Families and Disabilities
Disability was often considered a curse or a punishment from God. Disabled people were marginalized in the community, and others were forced to stay indoors as a means of hiding the shame. Today, the world has made huge steps towards ensuring that the disabled people live a normal life. Many of the disabled have risen beyond their disability to become prominent people in the society. Examples of some successful people with a disability include Hellen Keller, Stephen Hawking, and Christy Brown.
In my view, having a disability is having a different enablement altogether. Every individual with a disability has a level of uniqueness in the life that the normal person does not have. For instance, Nick Vujicic who was born without limbs possesses the unique ability to motivate people, and this has opened him up to the whole world. Today, Nick stands as one of the most celebrated motivational speakers in the entire world. His life remains to be an inspiration to millions of people who have limbs.
Families that have people with disability should be supported not only by the community but also by the government. Some disabled require special treatment either occasionally or regularly, and this may be costly (Mahanay-Castro 23). Others need facilities such as wheelchairs and walking canes for their loved ones with regular maintenance. I feel that more should be done for the families that have people with disability. Communities, for instance, should include such people in their programs (Mahanay-Castro 16). There should also be an awareness campaign against stigmatization for the disabled as well as their families. The common citizen should be taught how to be sensitive to needs of people with disabilities. For instance, one could give way to a person pushing a wheelchair along the street or hallway. Building owners should include facilities to cater to the needs of such people like elevators and ramps. Those who use elevators could allow the person with a disability to go first and wait a little more for the next chance.
As a future teacher and administrator, I intend to use my knowledge to encourage my students, especially the ones with disabilities. I intend to treat them as normal people and encourage other students to support, encourage, and interact freely with such students. People with a disability do not like to be treated differently from others. I will, therefore, ensure that they are treated equally as the other students for them to have the feeling of belonging. Some of the people with disability require special facilities. As a school administrator, I will ensure that there are special accommodative walkways for wheelchairs. I will also ensure that there are specially designed bathrooms for them as well as adaptive seats for their comfort (Mahanay-Castro 57). Evidently, some schools and families do to offer an inclusive environment for students with special needs. I intend to start a program that will raise awareness in other schools and communities about the issue.
In conclusion, having a disability does not make any person lesser. Every person has an equal right to live regardless of the state. The local community, schools, and families should offer an inclusive environment for people with disabilities. Since students living with special needs are also human, each one of them should be treated kindly and be accommodated to participate in the normal activities around them.
Work Cited
Mahanay-Castro, Christy. Building Transitional Programs for Students with Disabilities: How to Navigate the Course of Their Lives. NY: R & L Education, 2010.