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Equal Opportunity On Line Training Module 4: Disability Law & Access
Definition of Disability
Under the DDA, the definition of disability includes:
- total or partial loss of a person's bodily or internal functions;
- total or partial loss of a part of the body;
- the presence in the body of organisms causing (or capable of causing) disease or illness;
- the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the body;
- a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction;
- a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person's thought processes, perception or reality, emotions or judgement or that results in disturbed behaviour.
The DDA covers conditions that:
- presently exist; or
- previously existed but no longer exists; or
- may exist in the future; or
- is imputed to a person.
Disabilities Can Broadly Fall Into The Following Categories
| Physical |
Mobility impairments, cerebral palsy and paraplegia. |
| Psychiatric |
Depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, phobias, panic attacks. |
| Sensory |
Deafness, hearing impairment, blindness, vision impairments, loss of smell, touch sensation. |
| Learning |
A disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently is currently called a learning disability. The effects of a learning disability can include an inability to manipulate numbers, problems with spelling and grammar, or an inability to process written material. |
| Intellectual |
An impairment of a range of intellectual functions that generally manifest before the age of 18, demonstrate below average intelligence as reflected in an intelligence quotient (IQ) of about 70 or less and exhibit deficits in adaptive behaviour such as self care, social skills, and everyday living skills. Students who meet the inherent requirements of higher education courses would generally not fit into this category. |
| Medical |
Epilepsy, asthma, heart problems, chronic fatigue, allergies and so on. Medical conditions can be either short term, temporary, long term or permanent. |
Under the DDA an important distinction is made between impairment and disability. Impairment refers to a loss or abnormality of body structure or function while disability refers to the degree of difficulty a person experiences as a result of the impairment.
The level of disability experienced is very much related to the environment in which a person with an impairment finds themselves. For example, in a building with wheelchair accessible doors, toilets, counters etc. a person using a wheelchair would find they have very little disability. However with stairs, narrow doors and no accessible toilets, the disability may be so exacerbated as to totally prevent a wheelchair user from using the building.
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