Types of impairments

Impairments can be permanent, temporary, or situational. They can also be invisible. Removing barriers to access helps many people, not just those considered disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). See below for some examples of various types of impairments.

• Vision impairments:
  • A person who is blind has a permanent vision impairment.
  • A person with an eye injury has a temporary vision impairment.
  • A person in a bright environment has a situational vision impairment.
• Hearing impairments:
  • A person who is deaf has a permanent hearing impairment.
  • A person with an ear infection has a temporary hearing impairment.
  • A person in a noisy room has a situational hearing impairment.
• Mobility impairments:
  • A person who is paralyzed has a permanent mobility impairment.
  • A person with a broken arm has a temporary mobility impairment.
  • A person carrying a large box has a situational mobility impairment.
• Cognitive impairments:
  • A person diagnosed as having dyslexia has a permanent cognitive impairment.
  • A person with a concussion has a temporary cognitive impairment.
  • A distracted driver has a situational cognitive impairment.
• Speech impairments:
  • A person with apraxia of speech has a permanent speech impairment.
  • A person with laryngitis has a temporary speech impairment.
  • A person with a heavy accent has a situational speech impairment.