Normalization
There was one time back in the day when people with disabilities were kept isolated from the rest of society such as being put into institutions. In 1969, Niels Bank-Mikkelson and Bengt Nirge formed a sociology and psychology theory in Scandinavia. They theorized that normalization is the acceptance of people with disabilities to have the same opportunities as everyone else. At first the theory was applied to people with mental retardation but today it includes all people with disabilities.
Advocates have taken the position that the word “normalization” applies to the environment rather than a specific person or disability. The idea is to focus on including everybody with disabilities rather than what “normal” means. Everybody’s “normal” is different since we are all unique individual with unique needs.
The principle of normalization is that people with disabilities have the right to have their own freedom and to make their own decisions in their life. Everybody, including people with disabilities have the right to equal employment and an education. They also should have the same access to recreational activities along with the right to expand their horizons read my column about a man with Cerebral Palsy http://www.masslive.com/neighborhoodsplus/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1273562497267320.xml&coll=1