Basic Concepts and Theoretical Models of Disability

Question 1

What percentage of people have a disability?

Answer 1

Roughly 1 in every 5 people (about 20%) has a disability of some kind.

Question 2

What percentage of blind people can read braille?

Answer 2

Less than 10% of blind Americans can read braille

Question 3

What are assistive technologies for blindness?

Answer 3

Screen readers, Refreshable Braille devices

Question 4

What are assistive technologies for low vision?

Answer 4

Screen enlargers, Screen readers

Question 5

What are assistive technologies for color blindness?

Answer 5

Color enhancement overlays or glasses

Question 6

What are assistive technologies for deafness?

Answer 6

Captions, Transcripts

Question 7

What are assistive technologies for motor/mobility disabilities?

Answer 7

Head wand, Mouth stick, Alternative keyboards, Eye gaze tracking, Voice Activation

Question 8

What are assistive technologies for cognitive disabilities?

Answer 8

Screen readers, Screen overlays, Augmentative communication aids

Question 9

True or False: The Internet is an important part of the solution for disability access.

Answer 9

True.

Question 10

True or False: There are many forms of disabilities that are not obvious to an observer.

Answer 10

True.

Question 11

What is the medical model?

Answer 11

The medical model defines disability in terms of biological impairments. Disability is viewed as a problem that is caused by medically-diagnosed genetic disorders, disease, trauma, or other health conditions. Disability is treated as a biological problem that diminishes quality of life and needs to be treated with professional medical care.

Question 12

What are the strengths of the medical model?

Answer 12

The medical model explicitly acknowledges that there is a biological condition that places an individual at a disadvantage compared to the majority of the population.

Similarly, when deciding who should receive government assistance, a clearly-defined set of criteria helps inform those decisions. In a clinical medical setting, a clearly-defined set of biological criteria to diagnose a person’s condition helps medical professionals make important decisions in terms of treatment.

Question 13

What are the weaknesses of the medical model?

Answer 13

First, the medical model focuses exclusively on the biology of the person, which means that it overlooks the impact of the design decisions in our social environment. For example, while it is true that a person who cannot use her legs has a true biological limitation associated with her legs, it is not her fault that she can’t enter a building if all entrances to the buildings have stairs with no ramps or elevators.

Second, the medical model assigns disability as a characteristic of an individual person, essentially labeling and stigmatizing the person as different and “less than” the rest of the population. There is a psychological impact to this kind of distinction.

Third, when medical definitions are used as a way to determine who is “worthy” of certain benefits, people who do not fit within the clearly-defined definitions may be denied benefits that they need. There is a danger that the definitions might be too narrow and too exclusive for some people with disabilities.

Fourth, if individuals are required to prove that they have a qualifying disability according to some pre-defined list of medical conditions, this requirement adds a level of inconvenient bureaucracy to their lives. Having to prove one’s disability over and over is time consuming and can be dehumanizing.

Question 14

What is the social model?

Answer 14

The social model of disability is a direct response to the medical model. Rather than place the definition of “disability” entirely on the person with a disability, the social model points out that society creates disabling conditions. To a large extent, “disability” is an avoidable condition caused by poor design. The social model emphasizes the human rights of people with disabilities to participate in society in meaningful ways.

Question 15

What are the strengths of the social model?

Answer 15

The social model empowers people with disabilities by removing the stigma often associated with physical impairments. The expectation is that society will create inclusive environments, and not that people with disabilities need to accept a lower quality of life simply because their bodies do not conform to “normal” expectations. The social model also empowers designers of physical and virtual environments to think broadly about usability for all kinds of humans.

Question 16

What are the weaknesses of the social model?

Answer 16

Some disability advocates have argued that, despite the positive impact of the social model to combat the narrowly-focused and exclusive nature of the medical model, the social model can de-emphasize the physical reality of a disability too much. They argue that a person’s disability can be an important part of one’s identity, and it shouldn’t be minimized to the point that people are afraid to talk about it. Accepting and “owning” one’s disability can be very healthy from an emotional and psychological perspective.

Question 17

What is the functional solutions model?

