Model Chart

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		Comparison of the Models of Disability

Skip Navigation\| Connections for Community Leadership Links: Program Areas: Connections for Community Leadership Home LeaderLINKS Leadership Development Training Supports and Connections Informed Communities Proud and Powerfull CONNECT Other Links: Information for Participants Information for Partner Organizations Disability History Models of Disability Model of Leadership CCL Newsletter CCL Publications Contact Us Communities of Power Links: Communities of Power Home About MDRC Join MDRC		This is a quick and easy way to compare and understand the different models of disability. There will be a question and then how someone from each of the models would respond to the question. Use these bookmarks to help scroll down this page: Who or what has the problem? \| Where is the problem? \| Where does the problem come from? \| What are the indicators that a problem exists? \| How are individuals affected? \| What can be done to remedy the problem? \| What change occurs? \|How does society benefit? \| Who are the experts \| What words are used? \| What are the examples of legislation? \| Who is recognized? Who or what has the problem? Social - the society Medical - the individual with the disability Expert/Professional - the individual with the disability Rights-Based - the society Tragedy/Charity - the individual with a disability Religious/Moral - the sinner with a spiritual problem Economic - the individual with a disability Customer/Empowering Rehabilitation - the individual with the disability Return to the top of this page. What is the problem? Social - long-standing inequities, discrimination, prejudice, exclusion, and devaluation Medical - inability to perform major life activities such as walking, seeing, working, learning, self-care Expert/Professional - the limitations and impairments Rights-Based - inequality, exclusion, discrimination Tragedy/Charity - the disability itself Religious/Moral - good/evil; low spiritual development; belief in disability as spiritual punishment Economic - the inability to participate in work Customer/Empowering - the inability to make one's own decisions Rehabilitation - the inability to perform major life activities Return to the top of this page. Where does the problem come from? Social - a deeply ingrained disposition among the non-disabled public to associate human variation with human defect Medical - a physical, mental, or emotional malfunction of an individual Expert/Professional - a physical, mental, or emotional problem that the individual has Rights-Based - society Tragedy/Charity - victims of circumstance Religious/Moral - belief that disability is divinely inflicted Economic - an impairment making the individual unable to work Customer/Empowering - lack of self-determination and respect Rehabilitation - deficiency caused by the disability Return to the top of this page. What are the indicators that a problem exists? Social - consistent, widespread reports of discrimination from people with disabilities. Extensive levels of poverty, unemployment, and segregation. Medical - the observation of impairments in individuals and the confirmation by medical measurement and diagnosis, dependency on welfare, assistance, support, or other services Expert/Professional - impairments that limit functioning Rights-Based - reports of discrimination and violation of rights Tragedy/Charity - impairments that limit functioning Religious/Moral - isolation, exclusion, banishment, extermination Economic - lack of employment, loss of earnings, lower profit margins, state welfare payments Customer/Empowering - reports of not being able to decide for oneself and select what services to receive Rehabilitation - the medical diagnosis, dependence on support services Return to the top of this page. How are individuals affected by this way of viewing it? Social - identification as an oppressed minority group member and motivation toward social action Medical - internalization of a deviance role and acceptance of lesser status, endless effort to overcome one's defects in order to be socially acceptable Expert/Professional - lack of choice and unable to exercise the basic human right of freedom when it comes to decision-making Rights-Based - motivation toward political action Tragedy/Charity - low self-esteem, receive acts of pity Religious/Moral - internalized belief by people with disabilities that they are a product of divine will. Search for spiritual intervention for problems arising from disability. Economic - lack of self-esteem, internalized ableism, acceptance of a lesser status Customer/Empowering - increased self-esteem, gain independence and confidence, feeling empowered Rehabilitation - endless effort to overcome one's defects in order to be socially acceptable Return to the top of this page. What can be done to remedy the problem? Social - equal access to the economic, social, educational, and environmental resources of society Medical - restoration of function (cure), and adaptation to defects, e.g. using crutches or an artificial limb Expert/Professional - restoration of function (cure) Rights-Based - legislative changes in public policy to create equality Tragedy/Charity - raise money for cures, services, and equipment Religious/Moral - acknowledgement of divine will, acceptance, penance, purging of evil, conversion Economic - pay the disabled employee for loss of earnings or the employer for loss of productivity Customer/Empowering - allow people with disabilities to make their own decisions and be in charge of their own lives Rehabilitation - increased function and adapt to one's environment, increase vocational skills to be