Disabled Students Society

pattirudi23

I have a physical disability which is not visable which can be very tricky at times... uni have been very supportive though, although I did have a fair amount of trouble with my LEA...

What do you other disabled bods think about the whole social vs medical model of disability? The social model says you don't have to be disabled if certain supports are put in place... but I suppose you have to get society to empathise before this is possible... I get so frustrated sometimes being held back when I don't really need to be...

pattirudi23

Social/Medical model.... ok here we go.... the social model suggests that you are only disabled if equipement/attitudes etc around you are making you disabled. For example, on a basic level, if you are physically disabled and without specific supportive equipemnt you cannot say, use a computer, if the correct support is put in place you do not need to be considered 'disabled' as you are actually 'enabled' to carry out the work on the computer. The attitudes of the people in the office would effect this too - if people see you as a person who is able to carry out their job etc in a 'usual' way then you do not need to be considered 'disabled' as you are actually viewed as being 'able' to carry things out in a 'usual' way. Basically the social model suggests that everyone is an individual, and everyone needs different levels of support to meet their different needs (whether classed as disabled or not!!)

The medical model classifies disabilities through check lists based on the 'average', 'normal' person.... nothing else is considered.

I hope that makes sense, I'm exhausted today and my brain doesn't seem to be working properly, but I hope you understand what I mean!! Right, I'm off to find the societies link now.. :smile:

Lol no worries; I'm sure there's nothing to say you have to be part of the soc to post on it!

To me the medical and sociological approaches sound like to sides to the same coin. I think to take one and disregard the other would be to lose the big picture. Each person is an individual yes, but I think taking the view that just because one gives a person aid to minimise the disability means that they're now normal, is a bit of a cop out. I'm sure the working world loves it, cause it releases them from alot of responsibility (oh.. we gave her a special keyboard so now we've done our bit). However there are alot of hidden disabilities (and visible ones) that aid can only do so much to help with.

What I'm trying to say is, I think society would like to say that people with disabilities are normal underneath. They aren't. No one is normal. People just ascribe to a normality in order for society to function. The purpose of labelling somebody with a disability is not to say that they are abnormal, its to identify the class of things they struggle with so that they can be helped and help themself. A medical approach would help to do this, a social approach is also important but there is leeway for brushing over things. We need the generic 'labels' as a starting place to helping people. As to them being individuals.. well I'm sure they're aware of that themself, and their close friends are aware of that. And those are the only people that matter. Society discriminates against so many more groups of individuals than people with disabilities, and always will.

Lol.. I know what I'm going on about.. hope everyone else does! :rolleyes:

Reply 62

Oh.. I guess I'd better add for context, that my gripes and groans have usually been that people UNDERESTIMATED my disabilities and limitations cause they are hidden. I suppose my approach to the above topic will therefore be slightly subjective, and different to someone who is more obviously disabled and sick of people having preconceived ideas about them based on that. Although once again.. I think that that is pretty much a given. And that non disabled people get that alot too even if it isn't as obvious..

Ok ok I'll shut up now. Anybody else? :biggrin:

Reply 63

minimo

15

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Am visually imparied though I think mentally challenged is more appropriate given my craziness!

Reply 64

Ethereal

OP

19

Join the soc people. The more successful this is, the better leverage I have with the mods for getting a sub-forum where we can actually make a real difference!

Reply 65

potspansamy

10

monki

Has anyone got any advice about freshers week? Im not supposed to drink much cos it makes my problems worse and also i get really tired and wont be able to survive a whole week of being late to bed, but i dont want to look unsociable or miss out on stuff. Do i tell my flatmates and everybody who offers me a drink or whatever that i cant really drink or do i go for things that look like alcohol and e.g orange juice and claim its vodka and orange. Dont really want to tell everybody whats wrong cos i hate doing that so do i just assume that most people are too drunk to notice/care and just tell my flatmates?

I don't drink, it didn't make any difference to my freshers week had just as much fun as the next person. I told my flat mates from day one that I didn't drink and they didn't have a problem, I find people aren't really bothered about it as at uni we are all adults and can make our own choices. If you decide to drink take it easy and pace yourself and you will be fine, not everyone goes out and gets hammered, somepeople acctually want to remember freshers :rolleyes:

Reply 66

pattirudi23

8

Craghyrax

Oh.. I guess I'd better add for context, that my gripes and groans have usually been that people UNDERESTIMATED my disabilities and limitations cause they are hidden. I suppose my approach to the above topic will therefore be slightly subjective, and different to someone who is more obviously disabled and sick of people having preconceived ideas about them based on that. Although once again.. I think that that is pretty much a given. And that non disabled people get that alot too even if it isn't as obvious..

