ABSTRACT
Communication scholars have long recognized that differences between people are
frequently experienced as sources of difficulty in maintaining relationships. However,
they have only recently begun to examine what happens to relationships when those
differences are narrowed to those who are physically differentiated. Research on
disability has traditionally focused on barriers created by physical variance to be
overcome to further integration of persons with disabilities into society. These persons are
seen as the source of much anxiety and discomfort for ablebodied strangers who
encounter them (Braithwaite, 1996; Coleman & DePaulo, 1991; Wright, 1960).
