Miller, Kathleen S., Ed.; and Others TITLE Participation of People with Disabilities: an International Perspective
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 234 526 EC 160 089 AUTHOR Miller, Kathleen S., Ed.; And Others TITLE Participation of People with Disabilities: An International Perspective. Selected Papers from the 1980 World Congress of Rehabilitation International (Winnipeg, Canada, June 22-27, 1980). INSTITUTION Michigan State Univ., East Lansing. Univ. Center for International Rehabilitation.; Rehabilitation International, New York, N.Y. SPONS AGENCY National Inst: of Handicapped Research (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 81 GRANT 0008005487 NOTE 160p. AVAILABLE FROMPublications, University Center for International Rehabilitation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 ;$4.50). PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) -- Viewpoints (120) Collected Works Conference Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Accessibility (for Disabled); Access to Education; *Activism; *Advocacy; Agency Role; Daily Living Skills; *Disabilities; Foreign Countries; Information Needs; International Educational Exchange; Intervention; Lobbying; Organizational Objectives; *Organizations (Groups); Personal Autonomy; *Political Issues; Program Development; Rehabilitation; Social Action_ IDENTIFIERS Canada; *Consumers; England; Finland; France; Ireland; Sweden; United States; West Germany ABSTRACT Selected papers from the 1980 World Congress of Rehabilitation International Meeting on the participation ofdisabled people are presented. The papers address the rights of thedisabled, the organization and functions of consumer groups,the impact of consumer involvement on rehabilitationand related services, social implications of the consumer participation movement, and thecoming together of the disabled throughout the world.Titles and authors include the following: "Self-Determination of Handicapped_People" (M. Fritsch); "The Right to All Types of Information" (K.Karlsson); "The Right to Work: A Political Issue" (B. Lindqvist); "ConsumerGroups: Their Organization and Function" (A. Simpson); "Oroanizing anAction Group" (J. Simkins); "Trade Union Participation"(L. Maguire); "Handicap Councils: A Swedish Experiment" (LGardestrom); "Participation of Handicapped People in the Planning Implementation and Management of Rehabilitation Services" (P.Blommestijn)I "Policy Issues in Independent Living Rehabilitation"ID. Galvin); "Higher Education Opportunities" (K. Konkkola); "The Disabled Consumer Movement: Policy Implications for RehabilitationService Provision" (J. Derksen); "Towards Full Political Participation"(B. Carlsson); and "Disability Rights Issues: The Role of Advocacyin Government (E. Fiorito). (SW) U.S. DEPARTMENT_ OE. EDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL.RE'IOURCE$ INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) /Thisdocument has boon reproduced as ler undid horn the person or organization Participation of People oripinilerpj it Minor i.11,inges hove Oven made to improve with Disabilities: reproduction tioillitY Points of VIM,/ or oporuorls !,td!rmlq, 11»st11)Ct1 An International Perspective r111,111 do riot necessarily represent °PICO NIE position or policy selected papers from the 1980 World Congress of Rehabilitation International Winnipeg, Canada June 22-27, 1980 a joint project of Rehabilitation International, New York and University Center for International Rehabilitation Michigan State University, U.S.A. f. editing by Kathleen S. Miller Linda M. Chadderdon University Center for International Rehabilitation Barbara Duncan Rehabilitation International design by susan J. sigman "PERMISSION TO FIErRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." published as a contribution to the International Year of Disabled Persons. 1981 ordering information: Additional copies of this publication are available for $4;50 each (to cover printing and postage). Foreign airmail add $5. Pre- paid orders only, payable to Michigan State University Address orders to Publications University Center for International Rehabilitation Michigan State Univeraity East Lansing, MI 48824 This publication was funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Handitapped Research, Washington, D.C. (grant number G008005487) to the University Center for International Rehabilitation, Michigan State Univeraity. Michigan State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution iii Foreword by Norman Acton, Secretary General Rehabilitation International " Participation" has becoMe One of the most dynamic concepts being employed in efforts to underStand and find solutions to the problemsof disability. Thinking abbut it has emerged as a logical development from the examinations of normalization, integration, mainstreaming, equal rights