The Medical Model of Disability:
Disabled people not joining in society is seen as a direct result of having an impairment and not as the result of features of our society which can be changed.
Society focuses on ‘compensating’ people with impairments for what is ‘wrong’ with their bodies.
This is done through ‘special’ welfare benefits and providing segregated ‘special’ services.
It shapes the way disabled people think about themselves. Many disabled people internalise the negative message that all disabled people’s problems stem from not having ‘normal’ bodies. We think it’s our fault that we can’t be active, or contribute to our communities.
This internalised oppression can make disabled people less likely to challenge their exclusion from mainstream society.
The Social Model of Disability:
The Social Model of Disability makes the important difference between ‘impairment’ and ‘disability’.
The Social Model has been worked out by disabled people themselves. Our experiences have shown us that in reality most of the problems we face are caused by the way society is organised.
Our impairments or bodies are not the problem. Social barriers are the main cause of our problems.
These barriers include people’s attitudes to disability, and physical and organisational barriers.