Intellectual Disability, a Little Known and Multidimensional Disability

Intellectual Disability, a Little Known and Multidimensional Disability

People with intellectual disabilities walking in the streets

Intellectual Disability, a Little Known and Multidimensional Disability

Intellectual disability, sometimes called mental retardation, affects 1 to 3% of the global population, which represents approximately 6.5 million people in the United States. Who are they? What are their needs? How can we facilitate their participation in society?

We will see in this article that intellectual disability covers a wide variety of profiles, causes and manifestations. And the good news is that all the improvements made for accessibility to other disabilities also benefit people with intellectual disabilities. Which ones in particular? This is what you will find out.

Intellectual disability, mental retardation, what does it mean?

The terms “intellectual disability” and “mental retardation” both refer to a slower than average intellectual development. To be more precise, intellectual disability is the consequence of disorders of intellectual development in interaction with the barriers of the environment.

People with intellectual disabilities face difficulties in two areas:

Intellectual functioning, measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), which includes learning, reasoning, decision-making and problem-solving skills;

Adaptive behaviors, essential for daily life, which involve communication and interactions with others, but also the ability to take care of oneself.

Intellectual disability starts in childhood and is generally stable throughout life. No treatment is available to cure it. However, the consequences of an intellectual disability can be alleviated with specialized support and a suitable environment.

Not to be confused with mental illness or psychological disability! The pathologies at the origin of a psychological disability do not directly affect intellectual capacities but only the ability to mobilize them. However, it is not uncommon for an intellectual disability to be associated with a psychological disability or mental illness. This is particularly the case in 75% of autism spectrum disorders. In addition, people with an intellectual disability are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop a psychological disability than the overall population.

8 Clichés About Intellectual Disability

7 Clichés About Psychiatric Disability

What accessibility facilities for the intellectual disability?

Like all other disabilities, intellectual disability manifests itself in various forms and to varying degrees. The difficulties commonly encountered in the urban environment concern:

Reading and understanding,

Spatial awareness,

Time awareness,

Decision making,

Communication.

In order to improve access to the environment and to services for people with intellectual disabilities, the following recommendations should be applied:

Signage using colors, symbols and pictograms, 

Staff trained in welcoming people with mental disabilities,

Audio dubbing of visual information, in particular transport announcements,

Simplified maps with photos of the main destinations,

“Easy-to-read-and-understand” information,,

Learning workshops on transport networks,

Mobile applications for orientation, to facilitate communication, to reduce stress, to learn social interactions, etc.

5 Must-Have Apps for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Tactile paths, accessible pedestrian signals (APS) and audio beacons, originally designed for the visually impaired, are also very useful for people with intellectual disabilities. Indeed, soliciting several senses stimulates understanding.

Several degrees of intellectual disability

We speak of intellectual disability from an intelligence quotient lower than 70. As a reminder, the average intelligence quotient in the overall population is 100, the vast majority being between 85 and 115. The IQ does not however reflect the functioning in the environment. This is why the diagnosis of intellectual disability cannot be limited to an IQ test. It must also take into account the capacities of communication and adaptation in the environment.

Many forms of this type of disability are associated with psychological, motor or sensory disorders. These can in some cases complicate the diagnosis and capacity assessment. For example, the evaluation of the intelligence quotient in a deafblind person is almost impossible due to the inadequacy of the testing tools.

85% of people with intellectual disabilities are affected by a mild form. If they benefit from appropriate support in childhood, they are perfectly capable of living independently in adulthood.

The World Health Organization (WHO) distinguishes in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD) six classes of mental retardation, from mild to severe, but also non-specific forms.

Note: the 11th edition of the ICD, published in May 2019, updated the terminology concerning intellectual disability. We no longer speak of “mental retardation” but of “disorders of intellectual development”.

Mild intellectual disability

It is characterized by a slight delay in acquiring language and slower development than the average child. Difficulties usually appear during schooling but can be alleviated through appropriate educational methods. Most people with mild intellectual disabilities are able to lead independent lives as adults and work.

IQ, when it can be measured, is between 50 and 69.

Moderate intellectual disability

It concerns 10% of people with intellectual disabilities and is characterized by a very slow development of comprehension and language skills. In most cases, there is also difficulty performing basic activities of daily living such as washing or dressing. Even though children with an average intellectual disability have significant academic difficulties, some of them manage to learn to read, write and count. In adulthood, they are sometimes able to work, provided the tasks are simple and structured.

IQ, when it can be measured, is between 35 and 49.

Severe intellectual disability

It concerns 3 to 4% of people with intellectual disabilities. The difficulties encountered by people with severe intellectual disabilities are much the same as those with moderate intellectual disability, but to a greater degree. Motor impairments and associated disorders are also more common. These people generally need constant assistance in their daily life.

IQ, when it can be measured, is between 20 and 34.

Profound intellectual disability

It concerns 1 to 2% of people with an intellectual disability. It is characterized by an almost total inability to understand. People with a profound intellectual disability are generally unable to move and their communication is limited to a few non-verbal manifestations. They are unable to control their bodily functions and take care of themselves. They must therefore benefit from permanent assistance.

The IQ is then estimated to be less than 20.

A disability with multiple causes

Unlike other forms of disability that can occur at any time in life, intellectual disability begins in childhood, before the age of 18.