as employable as possible, training, therapy Return to the top of this page. How are these solutions implemented? Social - nonviolent confrontation, civil rights legislation, litigation, policy reform, consciousness raising, political action, systems advocacy Medical - medical treatment, rehabilitation, special education, orthotics, prosthetics, counseling, therapy, services designed for and used exclusively by people with disabilities Expert/Professional - the experts/professionals make the decisions for what is best for the person with a disability Rights-Based - people with disabilities seek their political voice and become active in speaking out against ableism Tragedy/Charity - telethons, charities, and fundraising Religious/Moral - customs, religious doctrine, practice, and education Economic - assess distribution of benefits to those who are unable to participate fully in work Customer/Empowering - people with disabilities make their own choices Rehabilitation - adaptive equipment, rehabilitation, services, medical treatment Return to the top of this page. What change occurs as the result of the strategies? Social - removal of legal and structural barriers, regarding oneself and being regarded as an equal citizen, greater reliance on the economic, environmental, legal, and social resources used and valued by mainstream America Medical - individual gains in functional abilities, acceptance of reliance on service systems, internalization of role "patient" or "client" Expert/Professional - individual improves in functional abilities Rights-Based - removal of legislative and political barriers Tragedy/Charity - individuals gain acts of kindness, cures, medical research, equipment, and services Religious/Moral - defects eliminated, beliefs reinforced, and perpetuation Economic - employers may recognize compensations for any loss in employing people with disabilities through kudos, publicity, customer alignment, and expansion arising from their presentations as an organization with community values Customer/Empowering - people with disabilities gain control over their own lives Rehabilitation - individual returns to work Return to the top of this page. How does society benefit? Social - equal opportunity, equity, fairness, freedom of choice, the rights and responsibilities of full citizenship. Medical - improved functional capacity, return to work, improved personal adjustment, increased independent functioning and less use of support services. Expert/Professional - improved functional capacity, return to work, increased independence. Rights-Based - equality, fairness, the rights of full citizenship.Tragedy/Charity - increased funding for services, cures, and equipment. Religious/Moral - fewer mouths to feed, religious and cultural beliefs, group identity, symbolic systems, and loyalty reinforced. Economic - a balanced economy Customer/Empowering Rehabilitation - improved functional capacity, return to work, less use of support services Return to the top of this page. Who are the experts? Social - advocates, disability rights activists, lawyers, community organizers Medical - doctors, therapists, counselors, teachers Expert/Professional - doctors, therapists, counselors, and other professionals Rights-Based - advocates, community organizers, disability rights activists, people with disabilities Tragedy/Charity - professionals and community members willing to donate Religious/Moral - religious leaders, scholars, clergy, and historical religious documents Economic - economists Customer/Empowering - person with a disability Rehabilitation - rehabilitation counselors, medical professionals, therapists Return to the top of this page. What words are often heard when speaking from this perspective? Social - equality and opportunity, rights and remedies, discrimination, litigation, accommodation, access Medical - sick, ill, compromised, deformity, invalid, functional limitations, individualized plans, vocational, education, overcoming, acceptance, adjustment Expert/Professional - sick, functional limitations, dependence, adjustment, crippled, afflicted Rights-Based - discrimination, civil rights, equality Tragedy/Charity - tragedy, victim, need, dependent, poor, sad, afflicted, crippled Religious/Moral - afflicted, cursed, plagued, stricken, outcast, crippled Economic - less-productive, dependent, unemployable, value Customer/Empowering - self-determination, equality, independence Rehabilitation - sick, deformity, functional limitations, individualized plans, vocational, adjustment, training Return to the top of this page. What are the examples of legislation modeled from this perspective? Social - ADA, Rehab Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Fair Housing Act, IDEA Medical - SSDI/SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, Worker's Compensation Expert/Professional - Rights-Based - ADA Tragedy/Charity - Religious/Moral - Banishment, poor houses, eugenics laws, Hanson's Disease colonies, sterilization policies Economic - SSDI/SSI, Medicare, Medicaid Customer/Empowering - Rehabilitation - Return to the top of this page. Who is recognized as a "prime example" of why this paradigm is true? Social - Martin Luther King, Pat Wright, Judith Heumann, I. King Jordan, Justin Dart Medical - Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Christopher Reeve Expert/Professional - Rights-Based - Tragedy/Charity - Jerry Lewis Religious/Moral - Hebrew Scriptures, Leviticus 21:17-23, New Testiment, Luke 5:18-26, John 9:1-3 Economic Customer/Empowering Rehabilitation Return to the top of this page. Connections for Community Leadership is funded by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council.
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