and independent living that have'dominated the discourse of the past dedade. The global nature of interest in it was demonstrated when the United NatiOn8 General Assembly adopted "Full Participation andEquali- ty" as the theme for the International Year of Disabled Personsin 1981. Its spirit was reflected in the proposal of the Assembly'sadvisory committee, representing 23 nations in every stage of development, that the name of IYDP be the International Year of Disabled Persons, notthe Year for them; At the 14th World Congress of RehabilitationInternational, in Winnipeg, Canada in June 1980, one of the major_events was an all-day workshop on "Participation of People with Disabilities_ inRehabilita- tion." Representatives of disabled peoples' organizations, of govern- ments, of other organizations and of the professionaland academic tom- mu,ities spoke about and discussed_theissues involved in generating the full participation of people with disabilities indecisionsaffect- ing their lives--decisions about their individual programs forrehabil- itation, about the design of the_programs themselves, and aboutthe legislation and administration through which society responds to the problems of disability. This voluMe of papers; selected from those presented to the Par- ticipation WorkshOp and other sessions of the 1980 World Congress, pre- SentS the thinking of loaders from ten countries; It provides a global overview of the stage for development of the participation concept and its application; An analysis of the papers shows that some of the central ques- tions related to this topic require further exploration. _What,for eX- ample; are the sociological underpinnings of "fulloarticipatiOn?" Are theme some elements, or combinations of elements that must be present before a minority group can respond effectively to a socialreality that excludes its members from the participation of which they arecapable? To what extent is the development of significantactivity by a disadvan- taged sector of a population dependent on the education,training, eco- 4 1v nOMic security and political awarenessof individual members? What are the roles of militancy, charismaand discipline? These and other questions have ledthe publishers to see_ValUe "why" and in future publicationS on thissubject, focusing more on the "how" of participation of peOplewith disabilities in all areas of 80-, national cial life, from their ownrehabilitation to the formulation of policies. Reactions and suggestions will be welcome. V Introduction by Donald E. Galvin, Ph.D., Director University Center for International Rehabilitation A SignifiOant social movement becomespossible When there 18 a revision in the manner in which a substantial group of people looking at some misfortune; see it no longer as a misfortune warranting charitable consideration but as an injustice which is intolerable in society. Turner, 1969 The University Center for InternationalRehabilitation (UCIR) was founded on the premise that a greater quantityand quality of informa- tion exchanged across national boundariescan significantly improve ser- vices to disabled individuals. AccordinglY; the project seeks to trans- fer information from other countries thatwill improve the development and rehabilitation of individUalS of all ages in theUnited States and to provide technical assistance torehabilitation personnel in.imple- menting what is transferred. As one of our initial efforts, a conference washeld at Michigan State University in Mardh 1979 toidentify those major domesticcon- Not cerns needs that might be relieved throughinternational Study. surprisingly, consumer participation inrehabilitation policiet and ser- vice prograMt was identified as a topic thatshould be pursued by UCIR. Participants were aware that in 1975 the UnitedNations General Assembly had adopted a DeClaration of the Rights ofDisabled Peons and that in 1976 -he_ General Assembly voted to proclaim 1981the, - International Year for Ditabled Persons (later to beappropriately changed to theInterna- tiohal Year of Disabled Persons) which has asits theme "Full Partici- pation and Equality." It was also of note that the 14th WorldCongress Of Rehabilitation International adopted"Participation of People with Disabilities in Rehabilitation" as one of theirfive major congress con- cerns. As Ed Roberts stated at the UCIRconference "The future is in the young, and I don't want to see anothergeneration of young people with disabilities become older dePendent_peeplewith disabilities. I think that with the new laws, such as P."1, ')4-142;and the movement for independent living across this country, we aregoing to see a generation that's younger, independent,_ dynamic,involved people who have a choice to be a part of their community and tobe a part of their society. And to me, that's my dream. People with disabilities are