Independent Living Institute

Report of the International Expert Seminar
Building Concept for the Handicapped

Stockholm, Sweden, April 10-12, 1984

Contents

Costs and Benefits of Accessible Environments: A Case Study

By Adolf Ratzka, Ph.D.

In this paper I will first give a very simplified theoretical justification for public subsidization of accessibility measures. I then present the results of a recent study as an illustration both of a methodological approach and of the various costs and benefits involved. I conclude the presentation with a few remarks on the role of economic evaluations in this area.

Följande artikel publicerades 1982 i maj och juni-numren av Svensk Handikapptidskrift. Det var 2 år före STIL:s tillkomst. I en tid där den etablerade handikapprörelsen kämpade som hårdast för sina institutionella boendeformer av typ boendeservice eller förstärkt (more of the same) boendeservice. Så här i efterhand är det lätt att se att artikeln har historiskt värde. Den lanserade begreppen:

"personlig assistent",
"personlig assistans i brukarregi"
finansiering av personlig assistans genom riksförsäkringsverket.

Det tog 12 år tills visionen blev verklighet.

Adolf D. Ratzka, Ph.D.
www.independentliving.org/ratzka.html
Independent Living Institute, Sweden
www.independentliving.org

Arranged by Handikappombudsmannen in cooperation with
Independent Living Sverige
Stockholm, Sweden 24 August 1998

På svenska

More and more countries have anti-discrimination legislation in connection with disability. At the conference on Legislation for Human Rights held in Stockholm on 24 August 1998 experts from several countries with such legislation presented how the legislation has functioned in their countries and their reflections on the situation of disabled people in their respective country.

In Sweden the traditional disability policy has been focused on support to the individual and compensation of disadvantages through special services.

(Dr. Ratzka was invited to present this paper at the European Conference on New Technologies and Disability "An Open Market" MCYT/CERMI in Madrid February 6-7, 2002 in connection with Spain's European Union Presidency, but was prevented from traveling by influenza.)

.

Dr. Adolf Ratzka
Independent Living Institute

www.independentliving.org
www.independentliving.org/ratzka.html

Zu meiner Person

Ich komme ursprünglich aus Bayern, bekam im Alter von 17 Jahren Polio, verbrachte 5 Jahre in Krankenhäusern aus Mangel an rollstuhlgerechten Wohnungen und praktischen Hilfen im Alltag. Mit 22 Jahren bekam ich die Möglichkeit direkt vom Krankenhaus in München in ein Studentenwohnheim in Los Angeles zu ziehen um dort zu studieren - mit elektrischem Rollstuhl und Beat mungsgerät, ohne Familie oder Bekannte im neuen Land.

by Adolf D. Ratzka, PhD (1), 2003

Contents

1. Origins of the movement in Sweden

1.1. The situation of persons with disabilities in Sweden in the 1980s

The movement of persons with disabilities

1.2. “Folkhem” revisited

Preparing the ground

1.3. The 1983 Conference on Independent Living

1.4. STIL’s proposal

I am a researcher by training working for the Independent Living Institute where we design and implement pilot projects in order to influence social policy towards self-determination and self-respect for persons with disabilities.

Adolf D. Ratzka, Ph.D., August 2003
Independent Living Institute
www.independentliving.org

The notes are intended to serve as a checklist for planning training sessions, seminars, workshops or conferences on Independent Living.

Planning process