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The Social model was made by disabled people to ensure they all have their individual’s feelings, rights, needs and strengths in the society. They say that ‘disability’ is a social problem which is everyone’s responsibility and the approach is there to provide an inclusive environment for children. Tassoni P says “it considers the environment; attitudes towards disability, curricula and resources may not be the ‘problem’ that requires fixing rather than a child.” (Tassoni, Child care and Education 2005, page 496)
They believe the cure to disability is in the society and a person’s disability is a social issue caused by policies and the environment. It encourages them to be independent and gives them the right to make choices and become more included in the society as they have feelings too. For example, a child with a disability would be sent to a school for children with special needs and not a public school with all the rest of the children; this model encourages children to be mixed with others and the society.
The Medical model approach says that disabled people always depend on someone and need to be cures; which mean they cannot be independent and are defined by their illness or condition. This model excludes people from society because they are not ‘normal’ as they can’t ‘talk’ or ‘walk’ like us, they think having a disability is a personal problem and it’s a personal tragedy. This makes people with special needs feel like an ‘outsider’ as they will have low self-esteem and may feel rejected not fit in with the society which is why scientists and doctors are trying to find a way to cure ‘disability’. A person with a disability may normally have poor education, undeveloped skills and high levels of unemployment. The medical model of disability views disability as a ‘problem’ and is not seen as an issue other than the individual. According to http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/accessability/staff/accessabilitytutors/information-for-accessability-tutors/the-social-and-medical-model-of-disability it states “if a wheelchair using student is unable to get into a building because of some steps, the medical model would suggest that this is because of the wheelchair, rather than the steps.”