What is Intellectual Disability?

Someone with an intellectual disability can find it hard to do things that other people do everyday, like reading or handling money. It doesn't mean that they can't do them, it just means it might take a little longer for them to learn.

How common is it?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), three percent of the world's population have an intellectual disability. That's as many as 190 million people - making this the largest disability group in the world. In Australia, there are around 175,000 people with an intellectual disability.

Are people with an intellectual disability all the same?
No! Intellectual disability can occur in any family despite their race, level of education and economic background.

Intellectual disability also ranges from mild to profound.

A person with a profound disability may be unable to learn basic skills, like speaking and walking, and probably needs a lot of care.

A person with a mild disability can probably do most things but they may just take longer to master them..and they may look similar to you. More than three quarters of people with an intellectual disability fall into this category.

Why should I care about people with an intellectual disability?
They work, have kids, vote, drive, play sport and have friends. They are valuable members of your community and they have dreams and goals just like you. But they need some support to be able to achieve these things.