Answer 17

The functional solutions model takes a practical approach to disability by identifying the functional impairments, or limitations, that are a result of disability. The model then seeks out solutions for eradicating these limitations through advancements in technology or methodology. There is less of a focus on the social and political aspects of disability, but more focus on applying innovation to overcoming the limitations of disability.

Question 18

What are the strengths of the functional solutions model?

Answer 18

This model focuses on results that benefit people with disabilities. It takes a real-world approach to finding solutions that work, without getting hung up on theoretical or political questions. It instead puts energy into ideas, technologies, and innovations that improve the lives of people with disabilities. The emphasis in this model is on building accessible environments, and on getting things done.

Question 19

What are the weaknesses of the functional solutions model?

Answer 19

Even if a technology or solution is innovative, sometimes it is not the most useful solution to broader problems, which may be a result of the social and environmental barriers people with disabilities face. If accessibility professionals are too focused on creating practical technological solutions, they may miss opportunities to address the larger social context. Sometimes addressing the larger social context works so well that it can make a specific technological solution obsolete.

Question 20

What is the social identity or cultural affiliation model?

Answer 20

People with disabilities may develop a sense of personal identity through consorting with others who share similar life experiences based on their disability. Together, the group develops a sense of culture based on these shared experiences.

Question 21

What are the strengths of the cultural affiliation model?

Answer 21

Self-Acceptance and Empowerment: Fully accepting one’s disability can be an important part of one’s emotional and psychological well-being, and having a support network of friends with disabilities—even if they don’t have the same type of disability—can be a valuable asset on a personal level.

Political Strength: People with disabilities can gain political strength by forming alliances and advocacy networks. It is easier to petition for political change as a group with a collective voice, rather than merely as individuals.

Question 22

What are the weaknesses of the cultural affiliation model?

Answer 22

The social identity model doesn’t always serve as a useful basis for technical definitions of disability, because groups of people with different types of disabilities—or even without any disabilities—may consider themselves part of the same social group. Strongly identifying with other people with disabilities may partly be a result of feeling excluded from the rest of society.

Question 23

What is the charity or tragedy model?

Answer 23

The charity model treats disabilities as unfortunate or tragic conditions worthy of special treatment. People without disabilities take pity on those with disabilities and set up fundraisers, projects, assistance, and other interventions to improve the condition of those with disabilities.

Question 24

What are the strengths of the charity or tragedy model?

Answer 24

This model can create a sense of empathy in those without disabilities and inspire them to genuinely assist people with disabilities.

Question 25

What are the weaknesses of the charity or tragedy model?

Answer 25

The charity or tragedy model encourages unequal social and political relationships between people, which can actually slow down progress for people with disabilities as a whole.

Question 26

What is the affirmation model?

Answer 26

The affirmation model is similar to the social identity or cultural affiliation model, in that it encourages people with disabilities to affirm their identity, and to feel comfortable in their own skin, celebrating everything about their physical identity, including their disabilities.

Question 27

What is the sociopolitical model?

Answer 27

The sociopolitical model is more of an activist model that emphasizes the need for human rights for people with disabilities.

Question 28

What is the religious or moral model?

Answer 28

One interpretation of the religious/moral model assumes that disabilities are given to people as a punishment for actions of either the individual herself or of her parents or others who have brought this condition upon her. Or, if a disability is not seen as a punishment, it may be regarded as a condition given by God to teach a lesson or to test the person.

Question 29

What is the expert model?

Answer 29

The expert or professional model is a variation of the medical model, in which disabilities are meant to be treated and managed by people with expertise and credentials.

Question 30

What is the rehabilitation model?

Answer 30

The rehabilitation model is also a variation of the medical model, with an emphasis on therapy or rehabilitation for the person with a disability to improve the person’s ability to function and compensate for the disability.

Question 31

What is the economic model?

Answer 31

The economic model takes its cues from the social model, with an emphasis on political power through collective economic action. People with disabilities can influence the market by choosing to not spend their money with certain businesses, for example, or by protesting businesses that are not disability-friendly. The goal is to use money and economic incentives as a driving force for change.