Disabilities

Introduction:

Around 15% of the global population – over a billion people – lives with some form of disability,
of whom 2–4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. Many of these people require
assistive technologies such as low-vision devices, wheelchairs or hearing aids. This number is
expected to double to 2 billion by 2050.

Women are more likely to experience disability than men and older people more than young.
Low- and middle-income countries have higher rates of disability than high-income countries,
and the impact of disability on people in poorer areas is compounded by issues of accessibility
and lack of health care services. Indigenous persons internally displaced or stateless persons,
refugees, migrants and prisoners with disability also face particular challenges in accessing
services.

In recent years, the understanding of disability has moved away from a physical or medical
perspective to one that takes into account a person’s physical, social and political context.
Today, disability is understood to arise from the interaction between a person’s health condition
or impairment and the multitude of influencing factors in their environment. Great strides have
been made to make the world more accessible for people living with disability; however, much
more work is required to meet their needs.

What is disability?

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) defines disability as:

 total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions

 total or partial loss of a part of the body
 the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness
 the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body
 a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person
without the disorder or malfunction
  a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of
reality, emotions or judgment, or that results in disturbed behavior;

and includes disability that:

 presently exists
 previously existed but no longer exists
 may exist in the future
 is imputed to a person (meaning it is thought or implied that the person has disability but
does not).

There are many different kinds of disability and they can result from accidents, illness or genetic
disorders. A disability may affect mobility, ability to learn things, or ability to communicate easily,
and some people may have more than one. A disability may be visible or hidden, may be
permanent or temporary and may have minimal or substantial impact on a person’s abilities.

Although some people are born with disability, many people acquire disability. For example, a
person may acquire a disability through a workplace incident or car accident, or may develop a
disability as they age. There is a strong relationship between age and disability; as people grow
older, there is a greater tendency to develop conditions which cause disability, as identified in
the table below.

Who are people with disability?

Disability is part of human diversity. . People with disability purchase consumer goods, have
jobs, go on holidays, access information and contribute to society in the same way that people
without disability do. The only difference is that often people with disability come up against
significant barriers while trying to do the things that many of us take for granted.

Different types of disabilities

You may come across many disabilities in your work life. Some examples of common disabilities
you may find are:

 vision Impairment
 deaf or hard of hearing
 mental health conditions
  intellectual disability
 acquired brain injury
 autism spectrum disorder
 physical disability.

If your staff member's disability is not clear to you, ask how it effects their work and if they need
adjustments so they can work to the best of their ability.

DO NOT ask the person how they got the disability

Vision impairment
Vision impairment refers to people who are blind or who have partial vision.

When talking with a person who is blind or has a vision impairment:

 always identify yourself and any others with you

 ask if the person requires assistance, and listen for specific instructions, however be
prepared for your offer to be refused .

If guiding a person, let them take your arm, rather than taking theirs. Describe any changes in
the environment such as steps, obstacles, etc.

If the person has a guide dog, please remember the dog is working and should not be patted,
fed or distracted.

Tips

 Ensure front of office staff are briefed and prepared on how to greet and assist people
with vision impairment.
 Allow more time and greater flexibility for training and induction.
 Be aware that glare and poor lighting may exacerbate vision impairment.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing

Hearing impairments can range from mild to profound. People who are hard of hearing may use
a range of strategies and equipment including speech, lip-reading, writing notes, hearing aids
or sign language interpreters.

When talking to a person who is deaf or hard of hearing:

 look and speak directly to them, not just to the people accompanying them, including
interpreters
 speak clearly and use a normal tone of voice unless otherwise instructed by the person
with the hearing impairment
 if you don't understand what a person is saying, ask them to repeat or rephrase, or
alternatively offer them a pen and paper.

Tips

 Ensure front of office staff are briefed and prepared on how to greet and assist people
who are deaf or hard of hearing.
 Allow more time and greater flexibility for training and induction.
 Consider workspace location - allowing the employee to see people entering the room
and situate the workstation in an area where there is minimal background noise.

People with mental health conditions

Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses that affect the mind or brain. These
illnesses, which include bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, anxiety and personality
disorders, affect the way a person thinks, feels and acts.