It can be caused by a genetic defect, illness or exposure to alcohol during pregnancy, oxygen deprivation at birth, or certain illnesses or exposures to toxic substances during infancy. Little is known about whooping cough, measles or meningitis can lead to intellectual disability if treatment is delayed. Malnutrition is also a cause of intellectual regression in regions of the world prone to famine.

The three most common causes of mental disability are Down syndrome, 22q11 deletion (otherwise known as DiGeorge syndrome), and exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. There is also a rise in the numbers due to the increase in the number of preterm births.

In more than a third of cases, however, the cause of the intellectual disability remains unknown.

Intellectual disability cannot be treated, but prevention and support measures can limit the consequences.

In conclusion, keep in mind that the vast majority of people with intellectual disabilities live among others. We all therefore have the possibility of helping them to express their full potential by adapting our behavior. If you are responsible for the accessibility of a venue, a transport network or the roads of a municipality, think of all the inexpensive facilities that you can implement to facilitate their orientation and improve their sense of security.

Find out more on accessibility for people with intellectual disabilities with these articles:

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

9 Tips to Welcome a Person with an Intellectual Disability

Published on January 21st, 2022

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A man with Down syndrome and another man smiling

Tactile paths, accessible pedestrian signals (APS) and audio beacons, originally designed for the visually impaired, are also very useful for people with intellectual disabilities.

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Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

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Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

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on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

5 Must-Have Apps for People with Intellectual Disabilities

5 Must-Have Apps for People with Intellectual Disabilities

A smartphone screen with apps for people with intellectual disabilities

5 Must-Have Apps for People with Intellectual Disabilities

People with intellectual disabilities such as Down syndrome or fragile X syndrome have an intellectual development that’s inferior to the population average and learning difficulties. This means they have trouble conceptualizing, thinking, making decisions and communicating with others. 

In order to better communicate, easily make decisions or even to stay organized, they can rely on numerous apps. Plus, they enable them to remain autonomous and to challenge themselves at their own pace.

Let’s have a closer look at 5 must-have apps for people with intellectual disabilities!

Cozi Family Organizer

A great app to stay in sync with your family! You can set reminders for yourself or any of the family members. This can be helpful for those who need to be driven to medical appointments or work. 

Plus the calendar is easy to use and to comprehend.

You can also create all kinds of to-do lists to make sure all your everyday tasks are organized and set up a meal planner!

Available on Android and iOS

Evernote

Another great app to help you stay organized! With Evernote, you can create to-do lists, capture photos, record voice reminders or simply take notes. And your notes can be searchable. 

Find what suits you best and make sure you don’t miss any events!

Available on Android and iOS

Evelity

An indoor navigation app to help you find your bearings in complex venues. The app perfectly adapts to the user profile and provides optimized routes with easy-to-read and easy-to-understand instructions. 

You can also preview your itinerary to be more familiar with it. 

Besides, its simplified interface makes it easy for you to use. 

Evelity is currently being tested at the Jay Street-MetroTech subway station in New York but it’s also deployed in other sites in France, its country of origin: the whole metro network in the city of Marseilles, the Luma museum in Arles and the medical university campus Rockefeller in Lyon.

Available on Android and iOS

Breathe2Relax

We can all feel stressed from time to time or tiring by our environment. Breathe2Relax teaches breathing techniques to remain calm and serene. 

It helps people with anxiety to relieve their stress.

Available on Android and iOS

Red Panic Button

If at some point you need help, you can hit the Red Panic Button! First when setting this app up, you need to list your contacts who’ll serve as your emergency contacts. People you are comfortable with and can rely on.

When you’re in trouble, the app sends them a SMS containing a Google Maps link with your location.

Available on Android and iOS

Be careful of what you’re being promised

You may have found in your research countless brain-trainings apps to improve your memory and problem solving skills. However, there’s little scientific evidence that demonstrates their effectiveness. Much more research is needed.

For now, it looks like these apps don’t have the power to sharpen your cognitive abilities or prevent any mental decline for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. But if you feel like trying, a lot of these apps can be both free and entertaining such as Peak, Elevate or Lumosity.

You now have 5 great apps at your fingertips to make your everyday life easier! 

Want to know more about people with intellectual disabilities? Check out our articles:

9 Tips to Welcome a Person with an Intellectual Disability

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

Public Transport: Accessibility Solutions, Also for the Intellectual Disability!

Published on January 7th, 2022

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A person is using Evelity on the subway. They're on an escalator.

An indoor navigation app to help you find your bearings in complex venues. Evelity perfectly adapts to the user profile and provides optimized routes with easy-to-read and easy-to-understand instructions.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

stay updated

Get the latest news about accessibility and the Smart City.

other articles for you

share our article!

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Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

Sign up now for our newsletter.

Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

A crowded café that welcomes customers with intellectual disabilities

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

La déficience intellectuelle est probablement la déficience la moins connue. Qu’implique-t-elle exactement ? Quels sont les besoins des personnes présentant une déficience intellectuelle ? En répondant à ces questions, vous pourrez mieux comprendre vos clients présentant une déficience intellectuelle. Ce sera la première étape pour leur offrir la meilleure expérience possible.

