This book offers a critical investigation of the exclusion of individuals described as having 'learning difficulties' from participation in higher education. Using a postmodernist framework, the author explores the insights and experiences of a theatre group attempting to develop an undergraduate degree programme in the performing arts. In doing so, he provides a theoretical map of insights into discourses of power and knowledge, and makes transparent competing and contradictory discursive practices. Suggesting that 'learning difficulties' is a constructed and re-constructed discourse serving normative interests, the author demonstrates that despite the rhetoric of widening participation, individuals are intentionally beset by barriers, silenced and excluded from degree level participation. The author calls for a radical re-think of the notion of 'learning difficulties', segregated provision, access to employment in theatre, and critically questions the notion of participation in higher education. This pioneering volume will appeal to students and scholars of inclusive education, (critical) disability studies, cultural studies and the sociology of education.

Gender and Mental Health provides a critical introduction to the ways in which gender affects mental health experiences and mental health service use. The volume is unique in including a policy perspective and an overview-including a look at crime, the law, and service structures-of society's responses to mental disorders.

Recent research has challenged basic assumptions that women are more prone than men to mental disorders, and has highlighted the increasing visibility of men in psychiatric statistics in the twentieth century. Yet, gender differences continue to be intertwined with risk factors in socioeconomic conditions and in biased approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Prior here examines the individual experiences of mental disorders for both men and women and explores a range of mental health policy issues including concepts of normality, trends in mental health care legislation and service delivery, the differing impacts of national mental health policies on women and on men, and changing views of disorders linked with sexual identity and orientation.

Based on up-to-date information from both the United States and Europe, this volume will be useful to a broad range of scholars and professionals in psychology, sociology, social policy, gender studies, social work, medicine, and law.

In Reflections of Helen, Gary explains how the words and wisdom of Helen Keller have helped him in his life. More importantly, he hopes this book will help you in your life. As Helen Keller overcame her limitations, Gary shows you how to overcome challenges in your life. In this book, Gary will help you find the magic that is within you. Reflections of Helen will help you feel healthier and happier about your life. As Gary says, "We don't need sight to move in a positive direction - We need insight. The key to unlock the door to your future is inside you." This book can be a key to that door.

Unlike most histories of the medical profession between 1750 and 1850, which focus on a small handful of famous doctors and their discoveries, this book concentrates on the neglected but far larger group of rank and file practitioners: the surgeon-apothecaries of the late 18th century and the general practitioners of the early 19th century. Delving into an array of manuscript sources, Loudon examines their social and economic status, their background and training, their scientific methods and medical challenges, and their patients and pay-scales. He demonstrates that they actually faced unparalleled intraprofessional rivalry in an overcrowded profession during these years -- the effects of which are still seen in the structure of Britain's medical establishment today.

How should disability justice be conceptualised, not by orthodox human rights or capabilities approaches, but by a legal philosophy that mirrors an African relational community ideal? This book develops the first comprehensive answer to this question through the contemporary literature on African philosophy, which is relied upon to construct a legal philosophy of disability justice comprising of ethical ideals of community, human relationships and obligations. From these ideals, an African legal philosophy of disability justice is offered as a criterion for critically evaluating existing laws, legal and political institutions, as well as providing an ethical basis for creating new ones to ensure that they are inclusive to people with disabilities. In taking an alternative perspective on the subject, the book outlines and emphasises the need for a new public culture of obligations owed to people with disabilities, highlighting both the prospects and difficulties of achieving the ideal of disability justice that continues to elude the lived experiences of millions of Africans today. Oche Onazi's An African Path to Disability Justice is the first book-length exploration of disability in the light of African ethics, as contrasted with the human rights and capabilities frameworks. Of particular interest are Onazi's thoughtful reflections on how various conceptions of community salient in African moral philosophy--including group-based, reciprocal and relational--bear on what we owe to the disabled. --Thaddeus Metz, Distinguished Professor, University of Johannesburg

Fundamental rights for all people with disabilities, education and employment are key for the inclusion of people with autism. They play as facilitators for the social inclusion of persons with autism and as multipliers for their enjoyment of other fundamental rights. After outlining the international and European dimensions of the legal protection of the rights to education and employment of people with autism, the book provides an in-depth analysis of domestic legislative, judicial and administrative practice of the EU Member States in these fields. Each chapter identifies the good practices on inclusive education and employment of people with autism consistent with principles and obligations enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Articles 24 and 27). The book contains the scientific results of the European Project "Promoting equal rights of people with autism in the field of employment and education" aimed at supporting the implementation of the UN Convention in the fields of inclusive education and employment.

