Abstract

Despite changes in the nature of supported accommodation services for people with learning disabilities, little progress was made during the '70s, '80s and '90s in addressing the extent of unmet need. While the advent of Supporting People has more recently led to an increase in the volume of provision, unmet need continues to be a major concern to people with learning disabilities and their families. There is good reason to believe that, as a result of changes in the demographic profile of people with learning disabilities, changes in expectations and changes in the pattern of informal care, this issue will become substantially more pressing over the coming two decades. This paper attempts to estimate the nature and extent of increased need.

Introduction

The last four decades have witnessed dramatic changes in the way we have provided supported accommodation for people with learning disabilities. In 1976, more than 50,000 people with learning disabilities were living in large-scale NHS long-term institutional provision. In effect, institutionalisation was the only option for people with learning disabilities who could not live relatively independently and who, for whatever reason, no longer lived with their family. In 2006 the last of these NHS institutions will close. In their place we now have an array of smaller, more community-orientated provision (Emerson, 2004).

There is little doubt that these changes have, overall, been to the benefit of people with learning disabilities and informal carers (Emerson & Hatton, 1994; Hatton & Emerson, 1996). There is also little doubt that the gains made are still far from sufficient to afford many people with learning disabilities an acceptable quality of life (Emerson et al, 2005).

Improving the quality of supported accommodation is, however, only part of the problem we are currently facing. The other key part relates to increasing the supply of supported accommodation services in order to meet current and future need and demand. The 1971 White Paper Better Services identified a significant shortfall in the volume of provision, and set specific targets for increasing volume by 1991. The best estimate is that no progress at all was made towards these targets over the following three decades (Emerson & Hatton, 1998), and that unmet need for supported accommodation for people with learning disabilities continued to constitute a major problem

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is "An Act to establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability" (Preamble, ADA, 1990). One definition of disability discrimination given in the law is the failure to provide accommodation (ADA, 1990). The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC; 1999) called the accommodation request process a fundamental feature of the ADA. The ADA does not mandate employment, it prohibits discrimination.

Research into the employment goals of the law makes the assumption that the ADA accommodation request process is viable (DeLeire, 2000; Moon, Chung, & Yang, 2003; Stapleton & Burkhauser, 2003, Wells, 2001). These studies, some using the same data sources, generate opposing answers on the ADA's impact on employment all the while ignoring the fundamental request process of the ADA. Other research looks into the behaviors of entities covered by the law, but these may not be relevant to the ADA's goals. For example, Bruyere (1999) surveyed 1,402 human resource departments on their preparedness to accommodate and reported that most said they were making changes. However, there was no way of knowing from that study whether the changes were initiated by, or even affected employees and/or job seekers with disabilities. Hernandez, Keys, and Balcazar's (2000; 2004) indicated that employers and representatives of the private and public sector express positive attitudes about the employment and access rights of workers with disabilities, but their behaviors may not match their attitudes. Relevant ADA behaviors have not been researched.

The meaning of the attitudes and opinions of people with disabilities in terms of their actual behaviors and the effect of ADA is also unclear. People with disabilities know about the law and are in favor of it (NOD/Harris, 2000; 2002), and some think it has not accomplished much (Hinton, 2003; NOD/Harris, 2004). The National Council On Disability's (NCD) (1995) collection of testimonies from people with disabilities affirmed the well known benefit of receiving accommodations. However, the NCD study did not describe the ADA request process in light of disability discrimination, that is, the refusal to accommodate. The functional impact of the law--the behaviors of the people who could make ADA requests and those who receive ADA requests is not known.

This collection of five essays examines ethnic and economic conflict in small communities in northern New York state in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Presented by Oullette (history and American studies, Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont) the papers specifically discuss the ethnic tensions surrounding the trial of a French Canadian immigrant for the murder of a middle-class Yankee in Plattsburgh, the broad experience of French Canadians working as waged industrial labor in Plattsburgh, the institutionalization of ethnic conflict among French Canadian and Irish immigrant mill workers in Keeseville, social and economic tensions arising from the arrival of the Great Northern Railroad in Ellenburgh, and resistance to police enforcement of Prohibition in the 1920s.

You’ve finally decided to take the family on the long awaited trip to DisneyWorld. Now you have to decide where to stay while you’re there. The options may seem limited, but there really are more choices than you might think.

Important Points to Consider When Choosing Accommodations

Before you make your final decision regarding your accommodations, there are a few factors that should be taken into consideration. First and formost is your budget. Obviously, the larger your budget the more options that are available to you.

You also need to consider number of people in your party. A family of 4 can usually fit into an average room at one of the many Disney Resort properties or an off-site hotel quite comfortably. However, if your party is larger than 4, or includes several families or a large group travelling together you will need more space and you may want to consider an off-site vacation home or resort condo. Another option for large families is to book 2 or more adjoining rooms at a hotel.

What type of amenities are important to you and your family? Is privacy and seclusion a high priority for you? Or are you more concerned with the type of amenities available to you during your stay? Will you have a car, either your own or a rental? Or will you need transportation to and from the parks? Do you plan on spending the majority of your vacation on Disney property, or are you interested in spending some time away from the theme parks and exploring the many other attractions central Florida has to offer?

The answers to all of these questions will help to make your choice of accommodations much easier.

