Table of contents
GLOSSARY
Visually impaired people encounter three main difficulties: mobility, orientation and communication.
People with severe visual impairment usually learn Braille and may benefit from programmes for the effective use of the existing visual remains (subdivision) and for the improvement of their mobility and orientation.
The most severe consequence of a hearing impairment, which develops at an early stage, is the retardation caused through speaking and language development. Many of those who have hearing difficulties may also have difficulties understanding and controlling their own speech.
One of the main consequences for persons with hearing impairment is isolation in relation to the surrounding world.
In certain cases, people with hearing impairments may learn to lip-read, which enables them to understand the spoken language through reading the movements of other persons' lips. Depending on the type of impairment, they may use hearing prosthesis or other types of technical aids and devices, together with light signs.
Technical aids, such as support materials to locomotion and standing, mainly, canes or crutches and wheelchairs whenever the general mobility is severely jeopardised, are usually used in order to compensate or reduce disability related to mobility.
There are numerous types of wheelchairs, the design of which tries to respond to the users' specific needs. The three main categories of wheelchairs are: manual (where the user can move around in the chair independently), hand push (where the user has no independence) or electric. Handling and manoeuvring a wheelchair for long distances requires considerable physical efforts. It is thus essential that wheelchair-users benefit from accessible conditions whilst entering and moving around in buildings within the built environment.
People with learning disabilities can be helped to fulfil their potential and participate in society but will be dependent upon others for assistance and support in varying degrees throughout their lives.
An environment is accessible if everybody can:
Concept of disablement through ICIDH (WHO) | Visual impairments | Hearing impairments |
Physical disabilities | Learning disabilities | Accessibility
For a better understanding of the tourism industry a glossary that is used worldwide has been presented below.
Concept of disablement through ICIDH (WHO)
The ICIDH (International Classification of Impairments, Activities and Handicaps) issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not necessarily describe or model the "process" of disablement, but it provides the various means to map the different "dimensions" and "domains" of disablement:
Pathological changes; Manifestations (Symptoms and signs)
Health condition Signs are "exteriorised"; (clinical disease is noticeable)
Impairments
body level activity limitation ("objectified") - illness behaviour/sickness phenomena
Disabilities
person levelresponse of society to individual experience (i.e. restriction of participation)
Handicaps
society level
Visual impairments
Visual impairments may occur at any age and they may be of congenital or acquired nature. The severity of the visual impairments is generally determined in terms of visual acuity reduction. A series of eye diseases cause, nevertheless, limitation of the visual field, resulting in a "tunnel" or telescopic vision.
Hearing impairments
Similar to visual impairments, hearing impairments may occur at any age and be related to factors of hereditary or congenital nature (malformations/morphological alterations) or following alterations during childbirth or from health conditions. Physical disabilities
The most common physical disability is mobility impairment. It emerges from morphological alterations of the skeleton and of the limbs, joints, ligaments, tissues, muscles (musculature) and of the nervous system which limits the mobility capacity. The disablement may be temporary or permanent depending on its origin and to a greater or minor severity.
Learning disabilities
Learning disability is a permanent condition that cannot be cured as it is a result of damage to or malfunction of the brain. In general terms, someone with learning disability would generally function at a level of ability that is significantly lower that his/her chronological age. A person with a learning disability does not develop in childhood as quickly as other children and will not attain the full mental capacity of a normal adult.
Accessibility
Accessibility is made up of access to the built environment, to communication and to information. Access is not just about providing a ramp for wheelchair users. It is about creating an environment that everybody, independently of that person's physical, psychological or sensorial condition, feels comfortable using. This includes people with all kinds of disabilities, permanent or temporary, elderly people, pregnant women, families with small children, overweight people, people carrying parcels and luggage, etc.