What is a disability?

Disability occurs on a spectrum. An individual with a disability is defined as someone with a physical or mental impairment which impacts that person’s major life activities. There isn’t an exhaustive list of disabilities; if you are experiencing limitations because of an impairment, you should get in touch with our office. Sometimes disability-related accommodations are simple -- a power door for example. Sometimes the accommodation(s) can be complex; our job is to work with you so that together we maximize your access.

Disabilities can be visible (such as someone who uses a wheelchair or a person who uses hearing aids or who uses a cane to assist with vision loss). The majority of disabilities are invisible (such as learning disorders, or depression, or someone who has a chronic illness.). Whether your disabilities are visible or invisible, temporary or chronic, the OAE wants to assist each individual find accommodations which work for them in a completely individualized process.