DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION IN MY OWN COUNTRY AND ABROAD

It’s been a while since I’ve posted to this blog. So many things have happened that I hardly know where to start. But, as this blog is particularly designed to reflect upon my disability in relation to my time in Hong Kong, I offer the following.
Since my last blog, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several meetings - some sponsored by people from Hong Kong, others by officials from Macao, and one sponsored by Americans. When contemplating my trip abroad, I mentally prepared myself for the prospect of not being accommodated by officials in Asia, as disability issues are much less in the forefront here than in America. Let me further qualify that statement before I go on. I have met many young adults with disabilities and officials serving people with disabilities in Asia who are very committed to ensuring our civil rights as equal members of society. However, I do think it is correct to suggest that public awareness of disability issues is less widespread than in the U.S. However, I would guess that this gap between my home country and those in Asia will appreciably diminish in the next twenty years.
Back to my reason for this posting. As those of you with disabilities well know, we are adept at hiding our frustrations when people in society are either overly helpful or unintentionally not helpful at all. I’ve promised myself that I will try to be as patient as my impatient personality will permit while in Hong Kong regarding these issues. It is a daily struggle. However, when I am involved in meetings or programs sponsored by Americans, I do feel justified in expecting appropriate accommodations, as stipulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (enacted in 1990) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (implemented since 1978).
I participated in a fascinating conference sponsored by Americans recently. I will not mention the sponsoring agency, for I am well aware that blogs are public forums. Besides, the agency in question has been made aware of its oversights related to me, and I can only hope that the next person requesting accommodations is taken more seriously. When registering as a participant of this conference in November, I requested electronic copies of all handouts and PowerPoints. As a person who is blind, I fully accept the responsibility of notifying entities of my disability-related accommodation needs. I made my needs known in a polite way to the secretary and the head of the entity. I repeated my accommodation request two weeks before the conference took place to the head person and an administrative staff member. But, as happens all too often for those of us who require accommodations, nothing was done! Again, let me emphasize that, were this agency’s funds procured from Chinese sources, I would have been patient and would have seen this as yet another educational opportunity. But, the funding for this conference and the head of the entity sponsoring the conference were American.
I was so disappointed and angry at the lack of response to my request for electronic format. Once again, I sat in the audience but was left out of a significant part of participating in the conference. Some presenters used PowerPoints. Others gave us handouts to supplement their presentations. Finally, even the entity with which I made my request well in advance had a table displaying brochures about various topics. Again, none were made available to me.
During the first night of the conference, I was so angry that I knew I shouldn’t approach the sponsoring entity. I was worried that I might say something I would later regret. So, I waited until the next day to make sure that the situation had not improved. When there were even more PowerPoints and handouts, I got the attention of the head of the conference as he was asking how things were going and made my disappointment known. He suggested that he didn’t know who would be using PowerPoints and who would not. I calmly pointed out that those kinds of questions could have been put to presenters beforehand. He promised that the PowerPoints would be sent to me. However, two weeks have passed since the conference and I have yet to receive any electronic documents.
Ironically, the conference evaluation form was provided to me electronically. I’m guessing that is because the U.S. Government requires that all participants fill out conference evaluation forms. So, basically, the agency in question was able to accommodate my needs when related to forms that they must have. But, they were not willing to ensure that I was able to participate fully.
I must note that as the week progressed, the staff of the entity sponsoring the conference did become quite good at accommodating my mobility needs. Since the conference was held in a venue unfamiliar to me, someone picked me up every morning from a familiar location and brought me to the correct room. And, while conference attendees went sight seeing, a staff member always offered an arm to guide me. Performing sighted guide is a rather difficult and sometimes stressful process in many parts of Asia, as sidewalks are narrow, pavement is often uneven, and steps are irregular. Furthermore, traffic can be erratic. So, I’d like to make it clear that I remain extremely grateful for the help that was kindly offered to me.
As the conference wound down, I agonized about what I would write in the conference evaluation. How I admire my friends with disabilities who have no compunction criticizing those who fail to accommodate them! Each time I stick up for my own rights, it is an extremely upsetting process. My father has drilled into my head the need to be patient with people who don’t know better. So, whenever I contemplate writing something critical related to lack of follow-through on accommodation requests, I worry about offending people. And, I feel guilty about “causing a scene”. One would think that an advocate such as myself who believes so passionately in the disability rights movement would not have this much trouble. But, I assure you that I do.
I did comment on the lack of electronic access to the conference. And, I hope that my comments were taken as constructive criticism, rather than “the rantings of an embittered disabled person”. But, I’ve received no correspondence from the entity since the conference. So, I try not to worry about whether I offended the people in question. But, I do know that I tried to educate them so that the next person requesting accommodations through them would have a better experience than I did.
After reflecting on this situation, I am reminded of my constant frustration at how complicated having a disability can be. Not because I’m defective or unreasonable. Society needs so much education and continues to ignore our needs until their hand is forced. People who are unaware of social issues often say to me, “Well, we all have one kind of disability or another. Maybe you shouldn’t dwell on yours quite so much.” I offer them a challenge. Walk in my shoes during an event like I just described. Struggle with the emotions that I struggled with, and weigh the decisions I did. Then, tell me that I shouldn’t dwell on how my disability affects me.

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