Know each model's name, definition, and at least one strength and one weakness.
| Model | Definition | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Model | Disability is a medical problem within the person to be fixed or cured. | Drives medical research, treatment, and assistive tech | Puts all responsibility on the individual; ignores environmental barriers |
| Social Model | Disability is caused by societal barriers, not the person's condition. | Shifts focus to removing environmental and social barriers | Can downplay real physical challenges or need for medical treatment |
| Biopsychosocial Model | Combines medical and social — disability results from interaction between health condition and context (environment, personal factors). | Holistic; used by WHO in ICF framework | Complex; harder to apply in practice |
| Economic Model | Focuses on cost of disability to individuals, employers, and society. | Drives policy and funding decisions | Reduces people to their economic output; devalues those who can't work |
| Functional Solutions Model | Focuses on practical solutions to functional limitations, often through technology. | Pragmatic; focuses on what works | May overlook root social causes |
| Social Identity / Cultural Affiliation Model | Disability as a source of cultural identity (e.g., Deaf culture, capital-D Deaf community). | Validates community, pride, and shared experience | May conflict with medical interventions like cochlear implants |
| Charity / Tragedy Model | Disability viewed as a personal tragedy requiring charity. | Can raise funds and awareness | Paternalistic; fosters pity rather than empowerment; most rejected by disability advocates |
They want to know if you understand the difference between fixing the person and fixing the environment. The Social Model is the backbone of modern accessibility law and policy. The Medical Model is where we started. The Biopsychosocial Model (WHO ICF) is where professional frameworks landed — acknowledging both the person and the context.
Medical → fix the person
Social → fix the environment
Biopsychosocial → both (WHO standard)
Economic → cost/productivity lens
Functional Solutions → tech fixes it
Cultural Affiliation → disability = identity
Charity/Tragedy → pity (most rejected by advocates)