According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (U.S. Department of Justice 1999), a person with a disability has significant impairment in a major life function. Such impairments could be mental, physical, or both. Different causes, such as chronic diseases, development disorders, and injuries, results in a wide range of disabilities. In America, as of 2015, there is an overall rate of 12.6% disabled citizens in the U.S. population, estimated by the American Community Survey (ACS) (annual report). Of that 12.6%, as of 2015, over half (51.1%) were individuals in the working age, between 18 to 64. 41% of individuals were 65 and older, while 7.2% made up children and youth. Only 0.4% of individuals were 5 years or younger, as of 2015 (annual report). These statistics demonstrate the national average of documented disabled Americans, and is an excellent chart to keep the information …show more content…
Ableism is the “discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities”, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary and is felt by the entire disabled minority, This can include, but is not limited to; stigmas, feeling disadvantaged in the workforce, being treated differently in public, being overlooked by institutions, or the feeling of having specific needs blatantly ignored. Castaneda, Carmelita, Larissa E. Hopkins, and Madeline L. Peters. "Ableism." Readings for Diversity and Social Justice. London: Routledge, 2010.