Ithaca College

Defining a Disability

A disability is a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or group. Disabilities are classified under individual functioning difficulties including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment, mental illness, and various types of chronic diseases. A person’s disability may be present from birth or may occur later on in life.

Facts about Disabilities in the US:

• Of the 69.6 million families in the US, more than 20 million have at least one family member with a disability.
• People with disabilities are nearly twice as likely as people without disabilities to have an annual household income of $15,000 or less.

These facts were provided by Disability Funders Organization. For more facts please visit: http://www.disabilityfunders.org/disability-stats-and-facts

“No one expects to become disabled, but it happens every day generally without warning. Living a life with a disability can be a challenge for sure. However, those who decide to fight it with zeal, come out as winners. Please remember that life is all about how you perceive it. Make life rewarding and cherish every moment you have with the ones you care about the most.”

This information was provided by Disabled-World. For more information please visit: http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/

Don’t forget to sign up for the Disabilities Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, October 19th. Please call 4-8000 or e-mail benefits@ithaca.edu to RSVP.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Alison Bowman in Human Resources at abowman@ithaca.edu or x4-8000. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.

Work/Life: We believe in the integration of work and life outside of work.