Webster defines the word disability "to be incapacitated physically or mentally," and if you look up the word, incapacitated Webster defines it to mean, "too make incapable." Does this mean that disabled people are incapable of all things? It has to be true Webster has defined it as so that because a person is disabled, they are powerless or incompetent. In the search of a better definition, I conducted an interview with disabled individuals their names were changed to protect their privacy.

My interview began with Randy, a board member of the Adult Development Center "ADC", a program designed to teach disabled adults how to be an integral part of society. Randy is a medium build man in his forties a soft spoken man but very matter a fact person. If he wasn't wearing a special fitted boot, you wouldn't have guessed he was disabled. Randy's disabilities happened after the complications of diabetes. He said, "I was a mechanical engineer before all of this." Randy told me proudly, he became a client of ADC nearly 7 years ago "we provide a service for local manufacturing businesses, without us; they couldn't finish their products."

Only after becoming disabled himself, Randy notice how people react to disabled people "be maybe they believed if they got to close something bad might happen to them; It's just pure ignorance really." I ask him what he thought about Webster's definition of the word "disability." He considered it a moment and said, "that must have been written way back when the disabled were hidden away in hospitals and forgotten about; disabled people have proved that they can do much more than what Webster has defined."

He said, "Everyone in someway has a disability it's what you do to challenge yourself that you become self reliant." Take for instance Brandon, Randy said, pointing out a lanky tall man, a man with the mentally of a nine year old. Randy explained, that Brandon has been with ADC since they began operation, "the guy shows up everyday so eager to work." work that he receives a very modest pay to do, although he may not realize it being a part of society.

While there are some disable people who cannot do for themselves but is this a reason to discredit all disabled people as being incapacitated or incapable. The disabled have many programs available to them such as the Adult Development Center that is designed to develop and ameliorate skills to disabled. It has taught them to be self efficient to become a part of society. An important part of their rehabilitation is to have people treat them with respect and dignity not recognized as powerless or unskilled individuals due to their disability. The biggest disability is people who truly believe Webster's definition of the disabled not seeing the whole picture or possibly not willing to acknowledge what may be different to them.

Apart from all the wonderful disabled people, I was fortunate to meet at ADC we as a society very fortunate to have many accomplished disabled people such as Ray Charles who have entertained us with his songs and Katherine Schneider who has been blind since birth has inspired many with her words. Even for the disabled who may never achieve this kind of success, they have brought someone joy and happiness in their lives. I have concluded that perhaps Webster needs to refine the definition of disability.

Learn more about this author, Suzanne Mathews.
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