Germany Part 3
Accessibility:
“Under German law, people with disabilities are entitled to help and assistance in order to avert, eliminate, or improve their disability.” (Book 9 of the Social Code of Germany) Because of this statement; accessibility to technology, and availability of accommodations are not scarce.
• Of technology
The German UPA Association of German Usability and User Experience Professionals are aware that many times those with disabilities are given a lesser experience when it comes to technology and life in general. Because of this, they are determined to create an inclusive society for technology without barriers using Universal Design. It is user-oriented and economically safe for all. Although this association can be used by anyone in Germany; this Association would be especially beneficial for those with a disability for making their technology customizable to fit their needs and make is accessible to them and as easy to use as it is for anyone. “Examples include a braille display for blind people or a special keyboard for people with a spastic paralysis of the hand” (German UPA, 2016.) This is only one of the ways that Germany has conformed to making life for people with disabilities easier and technology more accessible.
• Of Assistive technology
The BEH (Bundesfachverband Elektronische Hilfsmittel) is the largest German association of retailers and manufacturers in Germany whose goal is quality service for people who need assistive technology. They develop research and innovate in the field of assistive technology between associations for the disabled and independent advisory offices. Their current technologies include mobile aids, speech output equipment, work-place equipment, magnifying lenses, cameras, braille, emergency call systems, and communication aids. Most of these aids are covered by health insurance so they are easily accessible.
• Availability of accommodations
“If disabled children cannot receive sufficient assistance in ordinary schools, special schools must help them to achieve the educational aims that are within their capabilities” (German Law Journal, 2014.) The schools in Germany assist each students needs to the best of their abilities throughout the year; and at the end they decide if the child needs to go to a specialized school for hearing, language, physical/motor function, etc.
Another accommodation people with disabilities have in Germany is advanced vocational training in the workplace and retraining if wanted. They are also entitled to work part-time if need be. Another accommodation for the workplace in Germany is the mandatory allowance of assistive technologies there if someone needs to use it during their work day.
• Brief History of Institutionalization
Germany was home of the Holocaust in the 1930’s and many only hear about the discrimination that those who practiced Judaism faced during this time. However it was not just Jewish people; but those with disabilities as well. Experiments were practiced on them because their lives were thought of as less worthy of surviving. This mistreatment continued into the fifties and sixties as people who were disabled were thought of as ill and similar to America; put into mental institutions. Things there now as mentioned previously have changed dramatically as their laws are fair and allow for everyone to thrive scholarly, socially, and in the workforce.
Healthcare:
According to the article named “Health care in Germany: Health insurance in Germany” (IQWIG, 2018) All residents of Germany are required by law to have health insurance. They are known to having one of the best healthcare regimens in the world because of this while most have private health insurance options. Majority of these people have statutory health insurance, which is based on solidarity; meaning that if you make more then you pay more for health insurance. Children are covered under their parents up to age 18 depending on if they are continuing their education or in vocational training. If they are disabled they can be covered by their parents insurance for their entire lives. All of the statutory insurances offer standard medical treatments and healthcare services. Options of insurance are the GKV (Government Health Insurance System), the PKV (Private Health Insurance) or a combination of the two. I will go into detail about what the GKV and PKV are.
If your salary is less than 59,400 euros per year, the GKV insurance is necessary (Townsend, 2018.) The medical benefits provided by this plan include in-patient care with a doctor, out-patient care with a doctor, and dental care. This plan does not include Surgeries, private rooms, alternative procedures, or vision care.
The private health insurance is for people who make more than 59,400 euros per year, are self-employed, or are a German civil servant. People with private health insurance are considered private patients and get much better individual care than the government insurance plan. They receive doctors who are more qualified to treat their individual needs, as well as reducing risk of co-pays. Overall they pay more for their insurance, but in the long run the care is more beneficial and tailored.
Advocacy:
The first local community service I found is called “Personliche Assistenz Kostenlose Bertung” which translates to Personal Assistance and free advice. It is located in Berlin. They consult with people who are disabled after an application process and work towards self-determined living; making their own decisions. The personal assistance allows the disabled to have support with their home, leisure, and work assistance. These services are free and there are many ways to contact the company. Their email is: kontakt@assistenz.com, their website is: https://assistenz.de/kontakt/, and their phone number is: 303-642-8663
The second local community service I found is called the “Workshop for Adapted Work” in Dusseldorf. It is a workplace for people with disabilities. They emphasize integration, rehabilitation, promotion, and equal treatment for all of their workers. They state they have a strong community of disabled and non-disabled workers; which help all of their workers to achieve greatness in their company, as well as prepare them for work elsewhere. They want their workers to obtain a good life through their employment with their company. Their office phone number is: 211-822-584-4964.
