What is the "Missing Link"?
In my experience the "missing link" of disability inclusion is the social component. This is entirely foreign territory for the majority of people, so it poses a unique challenge.
Social Inclusion and Disability
While physical accommodations have become mainstream and commonplace, social inclusion relating to disabilities remains largely undiscussed. Personal experience and thorough research has revealed that this is mainly due to the fear and ignorance that often accompanies the topic of disability. Many people fear offending those with disabilities, and often choose to ignore or avoid the topic. This in turn, increases discomfort for both parties, and allows the social stigma to persist
How Prevalent Is This Fear/ Uncomfortably?
According to a recent study conducted in the UK, as many as 67% of people feel uncomfortable when speaking to a person with a disability (Ryan et al., 2021). Similar experience has confirmed this fear to me in the United States.
What Exactly Do We Fear?
Fear is often the largest barrier opposing social inclusion in this situation. Fears often occur during countless social interactions, and can take a variety of forms. Including:
What should I say?
Should I offer to help?
What could I do to help?
How will this person react to my questions?
Would it be better to stay silent?
MANY more.
This list goes on as long as our minds will allow it. These fears are normal, but how can we absolve them?
How Do We Overcome this Fear?
In my experience, the best way to defeat this fear is to encourage these interactions in any environment. This is particularly applicable on a college campus. Ways to encourage interactions include creating opportunities for disability and general community engagement.
Outcomes :
In minimizing this fear, I hope to help create a socially-inclusive environment where questions are encouraged, and understanding outweighs fear and ignorance.