Bien sûr, nous savons tous que le bouche-à-oreille reste l’un des moyens les plus efficaces pour attirer les clients, mais un service de qualité reste essentiel pour les fidéliser. Et pour les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel, l’accessibilité rime véritablement avec attractivité ! Cela va au-delà du respect de l’ADA. En effet, l’accessibilité est l’occasion idéale pour vous d’améliorer votre performance et de favoriser l’inclusion pour tous.

Prêt à ouvrir vos portes à tous ? Voyons ce que vous devez mettre en œuvre pour accueillir les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel !

Qu’est-ce qu’une déficience intellectuelle ?

Tout d’abord, il est important de comprendre précisément de quoi on parle. Être atteint d’une déficience intellectuelle signifie avoir des difficultés d’apprentissage et un manque de comportements adaptatifs. Les personnes atteintes d’une déficience intellectuelle peuvent éprouver des difficultés à résoudre des problèmes, à raisonner, à communiquer et à réaliser des tâches pratiques au quotidien.

Certaines maladies génétiques entraînent des déficiences intellectuelles , comme la trisomie 21 et le syndrome de l’X fragile. La trisomie 21, également appelée trisomie 21, est la déficience intellectuelle la plus connue. En général, les personnes atteintes de trisomie 21 ont les capacités mentales d’un enfant de huit ans, mais cela dépend bien sûr de la personne. 

Mais la déficience intellectuelle ne doit pas être confondue avec la déficience cognitive ni avec la déficience psychiatrique. 

Déficience cognitive  : elle diminue les fonctions intellectuelles, mais moins sévèrement qu’une déficience intellectuelle. Les personnes atteintes de déficience cognitive, lésions cérébrales ou de maladies neurodégénératives telles que la démence et la maladie d’Alzheimer. En réalité, de nombreux troubles cognitifs dérivent de la mémoire.

Handicap psychiatrique  : il s’agit des personnes schizophrènes, bipolaires ou anxieuses. Cependant, le handicap psychiatrique n’affecte pas leurs capacités intellectuelles ; il les rend simplement plus difficiles à utiliser dans certaines circonstances ou états émotionnels. 

Gardez à l’esprit qu’il n’est pas toujours évident de déceler une déficience intellectuelle. En effet, 80 % des handicaps sont invisibles ! C’est pourquoi il est préférable d’éviter tout jugement. On ne sait jamais ce qu’une personne peut traverser…

Comment votre lieu peut-il être accessible aux clients ayant une déficience intellectuelle ?

Maintenant que nous savons ce qui se cache derrière les mots « déficience intellectuelle », nous pouvons nous concentrer sur l’aide à apporter à vos clients vivant avec une déficience intellectuelle pour qu’ils vivent la meilleure expérience possible dans votre établissement.

Demande de l’ADA

Si votre entreprise est ouverte depuis un certain temps, vous connaissez peut-être déjà l’ ADA . L’Americans with Disabilities Act de 1990 protège les personnes handicapées contre toute forme de discrimination. 

Cela signifie que les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel doivent bénéficier du même accueil et avoir accès aux mêmes lieux et services que les autres. Tous les types de lieux publics sont concernés et doivent être conformes aux normes ADA : les nouveaux lieux comme les lieux existants. Rendre accessibles les lieux existants peut évidemment s’avérer complexe en raison de travaux de rénovation importants, de l’historicité du bâtiment ou de sa topographie.

Ce qui est sûr, c’est qu’offrir à tous vos clients un accès facile à votre établissement n’est qu’une première étape. La tâche se complique lorsque vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel doivent accéder à un service ou s’orienter dans votre établissement… Il est essentiel de créer un environnement sûr et rassurant pour qu’ils se sentent à l’aise.

Fournir des informations faciles à lire et à comprendre

Étant donné que les personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle peuvent avoir du mal à réfléchir, à conceptualiser et à prendre des décisions, la meilleure façon de les aider à comprendre ce que votre lieu et vos services ont à leur offrir est de rendre vos informations les plus claires et les plus simples possibles. 

Comment pouvez-vous le faire exactement ? 

Utilisez des mots facilement compréhensibles,

Donnez des exemples pour expliquer votre proposition,

Faites des phrases courtes,

Utilisez des mots complets au lieu de leurs initiales,

Utilisez des phrases actives plutôt que passives.

Gardez à l’esprit que vos phrases doivent être exemptées d’idiomes ou d’expressions particulières susceptibles de dérouter vos clients. Cela concerne non seulement les personnes handicapées mentales, mais aussi les personnes analphabètes et les personnes âgées. Certaines figures de style, comme les métaphores, peuvent aggraver la situation.

Il en va de même si vous comptez sur des vidéos ou d’autres types de supports pour accueillir vos clients. 

Si votre lieu est particulièrement complexe, un plan à votre bureau d’information peut s’avérer très utile. Petit conseil : pensez à prendre des photos des différents espaces et à les aménager. Ainsi, vos clients pourront mieux visualiser les lieux et les reconnaître à leur arrivée. 

Des informations faciles à lire et à comprendre sont essentielles pour que les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel puissent explorer en toute autonomie votre lieu. 

