The View from Where I Sit

Tag: inclusion

  • Models of Disability

    Models of Disability

    By: Daniella Jade Lowe

    What is Disability?

    Over the years, classifying and defining disability has become quite tedious. There are various examples to describe disability.

    Disability is seen as a ‘social construct.’ It is the idea that society and its’ institutions have the authority to construct disability around social expectations. In medieval times, disability was constructed around a person’s moral behaviour.

    Disability is defined as a physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities. According to an article I read from meriahnichols.com, ‘dis’ is another way of doing and being. The term disability is an ability to do or be in another way. The term disabled is an ability to do or be something, in another way-https://www.meriahnichols.com/3-reasons-say-disability-instead-special-needs/.

    Even though, I’ve only identified three models of disability, according to research there seems to be loads more.

    Models of Disability are tools for defining impairment and for providing a basis upon which government and society can devise strategies for meeting the needs of disabled people.

    Medical Model of Disability

    The medical model describes disability as a consequence of a health condition, disease or caused by a trauma that can disrupt the functioning of a person in a physiological or cognitive way.

    This model is a conceptualization of disability as a condition a person has and focuses on the prevention, treatment or curing of the disabling condition.

    Functional Model of Disability

    This model is similar to the medical model because it conceptualizes disability as an impairment or deficit. Disability is caused by physical, medical or cognitive deficits. The disability itself limits a person’s functioning or the ability to perform functional activities.

    Social Model of Disability

    The Social Model of Disability includes people’s views, opinions and attitudes. It has been the prominent approach to disability over the last 30+ years.

    It was developed by disabled people based on real life experience of discrimination, inclusion and challenging disabling barriers. It is outward looking and focused on the things in society that can be changed or improved, like, the environment, information, communications and people’s attitudes.

    It’s a problem solving approach which gives disabled people greater control over vital, even basic decisions, like, from what time to get out of bed on a morning to employability and education choices.

    This approach enables you to better understand how reasonable adjustments can be implemented. It also focuses on the things you can influence or change and promotes valued skills.

    In conclusion, the purpose behind the models of disability is to highlight the political struggle of disability. It analyzes the ‘problem of disability.’ It also affects policy making, so that we can make positive change in our society for people with disabilities.

    Since laws are already created to discriminate against disabled people by default, we need to make sure that the Social Model of Disability is pushed to ensure equality.

    For more information on the various models of disability, check out this website: https://www.disabled-world.com/definitions/disability-models.php.

  • ‘ACCESS CONSULTANCY’

    By: Daniella Jade Lowe

    Access consultants provide professional advice on how to develop inclusive environments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. They help to reinforce this law.

    Wheelchair accessibility and mobility issues are just some of the problems that access consultants look at and try to solve. Businesses are required by the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to allow anyone to use a building or a facility, including those who, to pick just one example use wheelchairs.

    A prime example of what access consultants do is Access Rating.

    WHAT IS ACCESS RATING?

    Access Rating is an idea established by and for the community of disabled people based in the UK.  Inclusion is the concept. Nowadays, there is an app for it too. This app helps access consultants do their job efficiently: it is available for Android and IOS and is called, appropriately, “Access Rating”

    This app is the brainchild of Mark Esho, Rich Copson and Jignesh Vaidya. It allows customers and access consultants to critique businesses’ compliance with the access criteria set out in the Equality Act.

    Mark Esho and Martyn Sibley recently assessed the disabled community’s opinion of the app during The Daily Sib Show via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxtiRAMiSSA

    This app shows to business owners and operators that the disabled community can add value to their business: most businesspersons do not see the physically impaired as customers – but they spend money and contribute to the economy just like anyone else. Neglecting wheelchair accessibility is also a good example of bad customer service.

    HOW DOES IT WORK?

    • you can submit a review in 30 seconds
    • upvote and downvote reviews
    • over 240,000 venues are included
    • you can suggest new venues to add

    BENEFITS OF THIS APP

    • Free to download and use
    • broad scope of wheelchair accessible venues in the UK
    • makes event planning easy
    • accurate
    • plans to make it international

    It works as a digital travel directory for the physically challenged. This app also exposes discrimination and promotes inclusion. It revolutionises the way wheelchair users socialise and is extremely useful for access consultants in their research. For more information, feel free to browse the website at https://www.accessrating.com/app/, or email them at info@accessrating.com.