Understanding Accessibility and Disability in Society
Exploring the concept of accessibility and disability, this content delves into the human aspect of inclusion, ability privilege, and the definitions of disability across different regions. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and accommodating diverse abilities in society to foster inclusivity and understanding.
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Click to edit Master title style Annual Interagency Accessibility Forum Unlocking the Power of Accessibility Click to edit Subtitle October 11-13, 2022 The Human Reason for Accessibility: Why? (Part 1) Andrew Nielsen, GSA and Angie Fuoco, EPA
The Human Reason for Accessibility: Part 1 - Why? Part 1 - share and discuss: Terms and concepts Ability Privilege, Disability, Ableism and its Microaggressions Ableism in the work setting Accessibility Part 2 - share and discuss: Link with diversity, equity, inclusion, safety, workplace wellness, plain language Accessibility benefits, how to be accessible, make better muffins and bring joy! IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 2
Ability Privilege and a Gratefulness Moment Privilege of our amazing abilities as humans. Some of us - more. Some of us - fewer. All of us have the 4 L s. Life - ability to live and breathe on our own - today Language(s) - signed, spoken, combination - great people connector Learn - technical things and new ways of acting/responding/kindness Love - people, pets, planet and everything we get to do on it IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 3
Defining Disability U.S.A. - physical or mental impairment, that substantially limits 1 or more major life activities; record or history of impairment, even if person does not currently have it; being regarded as (perceived as) having such impairment. - ADA & Rehabilitation Act Brazil - long-term impairment of a physical, mental, intellectual or sensory nature, which, in interaction with 1 or more barriers, may hinder a person s full and effective participation in society on equal terms with other people. - Brazilian Law on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities World Health Organization (WHO) - lack of full ability limiting an activity, communication or participation, based on interactions with others, socially- accepted/cultural norms or the environment. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 4
Describing Disability 10,000+ conditions, every one of them on its own spectrum. Aging brings on more. Permanent, temporary, or situational / may require care for short time or a lifetime. 80% of disabilities happen in the working years (ages 18-64). Disability often accompanied by trauma (people go through five stages of grief). No one is prepared for it. If your employer is not prepared, it causes you chaos. 70% of disabilities are invisible. Disability - can be communications or brain processing differences from most Deaf (world) - proud identity (not disability) as Deaf + a direct and expressive visual language. Hearing loss - disabling change from hearing person to a deafened person in hearing world. Neurodiversity - difference in brain function and behavioral traits, natural variations in humans (autism, dyslexia, others). Pride/identity - many people with autism proudly identify as Autistic. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 5
How Many People Have a Disability? WHO - More than 1 billion (multiple countries data) CDC - 26%, answering six questions in 2016 phone survey seeing, hearing, cognitive function, doing errands, mobility, self-care biases present: admission bias, knowledge bias, representation bias . . . HHS/SAMHSA - 20% of adults diagnosed with mental illness in 2018. CDC s national populational health survey using testing data - 20% of adults 12+ have hearing loss at disabling or pre-disabling levels (Johns Hopkins University, 11/14/2011). Emerging = Long Covid + pandemic-related mental health disabilities + ? WHO - no answer. Microsoft - worldwide initiative to get it by 2026. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 6
Disability - How we think and talk about it (in general) Medical Model - person is disabled by abnormalities in their brain or body Their responsibility to fit in or be fixed - to fit in able-bodied environment. Social Model - Let's Raise the Roof - A Social Model of Disability - YouTube Government or society s responsibility to fit the environment we build to all. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 7
Ableism Discrimination against people with disabilities or varying abilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKczvFQGsFM Type in Chat What does Ableism mean to you? Is Ableism the same or different than other forms of discrimination? If different, how? IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 8
Ableism - Unique ism and Equation Other -isms : DTotal= DInterpersonal+ DInstitution or society DInterpersonal - internal bias and beliefs against group discriminated against, is expressed between individuals DInstitution or society - institutions and society itself (comprising many institutions, systems, and structures) use unfair policies/practices, give discriminatory treatment, create inequitable opportunities. (where D = the Discrimination) ATotal= AInterpersonal+ AInstitution or Society + AFunction in Unwelcome Setting/Situation Reasons for A FUSS Health and functioning of an individual is involved, along a time spectrum of disability Noncompliance/chaos - systems don t work / services and stuff not provided / people IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 9
