Perspectives on Disability

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

1. Personal autonomy is a fundamental principle that must be protected if each person is to freely develop, pursue and review his/her life plan on an ongoing basis.
2. Self-determination can be viewed as the outcome of autonomy.  Self-determination flourishes when people are in interdependent relationships that promote and support autonomy.
3. Practitioners, as facilitators of inclusion, individualize support for people with disabilities to ensure that each person’s interests, preferences and needs are recognized and met. Economic realities, environmental barriers, and societal attitudes that face many people with disabilities mean that practitioners must be creative problem solvers.
4. Quality of life is a multifaceted concept with various social and psychological indicators that can be measured in terms of both process and outcome.  The process most effective for achieving personal satisfaction regarding ones quality of life depends upon the nature and severity of a person’s disability.  The nature and severity of a persons disability, however, does not determine the level of ones quality of life.
5. Relationships are an integral aspect of everyone’s lives.  An expanded network of relationships includes relationships with a variety of professionals and other community resource people. Maximizing opportunities to involve others directly with the person being supported in positive ways is important to achieving quality of life.