A person with a mental health condition may experience difficulty concentrating, which can
sometimes be a result of medication. Try to avoid overly stressful situations wherever possible
so that their condition is not exacerbated.

Tips

 Provide clear and thorough explanations and instructions, in writing if required.

 Ask the person how they would like to receive information.
 Allow more time and greater flexibility for training and induction.

Further information: Mental health in the workplace

People with intellectual disability
A person with an intellectual disability may have significant limitations in the skills needed to
live and work in the community, including difficulties with communication, self-care, social skills,
safety and self-direction.

The most important thing to remember is to treat each person as an individual:

 a person with an intellectual disability is just like everyone else - treat them as you
would like to be treated
 be considerate of the extra time it might take for a person with an intellectual disability
to do or say something
 be patient and give your undivided attention, especially with someone who speaks
slowly or with great effort.

Tips

 Allow more time and greater flexibility for training and induction.
 Keep the pressure of any given situation to a minimum as stress can affect a person's
concentration and performance.
 Keep instructions simple and in bite-size pieces use demonstration and increase
complexity as progress is made.
 Be aware that a person with intellectual disability may be less aware of social cues
and may have less developed social skills.
 Give verbal and written instructions or try giving examples to illustrate ideas and
summarise ideas often.

People with acquired brain injury (ABI)

Acquired brain injury (ABI) refers to any type of brain damage that occurs after birth. The injury
may occur because of infection, disease, lack of oxygen or a trauma to the head. Around
160,000 Australians have some form of acquired brain injury, with more men affected than
women.

The long term effects are different for each person and can range from mild to profound. It is
common for many people with ABI to experience:

 increased fatigue (mental and physical)

 some slowing down in the speed with which they process information, plan and solve
problems
 changes to their behaviour and personality, physical and sensory abilities, or thinking
and learning
 may also have difficulty in areas such as memory, concentration and communication.
A person with an Acquired Brain Injury does not have an intellectual disability and does not
have a mental illness

Tips

 Allow more time and greater flexibility for training and induction.
 Provide clear and thorough explanations and instructions.
 Minimise stress to maximise concentration and performance.
 Give verbal and written instructions or try giving examples to illustrate ideas and
summarise ideas.

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism is an umbrella description which includes Autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome and
atypical autism. Autism affects the way information is taken in and stored in the brain. People
with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social
interactions and other activities. Impairments usually exist across three main areas of
functioning:

 social interaction
 communication, and
 behaviour (restricted interests and repetitive behaviours).

Many people with an autism spectrum disorder also have sensory sensitivities, i.e. over or under
sensitivity to sight, touch, taste, smell, sound, temperature or pain.

Some characteristics of Asperger's syndrome

Those with Asperger's syndrome are typically of average or above average intelligence, and
can show a wide range of behaviours and social skills. People with Asperger's syndrome may
display some of the following characteristics:

 difficulty in forming friendships

 ability to talk well, either too much or too little, but difficulty with communication
 inability to understand that communication involves listening as well as talking
 a very literal understanding of what has been said. For example, when asked to 'get
lost', as in go away, a person with Asperger's syndrome will be confused and may
literally try to 'get lost'
 inability to understand the rules of social behaviour, the feelings of others and to 'read'
body language. For example, a person with Asperger's syndrome may not know that
someone is showing that they are cross when frowning
 sensitivity to criticism
 a narrow field of interests. For example a person with Asperger's syndrome may focus
on learning all there is to know about cars, trains or computers
 eccentricity.
Tips

 Establish routines and predictable environments.

 Inform people with autism what is about to happen before it occurs.

People with physical disability

The common characteristic in physical disability is that some aspect of a person's physical
functioning, usually either their mobility, dexterity, or stamina, is affected. People with physical
disability are usually experts in their own needs, and will understand the impact of their disability.

There are many different kinds of disability and a wide variety of situations people experience.
The disability may be permanent or temporary. It may exist from birth or be acquired later in life.
People with the same disability are as likely as anyone else to have different abilities.

Tips

 Always ask before offering assistance.

 Be at the same level when talking with the person.
 Never assume that a person with physical disability also has intellectual disability.
 Ask permission before touching a person's wheelchair or mobility aid.