SEN

Models of disability, Special Education Needs and Inclusion

Models of disability, Special Education Needs and Inclusion

Introduction

Models of disability and Special Education Needs (SEN) have been a subject of a lot of discussion and debate since the past few decades especially after the Warnock Report in 1978. There have been a considerable number of studies, reports and researches surrounding various aspects of these important concepts and their influence and dependency over each other. This paper aims to examine some significant policies and practices since the Warnock Report and how they have been influenced by some common models of disability. The paper provides an overview of the Warnock report and some models of disability and with the understanding of these concepts, shed light on how these models have been influential on SEN policies and practices.

Models of Disability

Models of disability help in defining impairment which in turn enable in devising strategies and measures that can be initiated at various levels such as at the societal and the governmental level to support the needs of the people with disabilities. There are a number of models of disability which have been defined over the years of which there are two distinct models of disability i.e. the medical model and the social model that are most frequently mentioned.

The medical model of disability

The medical model of disabilities has been a dominant model over the years. Under this model, disability is understood as an individual problem. For example, a person using a wheelchair if is unable to get into a building, then according to the medical model it is because of the wheel chair rather than the steps which are a hindrance. Thus, an impairment of any kind in a person is seen to be their disability at the individual level in which little can be done by anyone. It establishes the notion that a disabled person is dependent and need only care and in this manner explains the exclusion of the disabled people from the society. It is believed under this model that they can be only helped by an expert or a professional and have limited choices and options which are provided to them by the expert. The medical model is inclined towards the aspects that a disabled person can't do and has therefore, received a lot of criticism since it results in lowering the self-esteem, poor education, lack of development of life skills and many other problems of analogous nature. It also influences the thinking patterns of the individuals since they are led to believe that their impairments are such that they cannot take part in normal social activities and are therefore, likely to remain excluded from the mainstream society. In such a situation it is likely that they are prevented from gaining equal access to information, education and employment, housing, public transport and social/recreational opportunities.

The model is limiting in the sense that the individual may not necessarily have a condition which has a chance to be improved with treatment and hence, they have ...