At least 1 out of 4 of American adults have a disability, the Centers for Disease Control estimates. A disability can be seen by others as a character flaw. It can be seen as a reason to infantilize someone. Or it might make someone invisible altogether. People can make assumptions about people with disabilities and about what they can or can't do. Attitudinal barriers make it much easier for other barriers to persist, which is why it is important to rectify incorrect beliefs about disabled people and what they need.
Physical barriers limit the movement of individuals who use a wheelchair or other mobility supports. This could look like a building only accessible via stairs, a polling place with doors too narrow for a wheelchair to fit, or medical equipment that only can be used by a person who can walk or stand.
Askia "Ski" Adams, an assistant researcher at the Kansas Center on Developmental Disabilities, explained the challenges he faced as a person who is disabled.
In , he traveled by train from Kansas City, Mo. He said the hardest part about his trip was gaining access to the restroom on the train. Even when accommodations do exist, people may create physical barriers without thinking about it. A homeowner may allow shrubbery to become overgrown and block the path of a sidewalk. Plush carpeting installed in a theater may look nice but make it difficult for a guest who uses a wheelchair. Or an entrance ramp may be left covered in snow or ice in the winter, making it difficult to use.
Several federal laws and regulations require accessibility for individuals with disabilities, but if these policies are not known or not enforced, they can create a barrier. A guide to accessibility laws is available from the U.