Établir un système de navigation clair au sein de votre lieu

Une autre difficulté à laquelle vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel peuvent être confrontés est de se déplacer et de trouver leur repère, notamment dans un lieu complexe et vaste comme un hôpital, un musée ou un centre commercial .

Heureusement, vous pouvez mettre en place des solutions simples qui les aideront à naviguer seuls, à leur rythme. De plus, vous constaterez que tous vos clients en bénéficieront !

Pictogrammes universels

Ils représentent peut-être la solution la plus simple et la plus facile : les pictogrammes. Inutile d’expliquer quoi que ce soit en détail, une icône colorée fera l’affaire. 

Un moyen idéal d’indiquer à vos clients où trouver tel ou tel service. Grâce aux pictogrammes, ils seront moins susceptibles de se sentir anxieux, stressés ou perdus. 

De plus, l’utilisation de pictogrammes universels aidera non seulement les clients ayant une déficience intellectuelle à trouver l’ascenseur ou les toilettes, mais ils seront également utiles à ceux qui ne parlent pas la langue ou aux personnes sourdes qui dépendent des informations visuelles pour se déplacer.

Nous sommes tous habitués aux pictogrammes universels. Ils parlent le même langage, c’est là tout leur intérêt. En quelques secondes, chacun peut comprendre leur signification et adapter son orientation en conséquence. Vos clients et vos employés gagnent ainsi du temps.

Application de navigation pour guider vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel

Vous pouvez compter sur des technologies innovantes pour aider vos clients en situation de handicap mental à s’orienter dans votre établissement. De plus en plus d’applications proposent des solutions de navigation intérieure pour les personnes handicapées. Après tout, 84 % d’entre elles utilisent un smartphone au quotidien. C’est devenu un outil essentiel pour préserver leur autonomie.

Concentrons-nous sur une excellente application de navigation que vous pouvez facilement mettre en œuvre sur votre lieu de réception :

Evelity : cette application a été conçue pour guider les personnes en situation de handicap, quels que soient leur profil et leurs capacités, dans des lieux complexes. Pour les utilisateurs malvoyants, l’application propose des instructions audio. Pour les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel, l’application propose des instructions faciles à lire. Créée par Okeenea Digital, une start-up française, Evelity équipe désormais l’ensemble du métro marseillais et la Fondation Luma , un musée d’Arles, tous deux situés dans le sud de la France. Mais cette solution d’orientation intérieure dépasse les frontières puisqu’elle est actuellement déployée à la station JaySt-MetroTech de New York ! 

Grâce à une simple application, vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel peuvent se déplacer librement et en toute autonomie. Ils n’ont pas besoin de votre personnel pour trouver un service.

L’installation d’une application de navigation dans votre établissement peut être une excellente solution si vous ne pouvez pas entreprendre de travaux de rénovation importants pour le rendre accessible. Cela peut véritablement compléter votre équipement actuel.

Escaliers sécurisés

Selon votre lieu, vous avez peut-être installé des ascenseurs ou même des escaliers mécaniques. Mais êtes-vous sûr que vos escaliers sont accessibles et sûrs ? Vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel peuvent-ils monter et descendre vos escaliers sans difficulté ?

Voici un récapitulatif de ce dont vos escaliers doivent être équipés :

Mains courantes faciles à saisir et continue,

Surfaces d’avertissement détectables au sommet de chaque volée,

Nez de marche contrasté et antidérapant,

Contremarches contrastées sur la première et la dernière marche de chaque volée,

Un éclairage adéquat.

Encore une fois, ce type d’équipement ne se limite pas à aider les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel à se déplacer en toute sécurité dans votre établissement. Il s’adresse également à différents profils d’utilisateurs, comme les personnes aveugles ou malvoyantes, ou encore les personnes âgées… L’accessibilité nous a permis de nous concentrer sur la sécurité de tous.

Améliorer la communication entre votre personnel et vos clients ayant une déficience intellectuelle

Pour les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel, exprimer leurs pensées et comprendre les autres peuvent être difficiles. Que pouvez-vous faire pour faciliter la communication avec elles ?

Ici, votre personnel joue un rôle clé : il doit tout mettre en œuvre pour offrir le meilleur service possible. Et cela est d’ailleurs valable pour toute interaction avec les clients. 

En formant votre personnel pour accompagner au mieux les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel, vous créez un environnement sûr et de confiance pour eux. Ils seront plus enclins à revenir dans un endroit où leurs besoins sont entendus, compris et satisfaits, sans être jugés. 

Découvrez nos 9 conseils pour accueillir au mieux les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel ! Vous verrez que sourire, rester calme et rassurer peuvent faire la différence. 

De plus, comme nous l’avons vu précédemment concernant l’accès à l’information, veillez à utiliser un langage clair et simplifié, sans idiomes ni métaphores. Cela vous aidera, vous et vos employés, à mieux communiquer avec eux.

Vous pouvez également utiliser différents supports pour faire passer votre message : assurez-vous d’avoir toujours du papier et un crayon à portée de main au cas où vous auriez besoin de dessiner. Inutile de vous transformer en Léonard de Vinci ; réalisez simplement un dessin clair et simple si nécessaire.

En faisant preuve de patience et de respect, vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel se sentiront plus à l’aise. Ils pourraient vous poser de nombreuses questions, à vous ou à votre personnel, et même être francs. Mais il s’agit d’une conversation informelle, alors restez vous-même. 

