Barries to inclusion

Barriers preventing the full inclusion of people with disabilities, including wheelchair users, into society

Barriers to inclusion of people with disabilities can be grouped in:

Attitudinal barriers can include:

• assumptions about what is possible for a person with a disability
• assumptions that people with a disability cannot make decisions for themselves
• treating people with disabilities as objects of charity
• in some cultures, it is believed that people with disabilities are cursed and they are excluded from their communities and/or families as a result.

Environmental barriers can include:

• the natural environment – such as rocky or steep terrain
• the built environment – such as inaccessible homes, schools, and 
community buildings
• a lack of assistive devices.

Institutional barriers can include:

• a lack of government legislation and policies that support the rights of people with disabilities
• rules and regulations regarding admission criteria for school or university.

 

To learn more about this topic, read the following pages of your ToT Handbook