Focus on Barriers

The AMA focuses on barriers, not disabilities.

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  What is a barrier?

  For people with disabilities, a barrier is anything that interacts with their disability in a way that may impact, or prevent their full and effective participation in society.

  For example, Mike has low vision. He is given a book with a font size that he cannot read. Mike’s low vision is not the barrier. The small print size is the barrier. If Mike had larger print, he would be able to read the material.

  While most barriers have not been set up on purpose, awareness is critical to ensure everyone has equal access to goods and services.

• Types of Barriers

  What do you imagine when you think of an accessibility barrier?

• Physical Barriers

  If you are like most people, you may be thinking of physical or structural barriers, such as steps, curbs, or narrow passageways. Heavy doors or doorknobs, versus levers, are also structural barriers that affect many seniors and others with arthritis.

   

  

   

• Information and Communications Barriers

  Barriers to information and communications are easy to miss, if they do not affect you, but are present in almost every aspect of daily life.

  Barriers to information and communications occur when not everyone can understand or access the message being delivered.

  For example, in-person communication may be difficult when a location is noisy and if a person is hard-of-hearing, or anxious.

• Technology Barriers

  Technology can enhance access. For example, a computer can improve accessibility for someone who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. However, technology can also create new barriers. For instance, a barrier is created when an individual must have good vision or use of their fingers to use a device to pay a bill.

  
  

   

  Systemic Barriers

  Barriers are systemic when they are a result of an organization’s policies or usual practices. For example, a store policy that requires that customers bag their own groceries is a systemic barrier, as not all customers are physically able to do so.

   

  Attitudinal Barriers

  Attitudinal barriers result when people think and act based on false assumptions. For example, a bank teller would be wrong to think a client who is unable to express herself verbally cannot make a financial decision. Breaking myths and stereotypes is the first step to creating the foundation of a fully inclusive society.