Question

Under the Social Model of Disability, which specific factor is identified as the primary source of the &#x27;disability&#x27; experienced by a person with vision loss?

Accepted Answer

Under the Social Model of Disability, the primary source of the &#x27;disability&#x27; experienced by a person with vision loss is identified as societal barriers rather than the person&#x27;s physical condition. In this model, an impairment—defined as a physical or mental limitation, such as vision loss—is viewed as a neutral difference, while the disability is created by an environment that fails to accommodate that difference. The environment becomes the source of disability when it excludes individuals through physical obstacles, such as a lack of braille signage, or systemic hurdles, such as inaccessible digital technology. For example, a person who cannot read a document because it is not formatted for screen-reading software is not disabled by their eyes, but by the inaccessible design of the computer system. By shifting the focus from the individual&#x27;s body to the design of the world, the Social Model highlights that disability occurs when social, structural, and attitudinal barriers prevent full participation in society.

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Under the Social Model of Disability, which specific factor is identified as the primary source of the 'disability' experienced by a person with vision loss?