Coalition of Persons with Disabilities

Awareness

The Coalition of Person with Disabilities advocates for persons with any disability.

The World Health Organization defines Disability as follows:

"Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.”

Disabilities include those such as:

• Intellectual Disabilities
• Mental Health
• Persons with Non-visible Disabilities
• Physical Disabilities
• Sensory Disabilities

Everyone is different. This means that accommodations and supports are often need to be personal. COD-NL promotes the elimination of barriers for all disabilities. Awareness on disability is not about an individual becoming aware of his/her impairment. It is a collective identity among the community.

RESPECT-ing People with Disabilities

RESPECT

• Respect
• Engage,
• Supports
• Promotes
• Environment
• Communications
• Total Inclusion

The 5 A’s: Current Barriers Facing People with Disabilities:

• Attitude
• Accessibility
• Availability
• Awareness
• Affordability

Not all crosswalks and intersections have auditory signs for persons with a visual disability.

Not all television shows and movies provide close captioning for persons with a auditory disability.

Not all buildings are wheelchair accessible.

Social stigmas for persons with disabilities still exist.

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
~ Scott Hamilton

I choose not to place "DIS", in my ability.
~ Robert M. Hensel

We, the ones who are challenged, need to be heard. To be seen not as a disability, but as a person who has, and will continue to bloom. To be seen not only as a handicap, but as a well intact human being.
~ Robert M. Hensel

Limitations only go so far.
~Robert M. Hensel

Placing one foot in front of the other, I've climbed to higher lengths. Reaching beyond my own limitations, to show my inner strength. No obstacle too hard, for this warrior to overcome. I'm just a man on a mission, to prove my disability hasn't won.
~ Robert M. Hensel

“The message I'll share... is that inclusion is extremely important for kids with and without disabilities.”
~ Clay Aiken

“New information and communications technologies can improve the quality of
life for people with disabilities, but only if such technologies are designed from the beginning so that everyone can use them. Given the explosive growth in the use of the World Wide Web for publishing, electronic commerce, lifelong learning and the delivery of government services, it is vital that the Web be accessible to everyone.”
~ Bill Clinton

“If you're an underdog, mentally disabled, physically disabled, if you don't fit in, if you're not as pretty as the others, you can still be a hero.”
~ Steve Guttenberg