Unit 26 M1 Compare models of disability
M1: Assess barriers which may be experienced by individuals with additional needs, with
reference to the models of disability.
Communication
A communication barrier could be an individual who is required to listen to an auditory form of
communication, who is unable to do so due to being deaf. The medical model would see the
individuals hearing impairment as a problem that defines the individual and that the individual can
only be aided through medication. The social model would view the hearing impairment as a social
issue which must be addressed, for example, awareness for hearing impairment or campaigning to
familiarise society with British Sign Language (BSL). The holistic model is person-centred and would
focus on the individual and their physical, intellectual, emotional and social requirements, using
these in order to prevail over the additional needs.
Physical access
A physical access barrier could be a high curb preventing an individual with a mobility disability from
being able to enter a building or using a sidewalk. The medical model would view the mobility
disability as the problem, which could only be solved through medical intervention. The social model
would view the mobility disability as society’s problem, suggesting public mobility aides or for
example, adapting physical barriers to the requirements of the individual (e.g. adding a slope next
stairs). The holistic model would use the physical, intellectual, emotional and social requirements in
order to tackle the issue, focusing mostly on the well-being of the individual.
Attitudes towards individuals with additional needs
An attitudinal barrier could be stereotyping (e.g. assuming disabled individuals are unhealthy). The
medical model would agree with this as the model believes that the additional need is a problem of
the person, meaning that the individual has this problem due to poor health and that issues such as
stereotyping would not be present if the individual were initially in good health and did not have
their additional need, it insinuates that the stereotypical attitude is not necessarily wrong, but the
individual who has the additional needs is the one who is in the wrong. The social model would view
this statement as wrong. The attitudes of society must change to adapt to disabled individuals, for
example, terminology used in regards to disabled individuals is now sensitised, unlike in the past
when insensitive language was used in regards to disabled individuals as they were viewed as devoid
of feeling and emotion. The holistic approach would also not agree with this statement as it is
person-centred and they believe that the disability is not a reflection of the individual and are not to
be viewed as becoming their disability.
Employment opportunities
An employment opportunities barrier could be that the employers are ignorant to available assistive
technologies to aid disabled employees. The medical model would agree with the decision of non-
employment as they would view the disabled individual as unable to work due to health issues. The
medical model views the individual as disabled rather than viewing them as an individual. The social
model would view this as unacceptable as they believe that society should adapt to the disabled
individual, this model would expect the employer to be knowledgeable on assistive technologies in
order to assist the disabled employee. The holistic approach would view this ignorance as wrong as
they believe that the disability is not the person and it does not affect the way in which the
individual performs.
Bibliography
www.scope.org.uk – accessed (24/11/2016)
M1: Assess barriers which may be experienced by individuals with additional needs, with
reference to the models of disability.
Communication
A communication barrier could be an individual who is required to listen to an auditory form of
communication, who is unable to do so due to being deaf. The medical model would see the
individuals hearing impairment as a problem that defines the individual and that the individual can
only be aided through medication. The social model would view the hearing impairment as a social
issue which must be addressed, for example, awareness for hearing impairment or campaigning to
familiarise society with British Sign Language (BSL). The holistic model is person-centred and would
focus on the individual and their physical, intellectual, emotional and social requirements, using
these in order to prevail over the additional needs.
Physical access
A physical access barrier could be a high curb preventing an individual with a mobility disability from
being able to enter a building or using a sidewalk. The medical model would view the mobility
disability as the problem, which could only be solved through medical intervention. The social model
would view the mobility disability as society’s problem, suggesting public mobility aides or for
example, adapting physical barriers to the requirements of the individual (e.g. adding a slope next
stairs). The holistic model would use the physical, intellectual, emotional and social requirements in
order to tackle the issue, focusing mostly on the well-being of the individual.
Attitudes towards individuals with additional needs
An attitudinal barrier could be stereotyping (e.g. assuming disabled individuals are unhealthy). The
medical model would agree with this as the model believes that the additional need is a problem of
the person, meaning that the individual has this problem due to poor health and that issues such as
stereotyping would not be present if the individual were initially in good health and did not have
their additional need, it insinuates that the stereotypical attitude is not necessarily wrong, but the
individual who has the additional needs is the one who is in the wrong. The social model would view
this statement as wrong. The attitudes of society must change to adapt to disabled individuals, for
example, terminology used in regards to disabled individuals is now sensitised, unlike in the past
when insensitive language was used in regards to disabled individuals as they were viewed as devoid
of feeling and emotion. The holistic approach would also not agree with this statement as it is
person-centred and they believe that the disability is not a reflection of the individual and are not to
be viewed as becoming their disability.
Employment opportunities
An employment opportunities barrier could be that the employers are ignorant to available assistive
technologies to aid disabled employees. The medical model would agree with the decision of non-
employment as they would view the disabled individual as unable to work due to health issues. The
medical model views the individual as disabled rather than viewing them as an individual. The social
model would view this as unacceptable as they believe that society should adapt to the disabled
individual, this model would expect the employer to be knowledgeable on assistive technologies in
order to assist the disabled employee. The holistic approach would view this ignorance as wrong as
they believe that the disability is not the person and it does not affect the way in which the
individual performs.
Bibliography
www.scope.org.uk – accessed (24/11/2016)
