Creating an inclusive environment

Creating an accessible environment and independent functioning is a process through which adequate professional and / or peer support services, resources, technology and personal assistance must be made available to all persons with impairments/disabilities and their families on an equal basis with others.  This will enable all stakeholders to make better choices, accept responsibility and be empowered to compete on an equal footing with others.

The White Paper is clear regarding the diverse needs and inclusion of persons with a physical, neurological, intellectual, psychosocial and sensory impairments. It promotes an inclusive approach in line with the Social Model for Addressing Disability.

It is therefore, for example, important that all persons with a sensory impairment hearing must adopt the principles of the social model. This means that persons who are Deaf, deaf, Hard of Hearing or hearing impaired must respect and acknowledge each other’s rights to equal access to information, choice,  freedom of association, to seek assistance for the barriers they experience, to acknowledge the diversity amongst themselves and to refer to themselves by their preferred term.

There are bigger battles to fight than quibbling, for example, over  a term like “hearing impaired”. Eradicating the term “hearing impaired” won’t gain us equal access to healthcare,  employment, service providers (banks, shops, whatever), better education, captions on TV, SL interpreters, lips speakers, etc. and, last but not least, respect for the diversity between everyone. Disrespect isn’t going to solve any of these practical issues. Let everyone label their own hearing loss how they wish. It’s up to them. It’s their body, their deafness/hearing loss/impairment/disability, etc.

Please note: The concept of impairment is an integral part of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, SA Legislation, Policy, Codes and Guidelines on Disability as well as the Social Model for addressing disability.