Vous connaissez désormais les défis auxquels sont confrontées les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel et les solutions que vous pouvez mettre en œuvre pour les aider à profiter pleinement de votre lieu ! À vous de jouer !

Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur la déficience intellectuelle ? Lisez ces articles :

8 clichés sur le handicap intellectuel

Transports publics : des solutions d’accessibilité, également pour les personnes handicapées mentales ! 

7 clichés sur le handicap psychiatrique

Mis à jour le 1er mars 2022 / Publié le 1er octobre 2021

media

An employee ready to welcome customers with intellectual disabilities

Providing your staff with the proper training to best assist customers with intellectual disabilities will enable you to create a safe and trustworthy environment for your customers.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

stay updated

Get the latest news about accessibility and the Smart City.

other articles for you

share our article!

more articles

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

Sign up now for our newsletter.

Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Invisible Disabilities: 80% of Disabled People Are Concerned!

Invisible Disabilities: 80% of Disabled People Are Concerned!

People with invisible disabilities partying

Invisible Disabilities: 80% of Disabled People Are Concerned! 

Having a disability = using a wheelchair. That’s one persisting cliché! Actually, only 2% of people with disabilities are wheelchair users but 80% have invisible disabilities! What we mean by “invisible disabilities” is an unnoticed disability at first glance, that is to say when the person in question hasn’t made their difficulties known. What are the types of invisible disabilities? How can you identify them? What are the best practices to best welcome people with invisible disabilities at public venues? Follow the guide, we’ll explain everything!

Several types of invisible disabilities

Although we usually arrange them in main categories, there are as many disabilities as people with disabilities. The same holds true for invisible disabilities! They include most sensory disabilities (visual and hearing impairments), most of the mental and psychological impairments, cognitive disabilities and a lot of chronic diseases generating incapabilities.

In concrete terms, the following situations are part of invisible disabilities:

Hearing impairment,

Visual impairment,

Certain forms of autism,

Bipolar disorders,

Alzheimer’s disease,

People with a heart condition,

Dyslexia,

People with post-traumatic-disorders (war veterans or terrorist attack survivors), etc.

A lot of elderly people have an invisible disability, some may even have several.

Illiteracy is also a cause of invisible disability, even though it’s rarely acknowledged as such by the administration. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 54% of adults between 16 and 74 years old lack proficiency in literacy. That represents around 130 million people who can read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. Illiteracy has direct consequences on people’s quality of life and their integration into society.

Invisible disabilities creates multiple difficulties

The consequences of having an invisible disability vary according to the type of disability and its severity. Having disabilities can lead to being easily tired, having attention deficit disorders, difficulties to take initiatives or to put up a strategy, memory disorders.

Many people with invisible disabilities prefer not to disclose their disabilities. Some even feel ashamed because of them. This is due to the fact that being different is often regarded as a problem by relatives or work relations. Sometimes invisible disabilities can have an impact on our intimacy. For example, those with Crohn’s disease have to use the bathroom very often. Endometriosis also has a strong impact on the everyday lives of women with it. More than 6 million women have endometriosis in the U.S.

Contrary to people whose disabilities are obvious, people with invisible disabilities are often suspected to lie or to be lazy. They’re more likely to be misunderstood, laughed at or insulted. Their specific needs are rarely taken into account. However, many of them are legitimately entitled to use a parking space for people with reduced mobility (PRM), to ask for a seat at public transportation or to have priority in a line.

A lot of invisible disabilities have variable manifestations according to the situation, the events, the fatigue people feel or their mood. These fluctuations increase how misunderstood people with invisible disabilities may be by their relatives. Consequently, they have to make more of an effort to adapt which makes them much more tired. 

How can you best welcome people with invisible disabilities?

The tricky part is that by definition invisible disabilities aren’t obvious. In order to provide people with invisible disabilities with the best possible welcome, it’s important you build a climate of trust so that your visitors can freely express their specific needs. To do that, you can directly ask them: “Do you need anything in particular?”. This can be a seat to wait, some help to fill up a document, a handwritten note with the main directions to follow to get to a place or any other action that will enable them to better have access to your services.

A good thing to set up: make sure to systematically provide a field in all your subscription forms for people to express their specific needs.

And also make sure not to judge particular demands and to leave behind any negative prejudices you may have. As we said earlier, people with invisible disabilities mostly suffer from being accused of lying or taking advantage. Keep a positive and respectful attitude in all circumstances! For any situation, you can use our 7 Tips to Welcome a Person with Disabilities.

To conclude, invisible disabilities are far from being uncommon. Always keep in mind that the person you’re talking to may have specific needs you may not have thought of at first. By remaining open-minded and by listening to them without judging, you give them the opportunity to express themselves. Thus you’re more likely to meet their needs and to make them have access to the services your venue provides more easily!

Published on August 6th, 2021

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People with invisible disabilities sitting on a bench at the beach

Having disabilities can lead to being easily tired, having attention deficit disorders, difficulties to take initiatives or to put up a strategy, memory disorders.

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Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

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Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

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Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

People celebrating with confettis

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

July celebrates Disability Pride Month! A month to support and raise awareness on disability. It gives people with disabilities an opportunity to be seen and heard. Obviously, everybody has their own experiences but this type of celebration enables them to have a sense of community and to assert their rightful place in society.

