Page 26 - DEDU506_SPECIAL_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Special Education Dinesh Kumar, Lovely Professional University

Notes
Unit 4: Physically Challenged: Definition, Types,
Characteristics

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
4.1 Definition
4.2 Types of Physical Disabilities
4.3 Characteristics of Physically Handicapped Children
4.4 Summary
4.5 Keywords
4.6 Review Questions
4.7 Further Readings

Objectives

The objectives of this unit can be summarized as below:
• to define the physically challenged children.
• to explain the types of physical disabilities.
• to describe the characteristics of physically handicapped children.

Introduction

A challenge (disability) consists of the objectively defined impairment of structure and function. For
example, the loss of vision in one eye is challenge (disability). The visual field of a one-eyed man is,
no doubt, constricted. Again, the detection of the direction of a sound by a child who is deaf in one
ear may be diminished. But these cannot be regarded as "handicap". The 'handicap' arises from the
cumulative effects of the disability and the personal and social consequences which have a detrimental
effect on the person's functional level. So the distinction between 'challenge' and 'handicap' is pertinent
here. Again, all medically defined disabilities do not operate as handicaps. The disabilities of a blind
man operate as a 'handicap' only when he competes with the normal sighted in activities involving
sight.
The different studies have shown that the extent to which any disability handicaps its possessor
always depends upon circumstances. Some disabilities are there which do not operate really as a
handicap. For example, colour blindness is a handicap for a navigating officer or a driver, but not for
all. Similarly, a stammered can be successful scientist, but he may not be a good orator. By providing
hearing and for hard-of-hearing and self-propelled chairs for paraplegics, some disabilities can be
mitigated. Here we will discuss about all types of physically challenged children. It includes all
types of physical impairment visual, haring speech and orthopedic impairment.

4.1 Definition

Physically Challenged individuals are those who have non-sensory physical limitations i.e. limitation
not because of sense organs like eyes or ears, but because of other organs like limbs, bones, joints or
muscles.
The physical challenge is a relatively visible challenge and it becomes more so by the societies
prejudices for a disfigured body. The person who doesn’t appear normal is an applied label, which

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