I think it's precisely those requests that cost nothing that are the most difficult to fulfill. It cost nothing to talk to the person in the wheelchair instead of the person pushing the wheelchair but this simple, courteous, action if often not done, even by professional who should know better. However, coming up with a way of changing attitudes requires much thought and fundamental changes in education. These changes may involve relatively cost but require much drive and leadership to overcome the social inertia. It's a lot easier to suggest you spend money on making physical changes. Of course, for people like me, who have disabling mental illnesses or impairments the only changes that help are changes to attitudes.

I noticed, with some dismay, the comments about mental illness 'care in the community' programme. My experience both as a giver and receiver of psychiatric care is that from an individuals point of view care in the community has had little effect on quality of life. Some chronically ill people now wander along the streets rather than along the corridors of psychiatric asylums but I don't see much actual difference. What putting the mad into the community has done up to now is to emphasis the fear of madness that is now coming to point where the UK government is considering forcing medication onto a wider group of people (as opposed to offering support - including medication). However, in my opinion, that care in community will eventual result in more positive attitudes to the mad given time, educational support and a wider introduction into all sectors of the community (not just the inner city and seaside grey ghetto towns).

It's just this sort of response and the time that such changes take that leads to groups being frustrated into trying to speed up changes in attitudes. In this words can be very powerful campaigning methods. Queer is much more forceful than gay. Mad is more forceful than 'mental health problem' There is, as yet, no great effort to put peoples attitudes to disability more in their face. (Ian Dury's anthem Spasticus Autisticus was a notable exception) but I'm starting my own campaign called 'We're not mad, we're mad!'