking.
- There is no ramp leading to the building.
- Entry or walkways are too narrow for wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility aids.
- There is no Braille signage in the building.
- Door knobs are too difficult to turn for people with arthritis.
- Poor lighting makes it difficult to see for people with impaired or low vision or who lip-read.
Attitudinal Barrier
Attitudinal barriers are prejudice, false perceptions, or wrong assumptions that discriminate against people with disabilities. Though often subtle and covert, attitudinal barriers hurt the most and are the most difficult to overcome.
Examples of attitudinal barriers:
- Judging people with disabilities by their impairments rather than valuing them for who they are.
- Treating people with disabilities as charity cases.
- Ignoring people with disabilities or not considering them worthy of your time.
- Patronizing people with disabilities and their families.
Systemic Barrier
Systemic or organizational barriers are policies, procedures, protocols, or practices that place excessive burdens on people with disabilities. These barriers limit disabled individuals’ access to or prevent their full participation in certain activities or programs.
Examples of systemic barriers include:
- The healthcare system fails to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
- Workplaces not offering reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.
- Classroom settings are inflexible and do not meet the different learning needs of students with disabilities.
- Lack of access to accessible transportation for people who cannot drive due to their disabilities.
Communication Barrier
Communication or information barriers involve both giving and receiving information. These barriers affect people with impairments in hearing, seeing, speaking, writing, and understanding. The medium through which information is presented or transmitted may be inaccessible to individuals with disabilities in these areas.
Examples of communication barriers include:
- Verbiage is unclear or too complex for people with cognitive disabilities.
- Videos do not have captioning or transcriptions.
- Print is too small or uses a font that is hard to read.
- There is no sign language interpreter for speaking events.
Technology Barrier
Technology or digital barriers occur when software, digital devices, or technological platforms cannot be used alongside assistive devices. These barriers are often related to disseminating information.
Examples of technology barriers include:
- Self-service kiosks that lack accessibility features.
- Documents only being available in hard copies.
- Electronic documents that are not recognizable by screen readers.
The Impact of Disability
Disability impacts all of us!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 61 million (one in 4) adults in the United States have some type of disability that affects major life activities. The fact is, each of us will experience disabilities sooner or later in our lives.
With or without disabilities, we all face challenges and experience difficulties in our lives. With or without disabilities, we are all part of society with unique gifts and skills to contribute. Our society is incomplete if we ignore the barriers that exclude the disabled community and their unique contributions. Everyone is responsible for raising disability awareness, removing existing barriers, and making our society more accessible and inclusive.