A Further Examination of Special Needs vs. Special Treatment

In my experience, the scale weighing special needs vs. special treatment is very complex. The privileges I receive range from my being moved to the front of my favorite band’s autograph line up to my being permitted use of the reserved computers at my university library. In my last column, I discussed some of these “special treatments” and how the reactions I get from those around me differ depending on whether the treatment is deemed necessary to accommodate my special needs or as unfair special treatment. Now I want to shed some insight on how these special privileges are necessary to my special needs.

The Special Needs Argument

While I am offered privileges that may seem like unfair advantages to many spectators, I can assure you they are often necessary to accommodate my special needs. For instance upon applying for OSAP I was given immediate service in line. While privileges like these are definitely not directly disability-related (for instance I can wait in line in my wheelchair just as easily as anyone else). However, many people aren’t aware that I must hire and pay an attendant to go with me on errands such as these. This makes waiting in a long line up more costly for me than it would be for someone who can go on their own.

Although special treatment like this does impact me in a positive way, it’s not in place for my personal benefit, and so it’s often not as advantageous as it might seem. Therefore, I believe jumping the line at the OSAP office should be considered a privilege that further balances the scale of special needs vs. special treatment more than a spectator might think.

Let’s look at it from the other side. Once in a while, when special consideration may be warranted due to the effects of a disability, special treatment is simply not available. For instance I once had to pay an attendant to stay late to help me work on a school project that I needed help finishing. As you can probably guess, incidents like this cause considerably more inconvenience to a student with a disability than they do for an able-bodied student who chooses to work all night, and can do so alone. I find, on these occasions, the so-called “special privilege” of an attendant’s paid assistance is actually less likely to encourage me to practice skills that I might otherwise master if I had the luxury of being able to work on my own.

Another example would be washing dishes. I often don’t expend very much effort doing my own dishes because I know I am guaranteed assistance with such tasks. I believe privileges such as these actually discourage me from being independent in many ways, and can further throw the scale of special needs vs. special treatment off balance.

There are advantages and disadvantages on either side of the scale, and true equality only lies directly in the middle. The scale is balanced when, in attending to a task, I either succeed independently or the special services I receive are equal to the deficits caused by my disability. A good example of this would be note-takers who take my notes for me during a class lecture.

With so many factors and perspectives in play, maintaining a balance based on equality can be a tricky business. To do this, remember that equality definitely doesn’t exist at either extreme. If you get too many special privileges that are unrelated to your disability you may be compromising your independence; while on the other hand if you don’t take advantage of special privileges to enhance your quality of life you will suffer and miss out due to your disability.

You don’t need to refuse every kind gesture, but you also don’t need to accept help that you don’t require. In many cases you’ll find that special privileges will enable you to put your energy into other struggles. Alternatively, when you need special treatment and it’s not available try to stay level-headed, and above all don’t loose heart. You’d be surprised how the compassion of an innocent passersby comes through in such situations, or how the lack of available help forces your to adapt and use new skills - asserting your independence. See, in both situations you’re rewarded with an outcome.

If you desire true equality, keep striving for that point of balance between “special needs” and “special treatment.” It exists where your limitations are no more significant than those of the general population.

As you work towards it, keep on rolling in the city.