The essentials
For long, disability was viewed only as a personal tragedy or a medical problem located in the individual's body. The social model of disability argues instead that people are disabled largely by society: by buildings without ramps, by inaccessible transport, by lack of sign language or Braille, and by negative attitudes. Impairment is a physical or mental condition; disability is the exclusion that results when society fails to accommodate it.
Common features of how disability is treated include seeing it as biological, treating the disabled person as a victim, assuming that the problem lies with the individual's perception, and linking it to ideas of dependence and need for help. In India, popular culture and religious beliefs have often associated disability with fate or past deeds (karma), which adds stigma.
Disability and poverty are closely linked. Poverty increases the chance of impairment through malnutrition, poor health care and dangerous work, while disability reduces access to education and jobs, leading to further poverty. Disability activists and scholars such as Anita Ghai have argued for a rights-based approach. Laws such as the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 have sought to secure equal opportunities, accessibility and reservations.
Key points
- The term "differently abled" was proposed to challenge the idea that disabled people are lacking.
- Social model: barriers are social, not just bodily.
- Inclusive education places disabled children in regular schools with support.
- Accessibility means designing spaces and services for everyone.
Common mistakes
Do not treat disability purely as an individual medical issue in answers; the sociological view stresses social barriers.