The third local community service in Germany I have located is the KNW. It is a private emergency transportation service located in Frankfurt. They guarantee short waiting times and flexible schedules for their greatest convenience. The transportation service offers wheelchair transports, carrycots, and lying transports. They can transport people all throughout the city and to emergency centers if needed. Their phone number is: 069-915-4893.
The last local service in Germany for disabilities is called the Stadhaushotel, which is in Hamburg. It is the first and most famous integration hotel in Europe that was founded in 1993 which hires AND houses people with disabilities. It started with parents of eight children who were handicapped and they put them to work around the hotel, and it continued the tradition on until now. Their phone number is: 494-038-9920-0, and their email is: zufrieden@stadthaushotel.com
The specific region that has a resource for people with disabilities is the Lower Saxony region. The rest of the regions did not have any specific resources for their regions, but fall under the categories to be able to use national resources. The resource for not only people with disabilities but also the elderly who are living in nursing homes is a protection law for their residential care. The law’s purpose is as follows; to protect the dignity, interests and needs of residents of care facilities, to allow the residents of care facilities an appropriate and individual lifestyle and to maintain as well as to promote their independence, self-determination, self-responsibility and participation in community and cultural life, to ensure the operator of a facility respects the duties named above, to ensure the participation of the residents in residential life, to secure adequate quality of housing and care, to promote guidance for affairs concerning the facilities, to promote cooperation between authorities responsible for implementing this law and the operators of care facilities and their associations” (World Health Organization, 2018.) This law protects their rights and their freedom living in the region of Lower Saxony and it allows for them to express their individuality, despite feeling though some has been lost due to living in a nursing home or assisted living.
The European commission is a national resource that those who are disabled and live in Germany can use to determine if they are entitled to benefits or not through pensions. It has a list of eligibility requirements, how to apply for the benefits, application forms, the rights of the person, and more information on the site. This is available for all European Nation-States. Their phone number is: 00800-6789-1011 or they can be reached through an email server on the website which is: https://europa.eu/european-union/contact/write-to-us_en.
The World Blind Union (WBU) is located in Berlin, Germany and is accessible to people all around Germany. They are a non-profit organization working on advancements in mobility, independence, employment opportunities, and accessibility for people who are blind or partially sighted. They are working towards making the world more liveable for everyone through travelling outside, as well as inside of the household. Their website provides toolkits to advocacy, technology, and CRPD implementation. It also includes braille information and resources, and lists of training workshops. Their website is: dbsv.org, and their telephone number is: +49-30-2853-8712
The Independent Living Institute (ILI) is a development center for disabled peoples’ freedom to personal and political power. They provide information, training materials, and services for those with disabilities in Germany and other National states in Europe. They pride themselves on their usage of assistive technology and personal assistance. Their office manager can be contacted at: linda@independentliving.org, and their website is: https://www.independentliving.org/about.html
Germany has a resource for people who are disabled who are interested in sports or group activities called “How Germany Ticks Deutschland.” It is composed of a Paralympic committee, a chess association for the blind and low-visioned, a sports association for the hearing impaired, and a wheelchair sports association. The resource has locations all around Germany and accompanies a wide range of disabilities. I found this incredible because they are geared to meet the individual needs of every disability one may have to be able to participate in the activities. Their website is: https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/life/sports-leisure/sports-for-the-handicapped
and there are links on the website that direct one to whichever activity they may be interested in.

Government of Lower Saxony. (2011, June 29). WHO MiNDbank: More Inclusiveness Needed in Disability and Development. Retrieved from https://www.mindbank.info/item/4039
Health care in Germany: Health insurance in Germany. (2018, February 08). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK298832/
Matz-Townsend, C. J. (2018). Health Insurance Options in Germany – 2018. Retrieved from https://www.howtogermany.com/pages/healthinsurance2.html
Weiland, C., Bornemann, B., Weber, H., Erle, M., Kowallik, P., Entzminger, J., . . . Rozek, P. (2016, April). Arbeitskreis Barrierefreiheit. Retrieved from http://ak-barrierefreiheit.germanupa.de/