Examining the issues of treatment, organizational planning, and research, this multidimensional study offers a critique of both the theoretical and programmatic aspects of providing mental health services to traditionally underserved populations. Focusing on minority groups, the book uses the case of Hispanics to illustrate the largely unaddressed need for services that are relevant to social groups with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Vega and Murphy maintain that the present service system is socially insensitive, that mental health services in the United States were never designed to serve a multicultural population, and that, in general, those who dominate the current mental health system from administrator-clinicians to bureaucrats and politicians do not know how to direct their services to minority groups. Calling for fundamental reconceptualization and change, the book argues for community-based planning and intervention as an enlightened and necessary alternative, and provides a detailed description of such a program in terms of both philosophy and method. The eight chapters offer a reassessment based on understanding not only the rationale for these necessary services, but also the important philosophical and pragmatic issues that have resulted in the current, inadequate system; they provide the new thinking necessary to reframe the objectives of mental health services for cultural minorities. The early chapters explore some of the critical junctures in the community mental health movement between 1946 and 1981, the development of theory in the movement's early days, and the thrust of community-based intervention--the culture-specific methodology that has not been well-understood or implemented. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on the relationship between medicalization and the degradation of culture and on the reconceptualization of knowledge, order, illness, and intervention. The last three chapters analyze an example of community-based intervention in operation, and citizen involvement and the political aspects of community-based policies are reviewed. This timely discussion of the requirements for a socially responsible and community-based services delivery program lays the theoretical foundation for a future public mental health system. As such, it will prove invaluable and important reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the health and human services areas, including social work, clinical psychology, and medical sociology; it also has much to offer professional administrators and planners. Culture and the Restructuring of Community Mental Health has been designed to meet the needs of both academics and practitioners.

Developmental disabilities are the most numerous of disabilities, and they are exceptionally complex. This professional reference overviews developmental disabilities, discusses the information needs of people with developmental disabilities, and provides practical guidance to librarians and information professionals who serve them. Particular attention is given to the ramifications of the Americans with Disabilities Act for librarians. The first part of the book defines and describes developmental disabilities from perspectives relevant to librarians and information professionals. The second part examines key life issues that have a major impact on people with developmental disabilities. This section emphasizes the current trend toward the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in mainstream society. References to related information sources are included throughout. The third part looks at disabilities from the perspective of the library or other information agency. An appendix lists organizations, agencies, businesses, and libraries that provide additional materials.

This unique contribution to the literature represents an important adjunct in developing comprehensive policies that will meet the health care needs of underserved communities in American society. The book is readable and contains useful documentation. Recommended as an important reference for all academic audiences interested in the politics and delivery of health care. Choice Editors Woodrow Jones, Jr., and Mitchell F. Rice present a thorough analysis of the problems of health and health care particular to black Americans. The contributors to this work analyze the factor of race as it influences the availability, accessibility, and quality of health care. They focus on barriers to health care encountered by blacks, and attempt to differentiate the problems of the black community from those of other disadvantaged groups. Using epidemiological data, the initial chapters evaluate the general health of the black population. In subsequent chapters, the contributors examine particular problems of groups within the black community, problems which are based both on behavior and environment. The work concludes by assessing the adequacy of governmental response to the problems identified.

The first reference book written for the sight-impaired student and those who serve their needs, "A Field Guide for the Sight-Impaired Reader" explains how to locate, obtain, and integrate all forms of aid to construct a world of reading equal to that of the fully sighted reader. It profiles the major blind service organizations; explores specialized formats such as Braille, large print, and electronic texts; and shows what technology readers require and where to find it. It provides comprehensive lists of audio and large print publishers, a state-by-state listing of resource agencies for the blind, and valuable internet resources to assist students and their teachers and librarians in obtaining the texts they need to succeed in both academic and pleasure reading.

Beginning with thorough coverage of the national organizations in place for visually handicapped readers and how they can assist both students and librarians, "A Field Guide for the Sight-Impaired Reader" outlines the types of technology available to readers and the companies that manufacture it. Available software, braille resources, large print resources, and internet web sites are all discussed in detail, with contact information. Also included are reading strategies for a variety of academic subject areas, a detailed listing of state resources with addresses, phone numbers, and web sites, an exhaustive list of audio publishers, and a list of books compiled from recommended reading lists such as the American Library Association's Outstanding Books for the College Bound. A discussion of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its impact on libraries is provided, as well as funding sources for librarians who want to provide more materials and technology for their sight-impaired patrons than their budgets might allow. With the encouragement and resources provided here, sight-impaired students who felt the world of reading was closed off to them can now create a reading life as rich as that of any fully sighted student.

