Describes how personal rights of the physically disabled are violated in public situations and examines how the disabled react to these violations. Social work can assist disabled persons in developing coping strategies to preserve their dignity and can educate the ablebodied public regarding the rights of the disabled. (JAC)

People perceive the disabled as quite different from the ablebodied in personality characteristics and attitudes. Present research examined whether these perceptions are affected by contact with the disabled. Results suggest that only when very extensive and intimate contact occurs are disabled seen as fairly similar to the ablebodied. (Author)

Investigated the extent to which able-bodied and disabled college student accept biblical notions associating sin and disability. A substantial minority believed sin can cause disability. People with the strongest agreement with biblical ideas had the least contact with the disabled. (Author)

The effects of a naturally occurring situation on perceived similarity of physically disabled students were investigated with 466 able bodied university students. Within each of three samples (segregated dormitory, integrated dormitory, and integrated roommate), half of the individuals were randomly selected to rate a same-sex able bodied person…

Questionnaires were distributed to 178 physically disabled persons attending the 1976 Illinois White House Conference on the Handicapped to assess their view of their disabilities. Analysis of responses (eighty-eight, or 52 per cent, completed the questionnaires) indicated general agreement that disability was not a terrible thing, but attitudes…

Research investigates three- to five-year olders understanding of disability in other children. The results indicate that four- to five-year olds significantly favored the ablebodied children over the disabled child. (Author)