Disability awareness training for disability professionals.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes work at the Virginia School of the Deaf and Blind in Hampton, Virginia, USA. Disability sensitivity training in businesses and government organizations has become a more important activity in the United States since the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) of 1992 was published. That act of the US Congress required organizations to hire and make reasonable accommodations for the disabled.


OBJECTIVE
Lack of sensitivity or awareness of the plight of the disabled in business and government continues to be a distinct problem requiring attitude changes and training, but this problem can become acute even for professionals in organizations dedicated to the care and education of the disabled.


CONCLUSIONS
Professionals tend to become inured to the hardships of others and lose sight of the need for both verbal and non-verbal sensitivity in the workplace.
Peterson
P A
PA
The Virginia School of the Deaf and the Blind, Hampton 23661, USA. pollypeterson@compuserve.com
Quarstein
V A
VA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D001766:Blindness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000193:education*; D014768:Virginia