Disability in SF

That has been my observation too.

Back in college, I used to read for handicapped students sometimes. One of my regulars was in a wheelchair and had limited body control. He carried a clever gadget that he used to push buttons and open doors and such -- part of a broomstick handle with a metal point on one end. He'd made it himself. I was impressed with his ingenuity. I told him it resembled a climbing tool that some of my elven characters use, with a hook on the back end. He looked thoughtfully at his broom handle and said, "Yeah, that's a good idea too."

In Torn World, there are a great many handicapped warsailors. The Duurludirj are much more accepting of handicapped people than the Empire at large, and the Warsailor Guild has appropriate health care and pension support (including widows, even). They have also worked up some pretty cool prosthetics. You can see an example in "Without Fail," where Warsailor Brelig has replaced his missing hand with a formidable weapon.