What does the social model emphasize about inclusion and participation?

What does the social model emphasize about inclusion and participation?

• A. It emphasizes personal responsibility only.
• B. It argues disability is purely biological.
• C. It discourages inclusion in public life.
• D. It calls for removing barriers—policy, architecture, attitudes—to enable participation for all.

Answer: (D)

The social model emphasizes that inclusion and participation depend on removing barriers in society rather than fixing the individual. It sees disability as produced by how society is organized—its policies, built environments, and attitudes—so making participation possible means removing these barriers. That’s why the best answer says to remove barriers—policy, architecture, attitudes—to enable participation for all. Disability being purely biological fits the old medical view, not the social model. Saying personal responsibility is all that matters puts the focus on the individual rather than on societal barriers. And claiming inclusion is discouraged contradicts the whole purpose of the social model, which is to enable people to participate fully in public life.

The social model emphasizes that inclusion and participation depend on removing barriers in society rather than fixing the individual. It sees disability as produced by how society is organized—its policies, built environments, and attitudes—so making participation possible means removing these barriers. That’s why the best answer says to remove barriers—policy, architecture, attitudes—to enable participation for all.

Disability being purely biological fits the old medical view, not the social model. Saying personal responsibility is all that matters puts the focus on the individual rather than on societal barriers. And claiming inclusion is discouraged contradicts the whole purpose of the social model, which is to enable people to participate fully in public life.