Disability Essay

Through the social model, disability is understood as an unequal relationship within a society in which the needs of people with impairments are often given little or no consideration. People with impairments are disabled by the fact that they are excluded from participation within the mainstream of society as a result of physical, organizational and attitudinal barriers(Carson, G) (www.leeds.ac.uk). These barriers prevent them from gaining equal access to information, education, employment, public transport, housing and social/recreational opportunities (Carson, G) (www.leeds.ac.uk). However, disabling barriers experienced in the past can continue to have an adverse effect. For example, those disabled people who attended segregated schools may have gained lower academic qualifications than their non-disabled peers, simply because their special school failed to provide a proper mainstream curriculum (Carson, G) (www.leeds.ac.uk). Thus, in developing national school curriculum there is need to cater for the disabled in order for them to receive the same learning as their normal peers to be able to have sustaining employment.

Socially, in Zimbabwe there is still a lot of misunderstanding and lack of knowledge about disabilities. This mainly stems from cultural misgivings about disabilities. Disability is still an issue that is surrounded by myths. In the social setting, people with disabilities are invisible because generally the country’s social amenities have not been structured in a way that is inclusive for people with disabilities. As such, people with disabilities are less likely to participate in most social activities. Instead people with disabilities belong to institutions where specialized activities are developed for...

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...derpins the Standard Rules, the Resolution stated:- "The term ‘equalization of opportunities’ means the process through which the various systems of society and the environment, such as services, activities, information and documentation, are made available to all, particularly to persons with disabilities. The principle of equal rights implies that the needs of each and every individual are of equal importance, that those needs must be made the basis for the planning of societies and that all resources must be employed in such a way as to ensure that every individual has equal opportunity for participation. Persons with disabilities are members of society and have the right to remain within their local communities. They should receive the support they need within the ordinary structures of education, health, employment and social services.” (United Nations, 1993).