A New Perspective on Disability
More than 500 million people in the world today live with the challenges of being perceived as "disabled." In Canada, that equates to 3.6 million persons, and is rising with the demographics of our aging population. In fact, it has been predicted that fully 40 percent of North Americans will have a disability of one sort or another by the year 2024.
Society's response to addressing the presence and issues of disability has been to develop a vast array of models and programs, premised largely on 
"needs of the disabled", and historical notions of illness, charity, institution, rehabilitation and legal rights. However, despite all the good intentions of these efforts, the vast majority of persons living with the perception of being seen as "disabled" continue to live demoralized, in poverty, and below an acceptable quality of life because of the barriers preventing them from living their lives to the fullest potential. In reality, they are forced to continue with the same struggle as their predecessors to achieve recognition, parity and equality. And when it comes right down to it, they often find themselves barely able to move beyond continued debates over disability awareness and accessibility.