Biomedical Model
The medical model defines disability in terms of biological impairments, which are caused by medically diagnosed genetic disorders, disease, trauma, or other health conditions. In the medical model disability is treated as a biological problem that diminishes quality of life and needs to be treated with professional care.
In the medical model of disability, the condition is the “problem” and requires following:
- Different schools
- Different transportation
- Different house designs
- Back entrance to buildings
- Less desirable jobs
- Fewer opportunities
- Lower expectations
- Social workers
- Therapists
- Specialists
- Physicians
The legal definition of disabilities often relies on the assumption of medical model. The person must meet a certain threshold of biological impairment to be legally designated as “disabled”. This legal/medical definition is often used to decide whether a person should receive certain government financial benefits, or accommodations from the employer, school or in university.
Strengths of the Medical Model
The medical model clearly states the biological reality of disabilities. That helps medical professionals make important decisions in terms of treatment. Similarly, it helps government and institutions to take informed decisions to aid and accommodations to the person.
Weakness of the Medical Model
The medical model is frequently criticized by disability advocates.
- First it exclusively focuses only on the biology of the person. It does not go far to impact the design decisions in our social environment.
- There is a psychological impact caused by this distinction. Essentially labeling and stigmatizing the person as different and “less than” the rest of the population.
- There can be a chance when the definitions are too narrow and too exclusive for some people with disabilities. That can result in the denied benefits that they need.
- The qualifying process adds a level of inconvenient bureaucracy to their lives. Having to prove it repeatedly can be time consuming and dehumanizing.
Social Model
The social model is a direct response to the medical model. The medical model points out the disability entirely on the person with a disability, but the social model points out that society creates disabling conditions. To a considerable extent, “disability” is an avoidable condition caused by poor design.
The social model points the following environments which can cases the problem:
- Not integrated schools
- Not accessible transportation
- Not accessible houses
- Not equal access to the buildings
- Limited choice of jobs
- Limited opportunities
- Higher expectations
- Public planners
- Product designers
- Architects
- Web designers
The social model doesn’t deny the biological components, but it merely points out that the inclusive design can remove the barriers that people with disabilities face in their everyday life. It provides a meaningful context for accessibility professionals. It creates a model for people who create the environments around us that are enabling and not disabling for people with different physical abilities.
Strengths of the Social Model
It removes the stigma often associated with physical impairments. It expects society to create inclusive environments, and not the people with disabilities need to accept the lower quality of life simply because their bodies do not live to “normal” expectations. The social model also empowers designers to think broadly about usability to include everyone.
Weakness of the Social Model
The social model can de-emphasize the physical reality of a disability too much. The physical identity of a disabled person is an important part of one’s identity and they shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it. Accepting and “owning” one’s disability can be healthy from an emotional and psychological perspective.
Biopsychosocial Model
This model accounts for both the social and biomedical models of disability. First conceptualized by George Engel in 1977, it suggests that to understand a person’s medical condition it is not simply the biological factors that need to be considered, but also the psychological and social factors.
This model is the basis of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), a publication by the World Health Organization in 2002.
Economic Model
This model views disabilities from the prospective of the economic impact of the disability on individuals, employers, the state, and welfare programs.
While this model does well to recognize the bodily limitations impact work, it may also create a sense of stigma. We can see how in this way; the economic model is closely related to the charity model. In addition, many people have disabilities that significantly impact their ability to work, but they do not meet the legal definition of having a disability and they do not qualify for various assistance programs.
Functional Solutions Model
It is related to the Social Model of disability. It focuses on a practical approach to disability by identifying the functional impairments, or limitations, which are a result of disability. This model then seeks out solutions for eradicating these limitations through advancement in technology or methodology.
Businesses and Accessibility professionals create and sell accessibility solutions by taking a functional solution approach.
Strengths of the Functional Solutions Model
This model focuses on results and takes a real-world approach to finding the solutions that work, without getting hung up on theoretical or political questions. This models emphasis on getting things done and improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Weakness of the Functional Solutions Model
If accessibility professionals are too focused on creating practical solutions, they may miss opportunities to address the broader social context.
Social Identity or Cultural Affiliation Model
People with disabilities may develop a sense of personal identity through consorting with others who share the same life experience. For example, social identity is so strong between the people who are deaf and who share the same linguistic experiences as sign language. There are many different sign languages, each with its own vocabulary and grammar. Like the people who speak the same language, people who are deaf also like to spend more time with each other, so it’s often harder for them to befriend hearing people. There are even deaf theater productions, deaf television shows and other avenues of deaf artistic expressions that help to strengthen deaf cultural bonds.
Strengths of the Social Identity or Cultural Affiliation Model
Self-Acceptance and Empowerment: Having a support network of friends with disabilities can help fully accept one’s disability. That can be a particularly important part of one’s emotional and psychological well-being.
Political Strength: They can gain political strength by forming alliances and advocacy networks by raising a collective voice, rather than merely as individuals.
Weakness of the Social identity of Cultural Affiliation Model
Strongly identifying with other people with disabilities may partly be a result of feeling excluded from the rest of society.
Charity or Tragedy Model
This model treats disabilities as unfortunate. People without disabilities take pity on those with disabilities and set up fundraisers, projects, assistance, and other interventions to improve the condition. This approach can be offensive to some people with disabilities. It sets up an unequal power balance, and an unhealthy social relationship between groups of people.
It is much healthier to think of people with disabilities first as people, just like everyone else. We all deserve to be treated as equals.
Strengths of the Charity or Tragedy Model
This model can create a sense of empathy in people without disabilities and inspire them to genuinely assist people with disabilities.
Weakness of the Charity or Tragedy Model
It encourages unequal social and political relationships between people.
Other Models
Affirmation Model
Affirmation model is like social identity or cultural affiliation model, in that it encourages people with disabilities to affirm their identity and feel comfortable as normal in their own skin.
Sociopolitical Model
The sociopolitical model is more of an activist model that emphasizes the need for human rights for people with disabilities.
Religious/Modal Model
Religious model assumes that disabilities are act of God and given to people as a punishment for actions of either the individual or their parent. Some religions which believe in past lives or Karma more tend to believe in this model.
Expert or Professional Model
The expert of professional model can be seen as the extension of medical model, in which disabilities are meant to be treated or managed by people with expertise and credentials.
Rehabilitation Model
The rehabilitation model is also a variation of the medical model, with an emphasis on therapy or rehabilitation to improve the person’s ability to function and compensate for the disability.
