Disability-as with other marginalized topics in social policy-is at risk for exclusion from social debate. This multivolume reference work provides an overview of challenges and opportunities for people with disabilities and their families at all stages of life.

Once primarily thought of as a medical issue, disability is now more widely recognized as a critical issue of identity, personhood, and social justice. By discussing challenges confronting people with disabilities and their families and by collecting numerous accounts of disability experiences, this volume firmly situates disability within broader social movements, policy, and areas of marginalization, providing a critical examination into the lived experiences of people with disabilities and how disability can affect identity.

A foundational introduction to disability for a wide audience-from those intimately connected with a person with a disability to those interested in the science behind disability-this collection covers all aspects of disability critical to understanding disability in the United States. Topics covered include characteristics of disability; disability concepts, models, and theories; important historical developments and milestones for people with disabilities; prominent individuals, organizations, and agencies; notable policies and services; and intersections of disability policy with other policy.

Takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying disability in America

Traces the evolution of U.S. attitudes and policies towards disability through primary documents featuring context-setting headnotes

Provides easy reference via a glossary of terms related to disability studies, including those in the areas of law, health, arts, and culture

Includes contributions from major scholars across disciplines involved in the study of disability