Children with Disabilities

2.3. Comparisons

• Imagine a wheelchair user trying to enter a building with a step at the entrance:
• Social model solution: Add a ramp to the entrance, allowing the wheelchair user immediate access.
• Medical model approach: Few solutions exist for wheelchair users to climb stairs, excluding them from essential and leisure activities.

• Consider a teenager with a learning difficulty aiming to live independently:
• Social model support: Enable the person to pay rent and live in their own home.
• Medical model perspective: Expect the young person to live in a communal home.

• Lastly, think about a child with a visual impairment who wants to read a best-selling book:
• Social model solution: Provide full-text audio recordings when the book is published, allowing equal participation in cultural activities. 
• Medical model limitations: Few solutions exist within this model. (Disability Nottinghamshire, n.d.)

In summary, the social model highlights the importance of addressing societal barriers, while the medical model focuses on individual impairments. Understanding both models helps create a more inclusive and supportive environment for disabled individuals. (University of Oregon, n.d. and Sense, n.d.)