The Power of Choice for People with Disabilities
For many years, people with disabilities have limited freedom when it comes to choice. But what really is a choice? How does freedom of choice can affect a person’s quality of life? Furthermore, how does freedom of choice empower people with disabilities and enhance their satisfaction in life? In this section, we’ll talk about the power of choice for people with disabilities, and why it is a crucial topic we must start talking about.
Positive Changes from Freedom of Choice
Freedom of choice is a basic human right. Global organizations make sure there is fairness and equality among all people when it comes to choosing and making life decisions. People with disabilities are offered the same freedom for making choices. In fact, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities or CRPD is adopted by the United Nations as an international human rights treaty to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. The CRPD promotes freedom of choice and autonomy, non-discrimination, full participation and inclusiveness in society, respect for the differences evident in persons with disabilities, equality of opportunity, accessibility to core social goods and services, and the identification and removal of barriers.
Freedom of choice isn’t only a basic right and commodity, it empowers people with disabilities, which results in positive changes in the behavior as well as improvement of their quality of life. Some studies back up the power of choice and its benefits among people with disabilities and the people around him/her. A few of them listed below:
1. Increases the dignity of the person with a disability (Perske 1972)
By allowing people with disabilities the freedom for choices and making life decisions, it increases the dignity of the individual. It amplifies the person’s sense of worth, and therefore inducing positive feelings as well as enhancing satisfaction in life.
2. Reduces the behaviors that staff may find challenging (Dyer, Dunlap, & Winterling, 1990; Carr & Carlson, 1993; Lindauer, Deleon, & Fisher 1999, Lohrmann-O’Rourke & Yurman, 2001
In one study, experts observed that giving freedom of choice to people with disabilities decreased behaviors that caretakers and homecare staff find it challenging to handle. This benefits not only the person with a disability but as well as his/her interaction with others and his/her relationship with others.
3. Improved staff awareness of preferences of the individual with a disability (Browder et al; 1998)
Supporting and giving choices to the person with a disability allows the staff and her supporting circle to know more about the person and his/her preferences. This outcome makes way to satisfying and easier interactions between the person with the disability and the people he/she interact with.
4. A continuing increase in the number of choice opportunities offered by staff (Cooper and Browder (2001)
Giving more freedom to choose among people with disabilities resulted in homecare and school staff giving more opportunities for making choices to the individuals. An increase in the opportunities for making choices enhances the person with disability's satisfaction in life and enhanced feeling for control.
5. An increase in the engagement of the person with a disability in the task (Dunlap et al., 1994, Cole & Levinson, 2002)
Giving freedom of choice to the person with a disability led to better engagements in a situation or task, which can help speed up the improvements in the learning and behavior of the individual.
6. The development of early communication skills (Stephenson & Linfoot, 1995)
When given more opportunities to choose, people with disabilities, specifically those with intellectual disability or impairment in intellectual functioning led to faster and earlier development of communication skills.
7. An increase in spontaneous speech production where physically possible (Dyer, 1987);
Giving more opportunities to choose showed positive results when it comes to speech progress among people with intellectual disabilities. As when the people around the person with a disability provide more freedom for the individual to make life choices, the person with a disability engages more during his/her interactions, leading to better speech production.
8. Improvement in student performance on curricular materials and interventions (Cole & Levinson, 2002)
Positive changes among learners with intellectual disabilities were seen when more opportunities for choosing were provided. The students showed improved performance both on curricular materials and interventions. Having the freedom of choice improves the person's confidence and motivation to strive and become better in school.
9. A higher quality of life outcomes (Willis, Grace, & Roy, 2008, Stancliffe et al., 2011)
As mentioned, when given more opportunities for choosing, the quality of life of people with disabilities improves. They feel empowered, and their satisfaction in life increases as they experience more freedom to make choices.
10. Higher scores on quality of life indicators (Neely-Barnes, Marcenko, & Weber, 2008)
Tests were performed among people with disabilities to assess their satisfaction with the quality of their life. It showed that individuals with more freedom for choices had higher scores determining a better quality of life than those who have fewer opportunities for making decisions.
11. An increase in social interaction with general education peers (Kennedy & Haring, 1993).
Improvements in social interactions were observed among people with disabilities and the individuals they encounter when given more freedom of choice.
Support and Guidance When Making a Choice
These are only a few pieces of evidence showing the power of choice among people with disabilities. However, when giving the individuals the freedom to make life choices they must be aware of the crucial factors involved in choosing. Alternatives, the situation, and how his/her behavior will affect the outcome must be clear with the person as she/he makes a choice.
Giving people with disabilities the freedom to choose isn’t only beneficial to him/her but also the individuals surrounding him/her. Support and guidance from his/her circle, however, are still crucial factors that must be part of the person's decision making.
https://talksense.weebly.com/choice-pickings.html
More stories @https://brooklynaccess.com/