Originally published here.
A disability is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participationrestrictions. Impairment is a problem in body function or structure; and an activity limitation is adifficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participationrestriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Disabilityis thus not just a health problem. It is a complex phenomenon, reflecting the interaction between features of a person‟s body and features of the society in which he or she lives. (WHO) Disability may effect on organs or body parts and can also effect a person's participation in reas of life.
Correspondingly, three dimensions of disability are recognized in ICF (InternationalClassification of Functioning, Disability and Health): body structure and function (andimpairment thereof), activity (and activity restrictions) and participation (and participationrestrictions). Types of disabilities include various physical and mental impairments that canhamper or reduce a person's ability to carry out his day to day activities. Few disabilities areautism, hearing loss and deafness, intellectual disability, learning disability, vision loss and blindness, etc.The number of people with disabilities in India is substantial and it is likely to grow (WorldBank, 2007).
According to the 2001 Census of India, 21.9 million people were reported to have adisability. Of these, persons with a visual disability (48.6%) were the largest group; those with ahearing impairment (5.8%) were the smallest group (Rao, 2008). Other disabling conditions, e.g.,speech (7.49%), mobility (27.87%), and intellectual disabilities (10.33%) were also prevalent.A disability can be either permanent (for example, a hearing or mobility impairment) ortemporary (for example, a treatable illness or temporary impairment that is the result of anaccident).
A disability can also be visible (for example, a wheelchair or white cane indicates the person has a disability) or invisible (for example, a mental illness).People with disabilities may just have the skills and competencies one requires within theirorganization yet they are often under-employed. It is important to consider how the organizationcan tap this potential source of employees.
Inclusive cultures demonstrate organizational practices and goals in which those having different backgrounds are welcomed and treated equally in the organization.Andbuilding inclusion foremployees with disabilities means all employees including those with disability should be able to participate in, and contribute to, the progress and success of an organization. It also means thatthey are not discriminated and are seen beyond their disability.Disability is a state of mind. When someone looks at a person with disability, sympathetic behavior is shown towards them as to what will they do in life or how can they be at anyworkplace. But people like SudhaChandran (A 50 yrs old classical dancer who met with anaccident at the age of 16 and had to amputate her feet. She overcame her disability by getting a prosthetic “Jaipur Foot” and became one of the most popular and acclaimed classical dancers of the country.), Shekar Naik (a T20 Blind Cricket World Champion who has 32 centuries to hisname), etc have turned their disability into opportunity.
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