The importance of accessibility awareness

At a recent Teen Leadership of Jewish Family Services meeting, people with disabilities talked about their lives.   6    However, what amazed me most was the great importance of education about handicap accommodations(残疾人便利设施).

One school teacher who is blind, and a woman who has used a wheelchair all her life are two important members of the National Group for Disabled Persons, devoted to raising awareness about disabilities.    7    These include handicap parking spots, handrails, and wheelchair ramps. One big concern is the people who take advantage of aids, such as handicap parking spaces.   8   And the meeting focused on educating the public.

Some handicap spots have extra room next to them, marked with the “No Parking.” signs. “As long as I’m not in the spot,I can take the no parking area next to it,”  some people say. However, the woman who uses a wheelchair disagrees to this. The space exists to allow someone in a wheelchair to have room to get in or out of their car.   9  

Some walkways have handrails next to them to help those who require extra assistance. Whether it is a blind person seeking guidance or an elderly person seeking support, the rail is there for walking. Sometimes the rail is blocked, by a parked bicycle for instance, and consequently made useless.   10   People who are informed of the rail’s use would be less likely to mistake it for a bike rack.

Meeting some of the people who are affected by the lack of education about accommodations made me see that there is work to be done. If more people were educated about the proper uses of accommodations, there would be fewer challenges for people with physical disabilities.

A. Accommodations will vary according to the needs of the disabled.

B. As with the parking spot, this is more likely a case of lack of education.

C. They educate about all the accommodations for people with disabilities.

D. Improvement must be made so that disabled people can fully participate.

E. If there is a car in that space, the handicap parking spot is no longer useful.

F. So people without disabilities need to be educated about these accommodations.

G. I was amazed to hear about the challenges faced by people with physical disabilities.

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