Inclusion isn’t something trendy to please millennials but is meant to stay! Thanks to initiatives like Disability Pride Month, people with disabilities can gain more visibility and be more included in society. 

Let’s see what it entails exactly and why it’s so important!

What is Disability Pride Month?

It all started when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990 under George H.W Bush’s presidency. Its goal is to prevent discrimination based on disability. Thanks to this law, accessibility barriers are being removed at public venues such as museums or shopping malls and also public transportation like subways or airports. The law even requires web accessibility. Plus it also advocates employment for people with disabilities. 

Riding the wave of enhancing visibility for people with disabilities, the city of Boston held the first Disability Pride Day in 1990. A lot of cities followed their lead like San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Antonio and New York City but the event wasn’t nationally recognized.

We had to wait for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to establish July as Disability Pride Month in 2015. The year marked the ADA’s 25th anniversary so it was the perfect way to honor it! “By designating July as Disability Pride Month, we are celebrating and commending the fierce advocacy of those who have fought for equal rights for decades and reaffirming our strong commitment to making New York City the most accessible city in the world”, said Mayor de Blasio.

Advocating for disability rights is an everyday battle but having a whole month dedicated to them is in itself a victory. The event fosters accessibility and inclusion! After all, there are 1 billion people with disabilities in the world. But everybody’s concerned: we are all getting older and may face reduced mobility or disease generating incapacities  in the future. And most of all, as human beings living in this world and cohabitating, shouldn’t we be more comprehensive and empathetic towards the issues some (a lot) of us may face?  

Disability Pride Month consists in various activities: parades in a few cities, educational and artistic events and smaller community celebrations. But it takes on its full meaning when it starts a conversation through countless articles on the events, testimonies of disability rights activists and people with disabilities on social media with #DisabilityPrideMonth. That’s what truly matters!

Why is it important to talk about disability?

The Disability Pride Month is spreading on all social media platforms. Meaning that people with disabilities take charge and start a conversation on their disabilities and their everyday lives issues. And what’s better than a person having a disability to explain what it entails, how they’ve accepted it and own it? People with disabilities may feel rejected or ashamed not to be able as others. By making their voices heard, they embrace their disabilities as a positive force. The National Council on Independent Living even designed a Disability Pride Toolkit and Resource Guide.

Such visibility during a whole month creates bridges among all communities: people from all walks of life and different profiles can share their own experiences. This enables to raise disability awareness: people who aren’t directly concerned by disability but who would like to know more. Plus at some point, we all can encounter a person with disabilities at work or in the streets. It can be very helpful to know the issues they face! 

Shedding some light on disability with such an initiative enables to enforce positive takes on people with disabilities: they adapt, they persevere, they show optimism, they’re resourceful, resilient…

How can you be involved?

Maybe at some point, you’ve said “there are no people with disabilities living in my city” to which we’d tell you: “look again”. Did you know that 80% of disabilities are invisible? This concerns hearing impaired people, people on the autism spectrum, people with chronic diseases generating incapacities like Crohn’s disease, people with PTSD… This means you’ve probably already encountered a person with a disability without necessarily being aware of it. It’s normal to feel uncomfortable and awkward as you may not know how to behave around them. But the most important thing to know is that you just have to treat people with disabilities as equals. We’ve come up with 7 Tips to Welcome a Person with Disabilities that work every time! 

Next time you meet someone with a disability, just say hi and talk to them. Just be yourself and take the time to know them as individuals. You’ll see that you’ll gradually remove stigmas you may have first had on people with disabilities. Starting a conversation is simple but this can make a difference.

And if you want to do more, you can always look up and get more information on disability whether by reading on the subject or by checking out disabled activists and community leaders. It takes all of us to create an accessible and inclusive world!

We hope that this article on Disability Pride Month will help you start a conversation! Whether with your friends and relatives, your employees or your neighbors! And not only in July. Removing accessibility barriers is an everyday mission!

Published on July 30th, 2021

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A wheelchair user is pushed by a friend at the beach

Such visibility during a whole month creates bridges among all communities […] This enables to raise disability awareness.

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Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

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Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

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on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Should We Say “Hybridization” or “Inclusion” Regarding People with Disabilities? | Interview of Gabrielle Halpern, Doctor of Philosophy

Should We Say “Hybridization” or “Inclusion” Regarding People with Disabilities? | Interview of Gabrielle Halpern, Doctor of Philosophy

Differents groups of people walking on the streets

Should We Say “Hybridization” or “Inclusion” Regarding People with Disabilities? | Interview of Gabrielle Halpern, Doctor of Philosophy

As accessibility experts, we often talk about inclusion to explain that our society should be built to suit the needs of everybody, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. We came across an article* by French Doctor of Philosophy, Gabrielle Halpern, in which she entirely rejects the term “inclusion” to favor “hybridization”. Indeed, we were appalled at discovering that the etymology of the word “inclusion” didn’t exactly match our values… 

But should we use the term “hybridization” instead? Gabrielle Halpern has been doing some research about this particular notion that comes from the figure of the centaur: the mythological creature from Ancient Greece, half-human and half-horse. When Dr Halpern states that we are all centaurs, she means that we are all hybrids: we all are several different things. This implies that we are not made to fit in society’s norms but that society should embrace our diversity, our hybridization. This can make it stronger and definitely better.

