DISABILITY MODELS: THE PERSPECTIVE SHAPER

Disability models are tools used to define impairments, understand disability and ultimately, provide governments and society basis for strategizing to meet the needs of persons living with disability.

These models are useful tools to gain understanding and better perspectives of disability issues however, this models have been received well in the society.

Disability models provides insight on perceptions, attitudes, prejudices and conceptions of how individuals in society perceive persons with disability. Also, the way society provide or limit access to rights, services, political participation, work, economic influence and empowerment etc. for persons with disabilities are revealed in these models. If followed, it will help society take responsibility for enabling inclusion and participation.

To give you a degree of understanding, here are a few disability models that can help shape your perspective and shift your thinking about persons with disability:

• Medical Model: Sees the condition of the individual 'health' condition as 'the problem'. One that is to be 'cured' or 'fixed'. It is all about 'normalizing' what appears not to be 'normal'. Please provide necessary service, care and support for the individual with the 'incurable' and accept the 'abnormality'.
• Charity Model: Projects disabled persons as victims of circumstance, deserving 'pity' and needing 'help'. The negative image projected in the media of disabled people is not just offensive but demeaning and only stress 'helplessness'. Televisual 'garbage' the society is fed with, institutionalizes many disabled persons, lowers their self-esteem and limits the choices they have. Many would prefer active community inclusion, participation and support. Sad that this model is mostly used to explain and define persons living with disability by non-disabled people.
• Social Model: Of all models, this is the most empowering as it views disability as a consequence of social, environmental and attitudinal barriers that limits or prevents persons with disabilities from active participation and involvement in society. The model advocates and stresses on the removal of barriers .... social, attitudinal, institutional, physical and environmental to improve the lives of  persons living with disability. It's all about blurring the lines and building bridges to accommodate others.         

You will find the Economic Model which deals with the individuals inability to work and earn a living and the Religious Model which sees the individual with disability as suffering an affliction. There are other models that are still been developed however, these models are often influences by some philosophies like.... Persons with disability is society dependent and this can breed discrimination, hate, pity and segregation. Or persons with disabilities are perceived and seen as 'customers of what society has to 'offer' this leads to inclusion, integration, empowerment, human rights and participation.

Together, we can build a society that is accommodating, empowering, one that gives support to the vulnerable. We all have a role to play models or no model.

Sharonxxx