What ‘models’ of disability are used in Ireland?

The context in which we use language to describe people with disabilities is important, particularly because language can categorise, label and enforce stereotypes. The terminology used to describe disability continues to change from time to time, but on the whole it is important to remember that the language of disability is based on two main models – the medical and the social model of disability.

The medical model defines a person’s disability in terms of their medical condition. In other words, it sees the person’s disability as the ‘disabling’ factor.

In contrast, the social model defines a person’s disability in terms of the barriers within our society. These barriers are the ‘disabling’ factor.

The following statements illustrate the difference between the two models:

Medical Model
“I have Cerebral Palsy. I have to use a wheelchair, so I cannot go to college”

Social Model
“The college is not wheelchair accessible, so I cannot go there”


Many people with disabilities prefer to use the social model to describe their situation rather than the medical model.

Back