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Is having a disability necessarily a handicap?

You might think that questions like those above have a simple and straightforward answer. It does not. Nothing is absolute in the human condition, and not all concepts are consistent across culture. Many answers have been suggested to resolve these questions. Definition of disability and handicap differ because of differences in attitudes, beliefs, orientation, discipline and culture. Explanation of the concept of disability and handicap vary, as do opinion on whether disability must always impair a person’s ability to participate in mainstream society. Some concepts of disability hold that disability would disappear if society were organized some other way. Is that so? Why would the response to disability be different across cultures? Some scholars such as Grossman (1998) and Erevelles(1996) propose that the concept of disabilities is a political and economic necessity of societies that require a class structure. Other scholars like Kaufman (1997)  do not accept the position that disability is the result a stratified society and reject the idea that everyone should be treated a like. An extreme need for “sameness” forces people to minimize disability – to the worst, even deny its existence. People need to focus on the concept of “difference” and the related necessity of making value judgments .

            Simple questions do not always have simple answers. Discussing about the relationship between disabilities and being handicapped is not only an important concept but an interesting one as well. They way people are treated can limit their independence and opportunities. We are still left with the question of whether the terms disability and handicap are synonymous. If they are, the disability could then be viewed as a difference, a characteristic that sets and individual apart from everyone else, something that makes the individual less able or inferior. Many profession (Medical and/or Psychology) view disabilities in terms of deviance – a model whereby the majority of the population is considered “normal” and a disability sets the individual apart. In that view, it is the disability that restricts and individual’s ability to reach his or her potential, rather than the individual being handicapped by society’s attitudes. And what of gifted individuals with exceptional talents and outstanding intellect? Do people’s attitudes about their differences handicap them and prevent them from achieving their potential? Misconception and stigmatization in the society on certain disability influence how people are treated. Bias and discrimination influence people’s outcomes in such a way that what is thought of as a severe disability in one society might not handicap a person’s efforts to achieve his or her potential in another society.

In the special education world the terms of Impairments, Disability and Handicap are commonly used. Impairment  is a loss or abnormality (anatomical, psychological, or physical);  Disability is limitation in the ability to perform certain tasks in the same manner as most individuals do and Handicap is a problem or disadvantage in interacting with the environment. Evidence abounds that disabilities and/or   exceptionalities are part of the human condition. It’s not a disease (therefore you can’t “cure” it  but you can learn how to live with it and have a productive and meaningful life with the disability. The disability and exceptionality are uniqueness of each individual. People should see the person  rather than the label. The important issue is not whether disabilities and/or exceptionalities exist but, rather, how people view and react to them?  If people are treated fairly and able to realize their potential without considerable support from others, may be as a society we are expending considerable energy where it is not necessary.