Discussion Lists Focus Attention on Disability in Development
July 21, 2003, Washington, DC
by Andrea Shettle
Exclusion of disability concerns from development research and programs sometimes happens unintentionally: Professionals may mistakenly assume that their project "already serves everyone" without needing any special accommodations.
Other mainstream international development programs may mistakenly assume that working with people with disabilities requires "special expertise." Researchers and service providers may conclude that they should leave this population's concerns to the "disability experts."
Disability experts do have invaluable knowledge, skills, and insight to offer, and often prove an indispensable resource in developing nations. However, disability experts do not necessarily have expertise in any of the many specialized academic, policy, or technical disciplines so critical to achieving the full economic, social, political, and educational empowerment of people with disabilities in developing countries.
The DEAFINTL mailing list -- Deaf Empowerment and Advancement Fellowship International -- serves deaf people in developing countries, their supporters, and other interested parties. The list gives participants the opportunity to exchange information, advice, news, and resources related to facilitating the self-empowerment of deaf individuals and communities in developing societies.
For more information, including instructions on how to subscribe to the list and a link to the archives, visit DEAFINTL's home page, following the link at the end of this item.
The PRD List -- Poverty Reduction and Disability -- focused on poverty reduction among people with disabilities in developing countries. This list could become a very useful companion to DEAFINTL.
Those interested in learning more about PRD-L, or in joining the list, should E-mail Patrick Burke [burke@ucla.edu].
See http://drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu/~red_trek/deafintl for more information.