Ignorance of laws including the Americans With Disabilities Act that protect the rights of the disabled to access, housing, education and employment, or blatant disregard of those laws, is the fault of uncaring governments and businesses in rural areas that should be enforcing and abiding by, not ignoring, the law.

Statistics compiled by the Disability Law Center, a nonprofit group that works for the rights of the disabled, show that six in 10 disabled people in rural areas of the state live in poverty. But that is not the worst of their problems. They are isolated, often unable to get from home to the city library or a doctor's office, and even when they can get a ride, they can't get into the building because of physical barriers like stairs and curbs.

The survey of disabled Utahns in 26 of the state's 29 counties found that they face overwhelming job discrimination and a 15-year waiting list for services such as job training and accessible housing. Conditions for the disabled in urban areas are bad, but in rural communities they can be even worse.

Part of the problem lies in lack of education about available services - education for both the disabled and community officials who must provide the access and distribute information about what is available. The state has implemented a free dial-up referral center to help disabled Utahns find services, but the survey found rural Utahns were unaware of it or how it works.

Rural residents are often too proud to request what they may see as welfare, so they don't demand that government and business live up to requirements of the ADA. When they do want to speak up, they face physical obstacles blocking their access to public meetings.

Public schools are required to meet the educational needs of disabled students, and special-education funding is available, but the thinly stretched education dollars in tiny rural schools are sometimes diverted to other purposes.

The self-reliant attitude prevalent in rural communities is admirable, but it can be self-defeating for people who must rely on the help of others for basic needs. It is up to officials to ensure that the disabled in their communities get the services that are their due.