Introduction
According to the World Health Organization (2011), 15% of the global population are estimated to live with some form of disability, and between 110 million and 190 million adults have significant difficulties in functioning. Disabled people are the world’s largest minority group who do not have access to opportunities on equal basis with other people (Disabled People’s Association, Singapore 2015).
Disabled people had been defined as ‘socially dead’, their impairments identified as being the cause of their social problems and restrictions (Mercer 2002, cited in Cameron 2014). They are often treated as second-class citizens comparing to normal people in the mainstream of the society (Kim and David 2006; cited in Hwang and Brandon …show more content…
The most frequently mentioned models are the medical and the social models of disability (Carson 2009; DPA, Singapore 2015).
The medical model is based on the premise that an individual has an impairment or functional limitation which prevent them from full participation in society, and is ultimately regarded as the cause of disability (Oliver 1990a; 1996, cited in Hemingway 2008; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Carson 2009). Viewing disability as a medical problem fosters the belief that those with disabilities are in need of fixing or a cure. Framing disability in this way leads to individualised treatment of those with disabilities, rather than standardised policies, which can result in marginalisation and alienation (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Carson 2009; DPA, Singapore …show more content…
This model draws on the idea that it is society that disables people by designing everything to meet the needs of the majority of people who are not disabled. There is recognition within the social model that society can do a great deal to reduce, and ultimately remove, some of these disabling barriers, and that this task is the responsibility of society, rather than the disabled people (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Carson 2009; Oliver 2013; DPA, Singapore 2015).
Social model inspired thinking has played a major role in the mobilisation of disability activism, policy development in the UK and many nations across the world (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes and Merces 2005, cited in Barnes and Halmstad 2009; Oliver 2013), and this model is a tool with which to gain an insight into the disabling tendencies of modern society in order to generate policies and practices to facilitate their eradication (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Oliver
According to the World Health Organization (2011), 15% of the global population are estimated to live with some form of disability, and between 110 million and 190 million adults have significant difficulties in functioning. Disabled people are the world’s largest minority group who do not have access to opportunities on equal basis with other people (Disabled People’s Association, Singapore 2015).
Disabled people had been defined as ‘socially dead’, their impairments identified as being the cause of their social problems and restrictions (Mercer 2002, cited in Cameron 2014). They are often treated as second-class citizens comparing to normal people in the mainstream of the society (Kim and David 2006; cited in Hwang and Brandon …show more content…
The most frequently mentioned models are the medical and the social models of disability (Carson 2009; DPA, Singapore 2015).
The medical model is based on the premise that an individual has an impairment or functional limitation which prevent them from full participation in society, and is ultimately regarded as the cause of disability (Oliver 1990a; 1996, cited in Hemingway 2008; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Carson 2009). Viewing disability as a medical problem fosters the belief that those with disabilities are in need of fixing or a cure. Framing disability in this way leads to individualised treatment of those with disabilities, rather than standardised policies, which can result in marginalisation and alienation (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Carson 2009; DPA, Singapore …show more content…
This model draws on the idea that it is society that disables people by designing everything to meet the needs of the majority of people who are not disabled. There is recognition within the social model that society can do a great deal to reduce, and ultimately remove, some of these disabling barriers, and that this task is the responsibility of society, rather than the disabled people (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Carson 2009; Oliver 2013; DPA, Singapore 2015).
Social model inspired thinking has played a major role in the mobilisation of disability activism, policy development in the UK and many nations across the world (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes and Merces 2005, cited in Barnes and Halmstad 2009; Oliver 2013), and this model is a tool with which to gain an insight into the disabling tendencies of modern society in order to generate policies and practices to facilitate their eradication (Barnes 2003; Barnes 2007; Barnes & Halmstad 2009; Oliver