SINGAPORE: Singaporeans today are more accepting of
people with disabilities as part of the community, workplace and
everyday life.
This is according to findings by the Society for the
Physically Disabled (SPD) which conducted a nationwide survey to
gather the public's perception towards people with
disabilities.
The study, which mirrors an earlier one conducted in
2009, is part of the Society's on-going 'I Accept' campaign which
aims to encourage the public to accept people with disabilities as
equal members of society.
A total of 904 respondents, aged between 15 and 65 took part in the
initiative.
It consisted of both street and online surveys conducted from
end-November till end-December last year.
The findings revealed that there is a considerable improvement in
the public's perceived barriers in communicating with people with
disabilities.
25.3 per cent of the respondents say they think it is harder to
communicate and deal with people with disabilities than
non-disabled people, compared to 43 per cent in 2009.
There is also a significant decrease in the number of people who
feel people with disabilities are dependent on others - from 47 per
cent in 2009 to 13.4 per cent in the 2011 polls.
53.1 per cent of those surveyed felt people with disabilities
should be accompanied by a non-disabled person when going out to
public places.
This is a slight fall from the 66 per cent polled in 2009.
Ninety-three per cent agreed that more can be done to help people
with disabilities on public transportation in Singapore.
Ninety-six per cent also expressed the need for more members of the
public to give way to people with disabilities while entering lifts
and boarding trains.
Nearly 80 per cent of 61 respondents who are in a position to hire
are open to employing people with physical disabilities.
SPD's president Ms Chia Yong Yong, said: "Besides generating
awareness and greater acceptance of people with disabilities in
major areas such as employment and education, we hope to also
cultivate graciousness in the public's everyday encounters with
people with disabilities such as showing a little more patience,
giving way and lending a helping hand.
"It is heartening to see improvements in the level of receptiveness
towards people with disabilities amongst Singaporeans, and we do
hope to see this trend continue, and to see more people with
disabilities integrated and included in our mainstream
society."
- CNA/fa