Ableisms Aggressions - Individual + Institution/Society ATotal= AIndividual (Internal)+ AInstitution or Society (Systemic) AIndividual (Microaggressions)- 1-on-1, cumulative, hurtful words/gestures - wear on the soul Mobility disabilities: Been dancing lately? (in mock-tone) - You walk funny, did you have your hip replaced? Visible disabilities: What s wrong with you? - I wouldn t want to live like you. Child running from disfigurement Hearing loss: You heard that, why not this? - Just read my lips! (Pointing / not making sound.) Hope by A. Fuoco Mental Health / Neurodiversity: cards / other products mock; folks refer to how I m acting today Any: Child-speak! - Person goes into teaching-mode - Wait, let me get someone else. - Have you tried: (fix)? AInstitution/Society (Macroaggressions)- noncompliance with law or not using best practices Emergencies, Healthcare, Prisons, Education, Housing, Transportation, Telecommunications, Internet Police kill and injure Deaf / HoH people of all ages, genders, races who do not respond to them. Wheelchair users / others die, become ill, lose life-sustaining devices while traveling. CAN: human rights Gene editing to erase disabilities, especially those that cause suffering (Qatar Foundation, Dr. Victor Pineda) IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 10
Ableisms Aggressions - Inaccessibility of the setting (work) AFUSS (microaggressions of noncompliance and chaos) bring chaos to workday at any random time, repeatedly cause surprise, embarrassment, humiliation, anger, fear, dread end up in non-solutions for you - file EEOC complaints or retire are biggest reason people with disabilities leave their workplace https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/21/congress-people-with-disabilities-00052955 Congress ordered agencies to use tech that works for people with disabilities 24 years ago. Many still haven t. I m an attorney. I have a master s degree in government and nonprofit management. I ve raised children. But I can t get a damn sandwich by myself in my agency. POLITICO / August 21, 2022 - Ronza Othman, wearing hijab, speaks at mic / podium. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 11
Microaggressions from any federal agency (feel them) You are excited to roll onstage to receive an award from the agency administrator, but a stage lift doesn t work at the last minute. An awkward situation happens in front of your peers, and you are embarrassed. You use a mobility device and are afraid you ll be left behind in a real situation. Why? You were left alone in the building during a drill two years ago. Post-Covid, fewer people are in the building. You feel unsafe. Human resources forms are inaccessible to you. When you ask HR for help, they say it s not their job. The agency phone system changed. You found out from peers emails that your captioned phone doesn t work with the new system. Peers consider you to be non-responsive and report you to your supervisor. The training center doesn t have door openers you need so you wait on a colleague or security guard to open a heavy restroom door. You skip out on training to avoid the indignity and toileting mishaps. You ask good questions in meetings and get laughed at. Others ask the same ones, but you don t hear them. After becoming a laughingstock, you learn about installed, unadvertised assistive listening. For almost two decades, you can t report time & attendance on your own. Disgusted, you retire asap. Your agency s training is noncompliant and inaccessible to you. Instead of giving support, your supervisor expresses disappointment in you that you didn t comply with the agency s training deadlines. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 12
Hope for Ableism How do we address Ableism? Interpersonal, Institution/Society, How do we make less of AFUSS? Accessibility - more than making ICT (information, communication, technology) usable and easy for all. E.O. 14035 Accessibility June 25, 2021 - (paraphrase of 92-word, two-sentence definition) making all our stuff work for everyone, including those with disabilities; providing accommodations; and reducing physical and attitudinal barriers to opportunities in internal and external activities and in our digital spaces. EPA Definition: Employees and those served by EPA can access EPA s services, programs, products, spaces without physical or attitudinal barriers or having inequitable workloads or emotional toll. IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 13
Next Up - Part 2 Your Definition of Accessibility using an equation in 6 or fewer plain language words by what it does (as a verb) as a drawing or picture get creative! We ll take up your definitions and continue our quest for joy. Time remaining - discussion and questions IAAF 2022 / General Services Administration / National Institutes of Health / Federal CIO Council 14
