disability fact file
Learning Disabilities
Learning disability is quite a wide subject, but all types of
learning disabilities have similar effects on those who have a learning disability
(not least, the prejudice we have to endure from people who mistakenly think
they are clever enough to look down on us). Types of learning disability include:
- difficulties in learning academic subjects (eg Downs Syndrome)
- spelling or number / letter ordering disabilities, notably dyslexia
- slowed or stunted emotional growth, leading to a lower mental age
- disabilities related to communication or relating to people, such as autism
- difficulties in learning tasks requiring co-ordination, notably ataxia
How are learning-disabled people handicapped by Capitalism ?
- Discrimination in employment against people with learning
disabilities is not only rife, it is considered "legitimate" as
many employers ask for academic qualifications which have little relevence
to the jobs done
- Documentation such as official forms, equipment manuals, etc are often written
in language which is difficult to understand the meaning of
- Many items now need you to remember or read a number to use them, such as
bank cards or credit cards (PIN numbers), computer software (ID codes or serial
numbers)
- Strings of numbers such as telephone numbers are getting increasingly long
and difficult to remember, due to changes in the telephone industry (due largely
to competition between different private companies)
- People with a low mental age are adversely affected by the (often artificial)
division between kids' and adults' entertainment and leisure. In a few cases
this is purely cost / profit related (eg the age or weight limits on bouncy-castles
or swimming pool inflatables), but in most cases it is - ironically - because
of capitalist society's
interest in the oppression of kids. In recent years, the moral panic about
paedophiles has aggravated the tendency to have separate facilities for kids
and adults.
- As manufacturing industries have been decimated over the past few decades,
a large number of jobs are now in service industries (such as shops, restaurants
and marketing) which require communication with customers - so people with
disabilities such as autism are in an increasingly difficult position when
seeking employment
How can helping people with learning disabilities also help
us all ?
- Printing forms and manuals in accessible language could help us all understand
how to use equipment more easily, and save us a lot of time and effort
- The obsession with academic qualifications has led to Britain's kids being
the most tested in Europe, especially with the advent of SATs tests and school
league tables. A move away from this obsession with exam results would not
just reduce the stress level on kids, it would also free school time for creative
subjects.
- Replacing PIN numbers on bank cards with something like finger-print scanning
would increase security, and make muggings less likely.
- Removing the divisions between kids' and adults' entertainment would allow
younger kids to enjoy themselves with their older brothers and sisters, or
even with their parents.
- The loss of jobs in manufacturing industries has decimated many villages,
and any action to stop and reverse this decline would be welcome. This is
especially the case when you realize that many of the jobs created in the
service sector are low paid and horribly exploitative, such as working in
fast food restaurants. A few of the jobs which require the greatest ability
to communicate with the public, such as salespeople, serve no useful purpose
to society and are considered an annoyance by many.
Links
Back to Disability Fact Files