Being treated differently, bullying and prejudice are all fears young people with and without disabilities face. Whether we like to admit it or not, people who look or act differently are normally treated differently, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.
In 2017, The National Disability Authority (NDA) commissioned Behaviour and Attitudes to conduct a national survey on public attitudes to disability in Ireland in 2017. The survey was conducted using quota sampling and face-to-face interviews during January and February 2017, with almost three in four of 1,294 participants knowing somebody with a disability.
The survey covered a wide range of topics relating to disability from awareness to attitudes towards different types of disability and attitudes/opportunities in education, employment, relationships and the social wellbeing of people with and without disabilities.
Only 36% of those surveyed believed that people with disabilities were treated fairly in Irish Society, whilst 46% believed people with disabilities can participate fully in life. Further analysis found that the levels of agreement that people with disabilities could participate fully in life was higher among young people and people living in urban areas.
In the same survey, almost two in five people believed that people with disabilities receive equal opportunities in terms of education. 49% believed children with mental health difficulties and 75% believed children with physical difficulties should be in the same schools as those without disabilities.
In some severe cases of mental disability, it may not be possible for students to remain in the same classes as those without disabilities, but they should be accommodated for and not excluded from the education system on the basis of their disability.
Students with disabilities add diversity to the classroom. If abled students can be integrated with those with disabilities at a young age, then as they grow older they will know how to treat people with disabilities the same as anyone else.
When students with disabilities are placed in confined special education classrooms there is no room for growth. The potential for bullying and stigmatization rises. To develop as a ‘normal’ citizen, people with disabilities need to be integrated with the rest of society at a young age to develop those essential social skills, which will be needed to survive later in life.
A report by the World Policy Analysis Centre at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health investigated the global response to disability. The analysis confirmed that mainstreaming of students improves learning outcomes for children with disabilities however only 43% of countries integrated children with disabilities into the same classrooms.
Employment is another area where young people with disabilities face discrimination. According to CSO statistics, the employment rate of those with a disability was 29% in 2016, an increase on previous years.
The lack of or poor quality of wheelchair access in most public places makes it near impossible for those with physical disabilities to partake in normal activities such as shopping.
CSO stated that disabled people are more at risk of suffering the negative impacts that are commonly associated with unemployment such as, reduced financial stability, stress and lower levels of mental and physical health. This makes it harder for people who are already struggling to survive.
The foundations upon which discrimination can exist in the workplace are not just limited to those with disabilities. CSO statistics show that over 50% of people in the workplace experienced discrimination. For anyone, discrimination can deeply can affect self-confidence and ultimately affects their quality of life.
Discrimination against marginalised members of society will always be a thing unless we educate new generations to fight against this presumption of superiority.
Nobody likes to be excluded from a group. To be excluded from a social group can bring feelings of loneliness and sadness which are hard for anyone to deal with.
People who have some form of disability don’t deserve or want to be treated differently. Next time you speak to a disabled person, look beyond their disability, they are just like everyone else but with extra difficulties.