Persons with disability
Differently Abled people are those with learning difficulties or difficulties adjusting
socially for whom these shortcomings interfere with regular growth and
development.
A Differently Abled child is the one
who is unable to ensure by itself, wholly or partially the requirements of a regular
individual or social life as a result of deficiency in his physical or mental
capabilities.
The termDifferently Abled emphasizes
the fact that many people with disabilities are quite capable of accomplishing
a particular task orperforming a particular function, only in a manner that is
different from or takes more time than that of people without the disability.
As per the provisions of the Persons
with Disability (PWD) Act, 1995 the people suffering the following are
considered Differently Abled persons -
·
Blindness
·
Low
vision
·
Leprosy
cured
·
Hearing
impairment
·
Locomotor
disability
·
Mental
retardation and
·
Mental
illness
Mental Retardation
Intellectual Disability (ID), once called mental retardation, is
characterized by below-average intelligence and a lack of skills necessary for
day-to-day living.
People with intellectual disabilities
can and do learn new skills, but they learn them more slowly. There are varying
degrees of intellectual disability, from mild to profound.
Persons with Intellectual Disability
have limitations in two areas. These areas are:
- Intellectual
functioning,
this refers to a person’s ability to learn, reason, make decisions, and
solve problems.
- Adaptive behaviors, these are skills necessary for
day-to-day life, such as being able to communicate effectively, interact
with others, and take care of oneself.
IQ (intelligence quotient) is
measured by an IQ test. The average IQ is 100, with the majority of people
scoring between 85 and 115. A person is considered intellectually disabled if
he or she has an IQ of less than 70 to 75.
Intellectual Disability is thought to
affect about 1% of the population. Of those affected, 85% have mild
intellectual disability.This means they are just a little slower than average
to learn new information or skills. With the right support, most will be able
to live independently as adults.