As a News Feature in last week's Nature amply demonstrated, people with disabilities have a considerable array of talents to bring into science (see Nature 435,552-554; 2005). But they face an array of obstacles in pursuing scientific careers. According to specialists in the field, the barriers start going up early on: many parents and schoolteachers are reluctant to press disabled children into subjects perceived to be challenging, such as science and mathematics. This is particularly unfortunate because these individuals may well have characteristics, such as problem-solving skills and perseverance, that would stand them in good stead in science.
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