Discovering that “inclusion” may not be the best word to use when we talk about accessibility, we asked Dr Halpern to tell us more about hybridization. Let’s dive into this fascinating subject! You’ll probably find out you are a centaur too (and that’s great)! 

Hello Gabrielle Halpern, can you introduce yourself in a few words?

I’m a centaur! More precisely, I have a PhD in Philosophy. I graduated from Ecole Normale Supérieure (French research university) and I currently work as a research fellow there. Simultaneously, I worked for several years at different cabinet ministers where I was in charge of forward planning and speeches. Then I joined a startup incubator to work with young entrepreneurs and guide them to develop their activity. And now I advise companies and public institutions while actively pursuing my works in philosophy. I have a foot in each world to try and progressively build bridges between them, – hybridizations –, despite their obvious contradictions and their difficulties to connect together… I define myself as a centaur because this “half-human, half-horse” figure is the ultimate hybridization. This is the reason why I dedicated my philosophy thesis and my essay “Tous centaures ! Éloge de l’hybridation” (only available in French at Le Pommier, 2020) to centaurs. To me, hybridation isn’t just a research project, I intimately live it and I see it as a vision of the world, a society project I wish I could contribute to build. 

We questioned ourselves thanks to an article you wrote in HUFFPOST, “Don’t say ‘inclusion’ anymore when you talk about disabilities”. For us, inclusion means taking into account the specific needs of everybody, including those with disabilities. Why are you opposed to the term “inclusion” and why do you prefer talking about “hybridization”? 

The term “inclusion” is more and more employed but this common noun is derived from the Latin word inclusio which meant “imprisonment”. This referred to the seclusion of hermits and monks. We don’t realize it but this analogy is awful! When a child is born in a family, do we really talk about inclusion, insertion or integration? No we don’t! And there’s a reason for that! When a child is born, everything changes: the balance of power, everybody’s identities, the interactions between all those involved, the external relationships, the way we look and don’t look at each other or even the way we put ourselves in relation to others. There’s no integration, insertion nor inclusion… There’s hybridization! Meaning there’s an encounter that makes everybody step out of themselves. If we go back to the figure of the centaur, – the figure of the ultimate hybridization –, this is precisely what came into play: the human and the horse had to step aside to create this unifying third figure that the centaur is. Yes, the encounter can only take place when all interested parties metamorphose. Concerning people with disabilities, whether they have a physical or intellectual disability, it would be awful to include them, as if they had to be content to have the place we’d grant them,  – taking into account the whole effort they’d provide to adapt  –, as long as it doesn’t interfere with our practices. We need to understand that the real challenge is our ability to accept to step aside and to leave our comfort zone. The disability that the other has, because it’s outside the norm, because it “transgresses” the absurd box we’ve built and lived in, awakens our fear of the unknown. Let’s stop being afraid and let’s hybridize ourselves! By doing this, we’ll metamorphose our management skills, our organizations, our jobs, our recruitments, our professional relationships and our innovations!

Instead of talking of an inclusive society, we should rather talk of a society that’s turning into an hybridization seeing that it’s not just about including all of those who are different, physically or mentally, but to create the conditions of an encounter that enables a reciprocal metamorphosis. At companies, public institutions, schools, colleges and universities, research labs, restaurants, associations and clubs – everywhere! –, it’s urgent not only to give a place to those who don’t fit in our box but to accept to let ourselves be transformed by them. It’s not up to them to fit in our box; it’s us who need to leave our box seeing that after all, we are the ones imprisoned, included, isolated!

Isn’t it paradoxical: societies are actually hybrid (without knowing it) but want to remain homogeneous at all cost?

Your question is very interesting! I’d say that a major part of reality is hybrid. This part gets bigger and bigger and concerns a lot of fields in our lives. Of course, from a biological and cultural point of view, we all are hybrids, – without truly realizing it –, but societies work as silo structures, with independent identities, independent communities, because of this drive towards homogeneity that works both at an individual and collective level. 

A few words on this idea of a “drive towards homogeneity”  that I developed in my research work: in concrete terms, this drive leads us to only keep company with people who look like us, to only be interested in what we already know, to only follow social media accounts that match ours. Thus we build ourselves surrounded by a homogeneous bubble. This drive makes us seek this absurd notion of “purity”; it makes us homogenize everything and everybody we meet so that we don’t have to accept their otherness, their difference. This drive, that can reassure us and give us a feeling of protection, is within everyone of us and it’s difficult to resist it. Everyday we work to fight against it; the boulder of Sisyphus that we constantly have to haul at the mountaintop. Intrinsically, because of our fear of uncertainty, we have an inability to fully and naturally accept singularity, diversity, alterity. In his work, Crowds and Power, one of the greatest European thinkers of the XXth century, Elias Canetti tells us that above all the human being fears being in touch with the unknown, and that all distances, all the behaviors he adopts are dictated by this phobia. It’s only within this standardized mass that he thinks he can be liberated from this phobia. Thus this is what happens: the emergence of communities, groups, founded on an identity principle and whose members are identical to each other. Any element, any person, any odd or heterogeneous idea, is repelled and rejected, because it can be perceived as a threat against this reassuring homogeneity that the group has built and in which it took refuge and imprisoned itself. It’s in accordance with this drive towards homogeneity that the human being has always worshipped identity – from the Latin identitas, “quality of what is the same” – and has always been wary of everything hybrid around him.

