Disabilities

Do you have a handicap or do you know anyone with a handicap?

What are some handicaps that people have?
Have you ever parked in the handicapped parking area?
How are handicapped people treated in your country?
What do you feel when you see a handicapped person?
What can you do to help handicapped people?
Does your country have special training facilities for handicapped people?
What are some types of disabilities?
How would you feel to find out your best friend was _______? (going blind, going
deaf, losing their legs, etc)
How would you feel to find out you were _______? (going blind, going deaf, losing
their legs, etc)
Do disabled people have anything of value to add to society?
Would you let your child marry a person with a different skin color?
Would you let your child marry a person with a different religion?
Do you have any prejudices?
Would you adopt a child from a different culture?
Why do we treat people differently?
Should it be illegal to publish racial information?
Are women better or worse managers than men?
Is discriminating against a certain group of people ever justified? (e.g. pedophiles)
Do you stereotype people?
Does stereotyping help you in some way?
Why do you think people stereotype?
How are various nationalities stereotyped?
Physical Disability
A physical disability may happen to any person at any time. It can be temporary or
permanent, fluctuating, stable or degenerative and may affect parts of the body or the
whole of it.
There are three main groups of impairment:
A congenital disability that occurs during pregnancy or at the birth e.g. Downs
Syndrome,Cerebral Palsy;
An inherited condition which has been passed on by a parent to the child e.g.
Haemophilia, muscular dystrophy;
Impairments that are acquired during life e.g. accidents (road traffic accidents),
Polio, meningitis, physical abuse;
Sometimes a disability may be hidden, for example in the cases of epilepsy, diabetes or
haemophilia.
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities
for example household tasks, socialising or managing money which affects someone for
their whole life. People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need
support to develop new skills, understand complex information and interact with other
people.

Realize that disability is universal. The idea that most people are normal and a few are
disabled is a flawed one. Think about the friends or family members you know with
disabilities; perhaps they have arthritis or other physical limitations and are unable to walk up
stairs. Perhaps they have a hearing problem, or are on a special diet due to diabetes, or have a
visual impairment and wear glasses. Disability of one kind or another is something that we all
experience personally in life, sooner or later. Thus we will all have times when we need a
little help and understanding.
Dont use labels or offensive terms. Labels and derogatory names are rarely, if ever,
appropriate and should be avoided in conversation with someone who has a disability.
Referring to them as a disability (the deaf girl) or calling them a name that is offensive (deaf
and dumb), is incredibly hurtful and disrespectful. Always be careful of the things you say,
censoring your language if necessary. Avoid names like moron, retard, cripple, midget, and
the like at all times, and especially around someone who is disabled. Be careful not to
identify them by their disability instead of their name or role.
Be respectful, above all else. Just because someone is disabled does not mean they should be
treated with any less respect than anyone else. View others as people, not impairments. Focus
on the person at hand, and their individual personality.

If you use a common phrase like I gotta run! to someone in a wheelchair, dont
apologize. These types of phrases are not intended to be hurtful, and by apologizing
youll simply be drawing attention to your awareness of their disability.[1]
If you introduce someone with a disability, you dont need to introduce the disability
as well.

Do you find these jokes funny or sad?

Whoever persuaded blind people they need to wear sunglasses must have been one
hell of a salesman.
After a year of being really ill and having multiple hospital trips the doctor finally
gave me some good news. Im going to have a disease named after me.
I accidentally crashed my car into the back of a midget earlier today. He said Im not
happy!, so I said well which one are you then?
Whats the fastest thing in the sea? - Stevie Wonders Ferrari.
Why cant dyslexics smell gas? - Because they are poor smellers and often cant even
smell their own name.
Why do anorexics love KFC? Because it comes with a bucket.