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There are a number of ‘models’ of disability which have been defined over the last few years. The two most frequently mentioned are the ‘social’ and the ‘medical’models of disability.
Social model of disability
The social model is a concept which recognises that some individuals have physical or psychological differences which can affect their ability to function in society. However the social model suggests it is society that causes the individual with these physical or psychological differences to be disabled. In other words individuals with impairments are not disabled by their impairments but by the barriers that exist in society which do not take into account their needs. These barriers can be divided into three categories: environmental, economical and cultural. Social model of disability is a civil rights based approach to disability developed by disabled people in the 1970s and 1980s. The Social model of disability rejects the medical idea that the problem lies with the individual disabled person who is damaged, sick and in need of a cure. Instead it puts forward the view that it is the way society is run and organised that is the problem not the individual disabled person.

Medical model of disability
The medical model of disability views disability as a ‘problem’ that belongs to thedisabled individual. It is not seen as an issue to concern anyone other than theindividual affected. For example, 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 thewheelchair, rather than the steps. This medical model approach is based on a belief that the difficulties associated withthe disability should be borne wholly by the disabled person, and that the disabled person should make extra effort (perhaps in time and/or money) to ensure that they do not inconvenience anyone else. The medical model of disability is one that is primarily concerned with the justification of disability. It sees disability purely as a problem of the individual, without any discrimination between the impairment faced and the disability itself. “Any economic or social deprivation encountered by disabled people was located within the individual and their impairment.” (Swain et al., 2003)
To put it simply, a disabled person is seen as faulty and in need of fixing or curing. Disabled people are by definition then dependent on others to help them and decide on care/treatment for their disability. Disability is a tragedy, and focusses on what a person cannot do. This results in segregation of disability, giving anyone perceived as different a label due to the fixation of “normality” by society (referring to people by their disability… “he’s a Down’s baby,” “she’s the dwarf”), lack of individual respect and the ignorance of cultural, social and institutional barriers that disabled people face in trying to lead their own independent lives.