All We Want is Opportunity: We are Not Asking for Special Treatment

It's funny how to blog ideas come into my head. For those of you who have been following the blog, you will notice that I haven't written in a while. Sometimes, as a writer, you find that there are words inside you that you cannot even know needed to be put to paper until a series of events occur. For me, this blog came about because of three things: A conversation with my friend Josh, who is about to graduate, on how difficult growing up and preparing for the real world is, the fact that I just applied for my first "big boy" internship/ job and finally an article on Autism. One may ask, what do these three things have in common? By the end of reading this, hopefully, this will be clear.

         As a person with a disability, there are always obstacles in front of you, whether your disability is hidden or visible. Some of these obstacles are bigger than others; some relate to social situations, while some relate to other aspects of life. That being said, no matter what one's disability is, I believe that we all encounter tremendous obstacles in the job market. Currently, in the U.S, according to Disabledinaction.org, there are approximately 51.2 million Americans that have some level of disability. Also, according to this website, 32.5 million Americans have a severe disability. If we subtract the number of children, which is 4 million ages 6-14, we can safely estimate that 47.2 million disabled Americans can feasibly work. I know that this seems like a lot of statistics and that I am evaluating here, but if we note an approximate unemployment rate of 13.7% according to Disabled World that equals 6.6 million people with disabilities who are unemployed. This does not seem like a large number, but it is double the unemployment rate compared to the general population. The question must be raised, what is the cause of this?

         Although I am young and have little experience in the workforce, when someone tells me that people with disabilities at 13.7% are twice as likely as non-disabled people to be unemployed, something is alarming. The non-disabled rate of unemployment is 6.7% of the able-bodied population. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What causes the discrepancy? Is it because people with disabilities are not qualified? Do they not have the higher education necessary to succeed? The answer is that they do, but it is societal barriers and perceptions that have caused this significant gap in unemployment. 

         As a disabled population, we have benefited from legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and IDEA (Indivuals with Disabilities Education Act), whose latest manifestation was 2004. However, these pieces of legislation can only go so far. If people are unwilling to look past the disability, whether it be intellectual, physical, or otherwise, all parties involved will suffer. There is hope, however.

         One company, in particular, is focusing on a specific segment of the disabled population.  SAP, an international computer and technology company, leads the way in something that should have already been a long time coming. SAP recognizes that people with disabilities have unique gifts. To quote the article, they do not see hiring people with disabilities as "charitable outreach" but rather as a "smart business decision."  SAP is explicitly focusing on individuals with Autism and Aspergers, as they, for the most part, have greater attention to detail than others. The company is not cutting corners when they hire individuals with Autism. The individuals undergo a rigorous screening process to see if they fit in with the company and community. Autistic employees must have the same level of higher education as all other employees, so no special favors are given.        

         This company's unique approach got me thinking. While I am encouraged that this company is taking a significant step to improve people's lives with disabilities, it also saddens me that it has taken for this to happen.  I have been a victim of the negative view of disabilities in employment and pursuit of advancement. Although they are a terrific institution in general, the school from I received my master's degree in education did not see my disability as a positive when it came to student teaching. Instead, they focused on the negative and all parties involved suffered. I was able to complete my master's degree but did not gain the necessary experience to the student; therefore, I am still unemployable.

         It is clear that having a disability, no matter what it is, is an obstacle that a person has to overcome. The workforce may often be a challenge for people with disabilities. Still, because of companies like SAP and their unique view on autistic employees, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to disabilities and employment. SAP is leading the way and breaking down barriers when it comes to working. Other organizations and institutions should use SAP as a clear example when addressing individuals with disabilities. Just because we are different in one way or another does not mean we are less capable. We are only less capable if not allowed to prove ourselves as individuals.

         Recently, I have applied to my first "big boy" job with an online newspaper, and they are in the process of reviewing my resume and qualifications. At no point in time did this company look down on my disability as a negative. In fact, in some aspects, they have indicated that it may be optimistic. It is unclear whether I will get the job, but that is not my point for mentioning it. If disabled people are given opportunities to prove themselves just like everyone else, it is amazing what society will find, and what resources they will tap into. 

Footnotes

1. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

2. http://www.disabledinaction.org/census_stats.html

3. http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/twice.php

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