Having a Disability

Maybe someone has told you that you have a disability, or maybe you already know that you do. Maybe you don't know whether or not you have a disability and this is the first time you've even thought about it.

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Maybe you just want to learn about disabilities.

Either way, it doesn't really matter because it's never too late to learn more about disabilities. In fact, the more you know about them, the better you will be able to understand yourself and/or others that have a disability.

If you have a disability, knowing about it can help you make important decisions about your life and make sure that the right people are there to help you when you really need it. Understanding your disability and how it affects your activities at home, in the community, at school, and at work means becoming aware of yourself. It means knowing what you are good at, the kinds of things you need help with, and the kinds of support that work best for you.

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If you know someone else with a disability - like a friend, teacher, a family member, or neighbor - learning about it can help you to better understand their situation.

Having a disability is not something to be embarrassed about. It's just another part of what makes us who we are. There are many famous people that have disabilities, like Whoopi Goldberg (Learning Disability), Michael J. Fox (Parkinsons Disease), Tom Cruise (Attention Deficit Disorder), and Christopher Reeve, who is better known as Superman (Spinal Cord Injury). Each one of them has learned about their disability and used that knowledge to improve their lives and the lives of others. And so can you!