disability · model

Disability

Social Model

Definition

Disadvantage imposed by societal barriers excluding people with impairments.

Prerequisite chain

Condition. A physical/mental impairment exists (not in dispute)
Functional status. Barriers (buildings, attitudes, policy) block participation
Applied test. Never assessed via medication - only via the environment's inclusiveness

Assessment basis (treatment / aids) — Aids/meds are irrelevant; disability is defined by social exclusion, not by whether medication reduces symptoms.

Qualifiers

Severity. Intensity of environmental barriers
Duration. N/A
Scope. N/A
Other. Accessible vs. inaccessible society

Impact

The negative effect is caused by inaccessible buildings, attitudes, and policies, not the impairment itself.

Example

A wheelchair user is "disabled" by a building with no ramp, not by the impairment itself.

Source: Disability studies / social theory

Language map: disability · Incapacity · Mitigated-state trap