Disability Frequently Asked Questions

A disability is a physical, mental, sensory or cognitive condition that affects how a person does certain activities or interacts with the world. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities — like walking, seeing, hearing, learning, thinking or working.

Disabilities can be present from birth or can begin at any point in life through illness, injury or aging. Some disabilities are visible, like using a wheelchair. Many are not, like chronic pain, hearing loss, mental health conditions or learning disabilities. A person may have one disability or several, and each person's experience is unique.

Very common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in four adults in the United States lives with a disability. That is more than 70 million people — making people with disabilities the largest minority group in the country.

Disability is also the one minority group anyone can join at any time. Most people will experience a disability at some point in their lives, whether temporary or permanent, especially as they age. That is one reason accessibility matters for everyone.

Person-first language puts the person before the disability: "a person with a disability" rather than "a disabled person." It emphasizes that a person is not defined by their disability. Disability Network Lakeshore uses person-first language in most of our communication.

Identity-first language puts the disability first: "a Deaf person" or "an autistic person." Many people — including many in the Deaf and autistic communities — prefer identity-first language because they see their disability as an important part of who they are, something to claim with pride rather than set aside.

Neither choice is wrong. The best practice is simple: when you are talking with someone, ask what they prefer, and use it.

The medical model views disability as a problem inside a person's body that needs to be treated, fixed or cured. In this view, the barrier is the person's condition.

The social model views disability differently. It says people are mainly disabled by barriers in society — stairs without ramps, videos without captions, hiring practices that screen people out — not by their bodies or minds. In this view, the solution is to remove barriers, not to "fix" people.

Centers for Independent Living like ours are built on the social model. When we make communities accessible and inclusive, everyone can participate, contribute and belong.

The Independent Living Philosophy says that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs and lives. It holds that people with disabilities have the right to make their own choices, take their own risks and direct their own lives — the same as anyone else.

Independent living does not mean doing everything alone. It means having the same control over your life that people without disabilities take for granted: choosing where you live, how you spend your time and who supports you. The philosophy grew out of the disability rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and it guides everything we do at Disability Network Lakeshore.

A Center for Independent Living (CIL) is a community organization run by and for people with disabilities. By law, a majority of a CIL's staff and board must be people with disabilities. That lived experience shapes every service we offer.

CILs provide five core services: information and referral, independent living skills training, peer support, advocacy, and support for people transitioning — for example, from a nursing home back into the community or from school into adult life. Disability Network Lakeshore is the Center for Independent Living serving Ottawa and Allegan counties in Michigan, and our individual services are always free.

Ableism is discrimination or prejudice against people with disabilities. It is the belief — spoken or unspoken — that people with disabilities are worth less than people without them.

Ableism can be obvious, like refusing to hire a qualified person because of a disability. It can also be subtle: talking to a person's companion instead of the person, assuming someone cannot make their own decisions, using a disability as an insult, or designing buildings, websites and events without thinking about access. Learning to notice ableism — including in our own habits — is the first step to ending it.

Accessibility means designing places, products, information and services so people with disabilities can use them. Ramps, elevators, accessible parking and automatic doors are physical examples. Captions on videos, screen-reader-friendly websites, large print, plain language and sign language interpreters are examples for communication.

Accessibility is not a favor — it is a right protected by laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act. And it helps everyone. Curb cuts made for wheelchairs also help parents with strollers, travelers with luggage and delivery workers. If your organization wants help improving accessibility, our ADA Concierge Services team can guide you.

A job accommodation is a change to a job or workplace that helps a person with a disability do their work. Examples include flexible schedules, screen readers, adjustable desks, quiet workspaces, written instructions or working from home.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers with 15 or more employees must provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so would cause serious difficulty or expense. Most accommodations cost little or nothing. If you want to learn more, watch our DNL Live episode on employee rights and responsibilities under the ADA, or contact our Advocacy team.

People with disabilities face gaps in many areas of life. They are employed at much lower rates than people without disabilities, even though most want to work and can work. They are more likely to live in poverty. They face barriers to housing, transportation, health care and education. And they experience higher rates of abuse and neglect.

These gaps are not caused by disability itself. They are caused by barriers, low expectations and discrimination — and they can be changed. That is why advocacy is one of our core services. When our community removes barriers, everyone benefits.

Disability pride means accepting and honoring disability as a natural part of human diversity — something to be proud of, not ashamed of or hidden. It pushes back against the idea that people with disabilities should feel embarrassed or should try to appear nondisabled.

Disability pride celebrates disability culture, history and community, including landmark victories like the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed in July 1990. Many communities celebrate Disability Pride Month each July. Pride does not mean pretending disability is always easy. It means saying: I belong, my life has value and I am not a problem to be fixed.

Start by listening. People with disabilities are the experts on their own lives, so follow their lead. Ask before helping — and respect the answer, even if it is "no thanks." Speak directly to the person, not to their companion or interpreter. Ask people which language they prefer, person-first or identity-first, and use it.

Then go further. Notice barriers in your workplace, school or community and speak up about them. Choose accessible venues for events. Add captions and image descriptions to what you post online. Include people with disabilities in decisions from the start — "nothing about us without us." And when you make a mistake, apologize, learn and keep going. Allyship is a practice, not a title.