The Pros and Cons of On-Site Accommodations

Most first time visitors to the Orlando area choose to stay at one of the many Walt Disney World Resort Properties. These properties have long had a reputation for being clean, well maintained, and very family friendly. The excellent service provided by the Disney staff is also a big plus. Other advantages of staying on-site at one of the resort properties is the use of the resort’s transportation system. There is no need to rent a car if you plan on spending your entire stay at the Disney theme parks. There is an extensive transportation system available to guests that will take you anywhere you want to go within the resort. However, if you think you may want to venture off-site to some of the other attractions, restaurants, or shows in the Orlando area then you will need to find your own transportation.

Your vacation budget should also be carefully considered if you are planning on staying on-site. The resort accommodations tend to be more expensive than off-site alternatives, and rooms are limited. It may be difficult to find availability if you are planning your trip at the last minute.

The Pros and Cons of Off-Site Accommodations

Many visitors to the Orlando area, especially first time visitors, are not aware of the many off-site accommodation options available to them. There are hotels, motels, resorts, and privately owned condos and vacation pool homes all within a 10 - 15 minute drive of the parks. All of these are viable alternatives to staying within the Walt Disney World Resort.

Choosing an off-site hotel or motel can be a good alternative to on-site accoommodations. Many offer free shuttles to and from the theme parks and other popular area attractions. This can be very convenient and can also save you from paying daily parking fees. However, shuttle times can be limiting and may not fit your party’s schedule. On the plus side, many guests enjoy being able to “escape” the Disney atmosphere at the end of a long day. On the other hand, the quality of off-site hotels and motels can vary greatly and is often inconsistant, unlike the resort properties with their high standards of excellence.

Another accommodation option that has been growing steadily in popularity, especially among U.S. visitors to the Orlando area are privately owned vacation homes. These homes can be booked through one of the many management companies in the Orlando area, or even through a travel agent.

A vacation home offers guests comfort, convenience, and privacy. Often, large families or groups find it more cost effective to rent a larger vacation home rather than book 2 or more hotels rooms. Vacation homes also offer the opportunity to save money on dining out, as each home comes with a fully equipped kitchen that allows guests to prepare some, or all of their own meals during their stay. Many guests also appreciate the privacy that a vacation home provides.

Some vacation homes are located in resort communities and offer guests the use of all the resort amenities such as swimming pools, fitness centers, tennis courts, and game rooms. If these amenities are important to you, be sure to confirm that the home you are reserving is located in one of these resort communities. If it is not, you will still have the use of your own private swimming pool but will miss out on the other amenities.

Hostels have been around in one form or another for a long time. They are oriented towards young travelers and anyone else seeking cheap accommodations. The United States version was originally more complicated, with guests helping with chores, etc. It is much simpler now: you rent a bed instead of a room, sharing the bathroom, living room and kitchen. You have less privacy, but cheaper accomodations, and you get to socialize.

My first time in Quito, Ecuador I stayed at Centro Del Mundo, a hostel near the center of town. $4 per night included breakfast. I shared a room and bathroom with 4 others, and a T.V. room with guests from 14 countries, and channels in three languages. 80 cents got me a rum-and-coke to drink while I played chess with a flower-buyer from Holland. The manager could arrange anything from tours of the snow-covered volcano Cotapaxi, to $2/hour Spanish lessons.

Is A Hostel For You?

I love hostels, but most of you won’t. I like mingling with travelers from around the world. You’re more isolated in a hotel. “Mingling,” of course, could mean sleeping next to a snorer. I’m sure the idea of sharing a room is too much for some people, as is waiting to use the shower. It’s a different experience from staying in a hotel.

Are Hostels Cheap Accomodations?

Even if they were the same price, I’d prefer a hostel to a hotel, but one of the biggest reasons people stay in hostels is to save money. For this, they’re a good option when you’re traveling alone. Since my wife and I travel together now, we don’t stay in hostels often. You pay for two beds, after all, which makes hotels more competitve.

Hostels are not as common in the U.S. as in other countries, unless you include “bed-and-breakfast” places. Theses are, after all, somewhat like high-priced hostels. There are still cheap hostels in almost every state, though. Search Google for hostels, and you’ll find all the information you need.

Other Cheap Accommdations

For cheap accomodations other than hostels, you can try websites, such as Cheap Tickets.com. Remember though, that they only give you rates for the hotels and motels in their system. I just did a search for Tucson, Arizona. Cheap Tickets.com was the easiest to use, and found the best rates. However, I could show you several nice motels here in Tucson that are $15 cheaper than the cheapest rate they found.

Try picking up those coupon books at gas stations along the highways. We’ve almost always found good deals using these. It’s rare that a manager won’t honor the coupon. Generally, only if they’re absolutely full will they refuse. Read the fine print, though, since they often charge more for certain dates, weekends, or for two people.

Another way to get a cheap room is by negotiating. Unfortunately, for some reason, most owners here in the U.S. would rather watch you drive away than knock five bucks off the room rate. This isn’t true in most other countries. My wife and I were in Banos, Ecuador recently, and were told the room would be $12. The room was clean, with cable T.V. and lots of hot water. We paid just $6 per night, paying four nights in advance. The owner understood we were ready to walk away.