There are different ways of thinking about disability.

The medical way (model) says

 
People are disabled by their impairments.

A person has “impairments” when their physical, mental or sensory activity is lost or reduced, and this lasts for a long time or always.

The medical way of thinking about disability says the problem is the person with impairments. If doctors can’t fix the impairment, the person is dependent on others and should be looked after.

This doesn’t make the disabled person independent and equal.

The social way (model) says

People are not disabled by their impairments but by physical or social barriers that make life hard and stop them being independent. 

Steps are a physical barrier to this wheelchair user. The problem is the steps, not the person.

A ramp takes away the physical barrier. The man’s impairment is not changed but he is independent and he can move around like other people. He is equal to them.

Social barriers are harder to see and harder to change.
Bad social attitudes are everywhere.

They cause discrimination so disabled people don’t get jobs, or can’t find somewhere to live as easily as non-disabled people.

Poor medical care is a social barrier because we can improve access to health services.

The social way of thinking about disability finds ways for people with impairments to be independent and equal. 

This means equal opportunities in society for

disabled parents and their children.