An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

Functional Dependency

The FSF considers any person with any disability that keeps them from being fully functioning members of society and living independently with minimal assistance from others to have a Functional Dependency. Life functions that fall under this concept include, but are not limited to:

• going to work independently;
• performing required tasks or adapted tasks independently;
• enjoying fair compensation towards basic living and leisure expenses; and
• belonging to a community that accepts them and includes them as equals in social activities.

Types of Disabilities

1. Physical — Limitations that affect the body’s physiological functions and prevent the adequate performance of daily tasks.

2. Mental — Limitations that affect a person’s cognitive or neurological functions and interfere with reasonable participation in daily life.

3. Emotional — Limitations that affect a person’s behavioral or developmental functions and interfere with reasonable participation in daily life.

4. Developmental — Limitations that affect a person’s age appropriate growth, experience, and learning which interferes with reasonable participation in daily life.

5. Behavioral — Limitations that affect a person’s sense of belonging and ability to enjoy healthy relationships which interfere with reasonable participation in community life.

6. Invisible — Undiagnosed failure to launch or relaunch a stable lifestyle.

Example Consequences of Disability

1. Physical — e.g. chronic disease or disorder; impaired vision, hearing, or mobility

2. Mental — e.g. addiction, depression, criminal behavior

3. Emotional — e.g. largely dependent on others for daily needs

4. Developmental — e.g. inability to access relevant education or job training

5. Behavioral — e.g. homebound or homeless; feeling alienated or excluded from community

6. Invisible — e.g. limitations resulting from an inability to recover from a personal crisis inflicted externally that prevent them from regaining an independent lifestyle even after many years have elapsed since the crisis