COMMUNICATION

What does communication mean? According to Websters, it may be regarded as an exchange of information or news by the spoken or by the written word. Additionally it may be regarded as the making of a connection between two rooms or two people. If it is between two people than it is usually accompanied by the transference of information. Transference of information usually means that some type of education is taking place. Transference of information may be the most important aspect of effective communication so far as the disabled are concerned.

The Webster definition is a definition for all situations, but does it give the whole picture for what communication actually is? Does it tell us what communications means for the disabled as opposed to the non-disabled? To answer this we must see what effective communication may mean for these two groups. First what may effective communication mean for the non-disabled? For them Websters straight forward one definition fits all may suffice. However for the us, the disabled, this definition will most probably not be sufficient because our definition may prove to be much more complex. For us effective communication is much more than the exchange of information or news by the written or by the spoken word. For us it encompasses much more than the exchange of ideas between two or more people. To us effective communication encompasses education and this education may require waging a war on several fronts. On one front we may find that we have to constantly educate our non-disabled counterparts on our abilities. Essentially we may find that we have to show them that we have much more abilities than they may wish to admit. On another front we may have to show these same people that we still have feelings which can be deeply hurt if we are constantly excluded from decision making on issues which directly effect us. On still another front, communication may be our attempt to educate the non-disabled that we are capable of achieving some level of self sufficiency. On this level we are again educating them about our abilities by down playing our limitations.

Communications for the disabled may be hailed as our cry "Hey look at us don't ignore us just accept us and help us regain our rightful place in society."

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