This book offers an empowering approach to working with people with an acquired brain injury (ABI) based upon the views and perspectives of people with ABI themselves. Drawing upon Christine Durham's own ABI experience and Paul Ramcharan's engagement in disability research over a quarter of a century, this volume gives voice to 36 participants with ABI, as well as carers and other professionals from both urban and rural areas. This unique perspective provides a long-needed, empathic alternative to the deficit-based model of ABI that dominates medical literature and existing rehabilitation models. In Insight into Acquired Brain Injury, the authors use educational and learning principles together with Durham's extensive archive of experiential data to offer a reframing of the nature and experience of ABI and relevant a set of practical, real-world tools for practitioners. These ready-to-adopt-and-adapt scripts, guided interviews, research checklists, thinking tools and other innovative techniques are designed to engage with people and colleagues about brain injury as a means of supporting them to feel and fare better. With compassion and first-hand awareness, Insight into Acquired Brain Injury provides a much-needed perspective that deepens current understanding and translates the complicated life-worlds of people living with ABI in order to motivate, empower and increase their participation.

I speak candidly about radiation sickness in a poignant manner, because of not only the fact concerning myself succumbing to it, but I wanted to create a memorable impact as well as there exist people scattered about this world as these same people are suffering and dying from this copiously sad disease, or affliction, or mans' desires to alter the enviornment as he is now doing more harm than aiding it. ...But as this story that is heart touching as it is revealing, the young victim still maintained a sense of gentleness and patience in the direction of his unprovoked enemies, which were those at the very nuclear power plant, in his eyes, gave him life; a chance at hope for a brighter future in a rural place, but still candidly holding onto the past in which he has grown. Becomming completely ravaged from the terrible effects of the high level of nuclear radiation and from the industrial accident in which he fell prey, this toxic waste worker still manages to keep himself peacefully aware of not only the ultimate consequences of their mistake, or inexcusable blunder that should never be forgotten or done again.

Contends that disability is a central but misunderstood element of global austerity politics. Broadly attentive to the political and economic shifts of the last several decades, Robert McRuer asks how disability activists, artists and social movements generate change and resist the dominant forms of globalization in an age of austerity, or "crip times." Throughout Crip Times, McRuer considers how transnational queer disability theory and culture-activism, blogs, art, photography, literature, and performance-provide important and generative sites for both contesting austerity politics and imagining alternatives. The book engages various cultural flashpoints, including the spectacle surrounding the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; the murder trial of South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius; the photography of Brazilian artist Livia Radwanski which documents the gentrification of Colonia Roma in Mexico City; the defiance of Chilean students demanding a free and accessible education for all; the sculpture and performance of UK artist Liz Crow; and the problematic rhetoric of "aspiration" dependent upon both able-bodied and disabled figurations that emerged in Thatcher's England. Crip Times asserts that disabled people themselves are demanding that disability be central to our understanding of political economy and uneven development and suggests that, in some locations, their demand for disability justice is starting to register. Ultimately, McRuer argues that a politics of austerity will always generate the compulsion to fortify borders and to separate a narrowly defined "us" in need of protection from "them."

Rochefort updates his classic comprehensive review of mental health policy issues in American society, beginning with early practices that predate the formal "mental health system" and ending with current debates about parity insurance coverage for mental illnesses, managed care, and Medicaid reform. At the same time, he provides a perspective on mental health policy analysis that draws on diverse work in the policy sciences, looks to both applied and theoretical concerns, and gives full recognition to the distinctive nature of mental health care problems. This new edition will be of enhanced value to policymakers in the mental health field as well as to students of American social welfare policy and public administration in general.

This book follows a physically disabled researcher's journey from stigmatized embodiment on her way to creating accessible storytelling performances. These unique performances function not only as traditional, peer-reviewed forms of critical qualitative research, but also as 'narrative teaching productions' that guide students and their audiences in the pursuit of social justice and equality. The book begins by developing the author's personal standpoint, and provides an evocative discussion of the multiple perceptions and identities experienced by those with disabled bodies. It negotiates how performance research can be created and conducted within the confines of course learning objectives, moves through complications encountered in research design and data collection, and explores a range of insightful responses from community members, social activists, and performance critics, as well as more traditional academic audiences. Critical autoethnographic personal narratives, performance scripts, and poetry are used to illuminate struggles over legitimate methodological practice and storytelling performance pedagogy. Each chapter confronts the fear of mortality that presses us to stigmatize those who remind us of our inescapably vulnerable embodiments and offers hope for an inclusive, adaptable culture. The book will be compelling reading for scholars in Performance Studies, Disability Studies, Cultural Studies, Narrative Methodology, Ethnography, Higher Education, Autoethnography, Creative Nonfiction and everyone interested embodiment and/or storytelling for social change. Please visit www.uncwstorytelling.org/chapter-summaries-1 to access supplementary material for the book.