Ok ok I'll shut up now. Anybody else? :biggrin:

Hi Crag, I totally agree with your points about the social vs medical model, I was just trying to explain it, not giving my personal views :smile:

Its really strange that I am in the same situation with you about underestimation of impact of impairments/disabilities (whatever you want to call it - I find it hard to class myself as 'disabled' for some reason)... but I wont go on about it now because I could rant forever :rolleyes:

and I'm too tired to do that right now :smile:

Anyway I have joined now and look forward to sharing views/gripes/happiness with you all :biggrin:

Reply 67

ninman

I've just been offered a Phd place, so all I need to do now is finish my masters.

Reply 68

ninman

I've just been offered a Phd place, so all I need to do now is finish my masters.

Congrats! That sounds really exciting! :cool:

Reply 69

pattirudi23

Hi Crag, I totally agree with your points about the social vs medical model, I was just trying to explain it, not giving my personal views :smile:

Yeh, I took it as such :smile:

pattirudi23

Its really strange that I am in the same situation with you about underestimation of impact of impairments/disabilities (whatever you want to call it - I find it hard to class myself as 'disabled' for some reason)

Uhuh! If you're talking about the same thing then I totally get that! Sometimes I feel really sheepish about calling myself disabled cause there are so many other people around who have it worse than me, and at the end of the day, I've learned coping mechanisms..so things aren't really issues as much as they were. :redface:

And all my friends think I'm normal, and don't fully buy it. It drives me mental sometimes, cause occasionally I get haunted with the worry that its all in my head..that I'm normal, just fabricating excuses! :eek:

I imagine, though, that alot of people must experience that in some way or the other. :rolleyes:

Reply 70

ninman

The people I know tell me that I'm far from normal. I don't even try to be normal, I just try and be myself. Normal people scare anyway.

Reply 71

minimo

15

ninman

I've just been offered a Phd place, so all I need to do now is finish my masters.

What subject do you do? :smile:

Reply 72

Ella_belle

Craghyrax

Uhuh! If you're talking about the same thing then I totally get that! Sometimes I feel really sheepish about calling myself disabled cause there are so many other people around who have it worse than me, and at the end of the day, I've learned coping mechanisms..so things aren't really issues as much as they were. :redface:

And all my friends think I'm normal, and don't fully buy it. It drives me mental sometimes, cause occasionally I get haunted with the worry that its all in my head..that I'm normal, just fabricating excuses! :eek:

I imagine, though, that alot of people must experience that in some way or the other. :rolleyes:

I have exactly the same problem! I prefer to play down my disability, and I would rather grit my teeth than admit I'm having problems - both of which makes it seem as though my level of disability fluctuates. Most of my close friends have seen me at my worst though, which means that they know how bad things can get.

Monki, I'm starting uni (fingers crossed!) in September as well, and I don't drink at all because of the drugs I'm on. I go out with my friends who drink all the time, and I just have Coke or lemonade or J20. It's not a big deal if you don't make it one, and I'm not planning to tell people at uni that I'm teetotal unless it comes up. On that topic, how have people found that people at uni react to your disability (during freshers week for example)?

Reply 73

Ella_belle

I have exactly the same problem! I prefer to play down my disability, and I would rather grit my teeth than admit I'm having problems - both of which makes it seem as though my level of disability fluctuates. Most of my close friends have seen me at my worst though, which means that they know how bad things can get.

I've just moved back to England two years ago, and alot of my friends haven't seen me at my worst because its only obvious in particular circumstances.
At least important people like lecturer's and stuff take it seriously... :rolleyes:

Don't know about Uni, but at college last year in my E.Lit class there was alot of tension until they found out I was Aspergers, then it totally dissipated, and people were alot more at ease with me. I tried not to tell them, but they found out at exams when I had extra time.

Reply 74

Ethereal

OP

19

Welcome to the new members :smile:

Reply 75

ninman

minimo

What subject do you do? :smile:

mathematics

Reply 76

Ethereal

OP

19

How are all the exams going?

Reply 77

Ella_belle

I've had barely any as yet - first proper written one is on Wednesday. Revision is...slow, to say the least :smile:

. Does anyone have extra time and stuff for exams? I don't get extra time, but I do get to get up and walk around between papers - which was OK last year when each paper was an hour, but I have some two hour papers which will probably get a bit uncomfortable.

Reply 78

Mountain One

My first exam is wednesday too (AS chem resit), whats yours? I get extra time and scribe/word processor. Ask whether u can have rest breaks then u can get up and walk around mid exam and the clock is stopped while you do. I always find i get so stiff in exams. And my god is revision is taken ages, the only way i learn is writing it down and that is so slow so any suggestions anyone? Good luck everyone :smile:

Reply 79

Ella_belle