Social Model of Disability

An Introduction

Why does disability matter?

• The World Health Organization estimates that over one billion people worldwide have a disability
• You may become disabled as you age (if you aren’t already)
• Disability discrimination is everyone’s problem

Models of Disability

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• Models are ways of understanding the world
• Medical model: Go to the doctor
• Views disability as unusual and abnormal
• Good for acute injury and illness
• Disabled person’s job is to get better
• Social model: Disability is created by society
• Views disability as normal
• Good for long-term injury and illness and aging
• Society can accommodate disabilities; no need to “get better”

Examples of Social Model

• Eyeglasses
• Providing ramps, elevators, door openers for wheelchair users
• Allergen-friendly foods at restaurants
• Providing sign language interpreters at events
• Audio books for blind readers
• Flexible work hours
• Captions on TV and movies

Ableism

Discrimination against disabled people.

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) of 1990 is a law intending to prevent such discrimination.

Accessibility / Access

• The design of products, devices, services, or environments for disabled people.
• Good Access begins with attitude: Include disabled people in your events
• Think about Barriers to access and how to reduce them
• Many resources online for learning about access
• http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Accessibility

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Universal Design

Design that is meant to be inherently accessible to everyone.

Examples are abundant elevators, curb cuts

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Assistive Technology

• Computers
• Prosthetics
• Wheelchairs and scooters
• Crutches and canes
• Can be anything that helps you

Disability in Pop Culture

Questions?

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Slideshow: Creative Commons License

Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Sandy Olson August 11 2016

sandphin@gmail.com