How is hybridization a chance for our society? 

First of all, a definition: hybrid embraces what’s heterogeneous, contradictory, blended, imperceptible; it’s everything that doesn’t fit in our box. Hybridization represents the unlikely marriage, that is to say the encounter between things, people, jobs, ideas, worlds that all are radically different. But for this encounter to happen, for hybridization to truly take place, it’s not enough to put them next to each other, we need to work to make their metamorphosis reciprocal.

The world is indeed more and more hybrid and this major tendency concerns almost all the areas of our lives… Take cities for example: revegetation projects are multiplying, urban farms, vegetable gardens, livestock farming on building rooftops are developing to such an extent that the boundary between the city and the countryside tends to become more and more slight. The box “city” is exploding. This hybridization of nature and urbanism takes place in parallel with the one between the products and services provided by companies. If we used to be in an industrial city and now we live in a society of services, it’s becoming difficult today to tell the difference between both. They turn into a hybridization of what we could call a society of practices or a society of relationships. These innovations through hybridization are going to disrupt companies, jobs, fields, markets and the very notion of competition. Schools, colleges and universities, research labs, companies, public administrations are starting, everywhere and more and more, to enhance collaboration; which increases the number of double degrees, confuses job descriptions and jobs and upsets the organizational models and the professional identities. COVID-19 emphasized these hybridizations, metamorphosing our ways to work on-site and remotely. The box “work” needs to be completely rethought. The same applies for objects. They can also form hybridizations: the smartphone, to take the most trivial example, is also an alarm clock, a radio, a scanner and a camera. Paradoxically, it gives us a space/time for leisure and work and it’s all of that at the same time. Regarding territories, we see that “third places” are multiplying: quirky places that regroup economical and services activities, with research, startups, arts and crafts, social innovation or even cultural infrastructures. Besides, companies are more and more aware of their societal responsibility; and social and fair trade economy, the ultimate hybrid economy – since it’s about hybridizing economical logics and social and fair trade logics – could indeed become tomorrow’s economical model. Our ways of buying and doing business also follow this tendency towards hybridization and we see new types of shops emerge where it’s not just about selling and buying, but also playing, improving our knowledge, coming together…

To me, this hybridization we witness represents the positive sign that we’re starting to tame our fear of the unclassifiable and that we’re finally ready to give up our old reassuring categories. The health crisis speeded up even more this tendency. But this tendency was at play even before the virus came into our lives. This hybridization that’s speeding up can make us optimistic regarding the future!

Little by little, we’re starting to realize that hybridization can be a chance for individuals, companies and public institutions, as for society. It makes us better, smarter, less intolerant, less dogmatic, more humble and more agile. My book is an invitation for us to reconcile with reality, thanks to this hybrid way of thinking.

With the digital era, we see that the services provided, the products sold and information are all hyper-personalized. Despite everything, it seems like it all goes in the right direction, isn’t it? 

Indeed now is the time for a tailored-made approach and personalization; the trend becoming more and more about not following the trend. Companies, formed until now by the industrial society, were based on the norm: the herd instinct consumerist approach. Here again, the drive towards homogeneity was at play! It’s the famous quote by Henry Ford: “You can have it in any color you want, as long as it is black.” The whole industry was founded on the belief in homogeneity. But today, things are changing and the car of the future, the truly hybrid car, will be the one designed on singularity; which for me I see as excellent news! Some could think that hyper-personalization is going to reinforce individualism; I’m convinced of the opposite. Individualism often happens when individuals don’t feel respected in their singularity and feel the group is a threat; from the moment when they can finally express it, the group regains meaning. Thus we need to be glad about this weak signal that echoes hybridization: hybridization is the contrary of standardization… In other words, every centaur is unique and this uniqueness is sacred! 

Would you like to say more?

Deep down, we know that we all are centaurs. We’re impossible to grasp, contradictory, quirky, in perpetual metamorphosis… So it’s time to accept ourselves as the centaurs we are! So let’s not be afraid of unlikely marriages: let’s hybridize ourselves and everything! 

Who is Gabrielle Halpern?

She has a PhD in Philosophy. She graduated from École normale supérieure and is currently a research fellow there. Gabrielle Halpern worked at different cabinet ministers, before helping develop startups and advising companies and public institutions. She also has training in theology and exegesis of religious texts. Her research work focuses particularly on the hybrid notion. She is the author of “Tous centaures ! Éloge de l’hybridation” (only available in French at Le Pommier, 2020). (You can visit her website www.gabriellehalpern.com). 

*French article published in HuffPost 

Published on 9th July 2021

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Gabrielle Halpern

We need to understand that the real challenge is our ability to accept to step aside and to leave our comfort zone. The disability that the other has, because it’s outside the norm, because it “transgresses” the absurd box we’ve built and lived in, awakens our fear of the unknown.

writer

Christine Pestel

Communication Manager

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Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

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The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.