I’m very disappointed with the world we live in today.

As a child of the sixties things were ‘promised’ - flying cars, pills instead of food and everybody dressed in silver suits. The Jetsons, a cartoon family of the future, had it all. George Jetson’s working week was two hours a day, two days a week. Science and technology have let me down.

We take for granted lots of the scientific and technological breakthroughs. I believe we’ve become blasé about scientific accomplishments such as face transplants, hand transplants and ingenious prostheses that allow some of the ultra-fit athletes of the Paralympics to achieve what looks almost like superhuman feats of strength, speed and endurance.

There’s a danger however, in seeing these exceptional people perform. We may forget that disability is still a major issue for the majority of disabled people. There’s a chance that we’ll overlook the problems, the challenges that life still holds for them. There’s the possibility we’ll forget to acknowledge or help them when necessary, in the mistaken belief that today, with all the science and technology we have, a disabled person can achieve what they want in much the same way as an able bodied person can.

The day to day life of anyone with any form of disability will provide many challenges that the able bodied just won’t see. A kerb, a step, a thoughtless comment, an assumption that because of the way you look or speak you must be stupid; it’s par for the course for many disabled people. Celebrate the Paralympian's achievements, but don’t forget the challenges the disabled still face.

  • James D Williams is a lecturer in education at the University of Sussex School of Education and Social Work