Notions of race, gender and disability have significantly informed the development of social policy and of welfare and educational practices. Critically Discuss

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To critically discuss the way in which notions of disability influence the development of policy and practice the social construction of difference and disability will be examined looking then specifically at the ideas underpinning the medical and social model of disability. To understand how these notions influence policy it is important to understand why social policies target disabled people. Power is argued to be an essential concept in understanding how notions of disability are constructed and subsequently influence the development of policy and practice.

The development of education policy will then be examined due to the broad scope of the question, analysing the assumptions about disability underlying the intended outcomes. This will be contrasted with the impact of policies in practice. It will be argued that the medical model of disability has lead to a strong focus upon impairment resulting in segregatory educational policy and practice. Although the social model presents a powerful challenge to this and is echoed in current education policy on inclusion, it will be argued that practice is still heavily underpinned by the medical model. This will be demonstrated by looking at the development of policy influenced by integration and then inclusion. Inclusion, however, has not been realised and it is argued this is a result of the education system still being heavily underpinned by the medical model of disability. This is reflected in LEAs continual allocation of special school placements, teaching practices and is further perpetuated by league tables, resulting in further discrimination against disabled children. After critically discussing these issues a conclusion will be drawn and discussed.

Notions of disability are the ideas and beliefs which constitute our understanding and reaction to its occurrence. Saraga and Clarke (2006) argue that the way in which difference is constructed and the meaning given to this pattern of difference is the basis of how social policies are formulated and implemented. This suggests that the way in which disability is defined then has consequences for how it is to be acted upon in the creation of policy and practice. The perceived location of the 'problem' of disability has a powerful impact on the nature of interventions. If disability is constructed as an individual problem, policies will seek to target the individual whereas if constructed as a social issue, policies will target the social and environmental structures believed to be causing the problem (Saraga and Clarke, 2006).

Locating disability within the individual, the essence of the medical model is to stimulate change within the person by way of treatment, therapy and cure, with the aim being to restore as close to 'normal' functioning as possible (Drake, 1999). In other words, the disabled person is changed to fit into a society designed and built by able bodied people for able bodied people (Oliver, 1996). Associated with this notion is deviance from 'normal' leading to exclusion either through fear or with the aim of 'protecting' or providing specialist provision (Kenworthy and Whittaker, 2000). As a result of this notion, disabled people are constructed as a burden, dependent and vulnerable. Segregative policies and practices are the result of this notion of disability (Oliver, 1990).

The growing consciousness of disabled people and the notion that disability is socially created presents a powerful challenge to the medical model of disability and resulting interventions. It is argued that "the quality of life enjoyed by disabled citizens is determined by a society's reaction to impairment" (Williams, 1995 cited in Dwyer, 2004:115). From this perspective it is the failure of social structures to accommodate the needs of people with impairments which policy interventions need to target (Hahn, 1986 cited in Dwyer, 2004). Although there has been recognition of the validity of the social model of disability, influencing policy approaches, in practice medical model of disability is so deeply embedded in society that such notions have become 'common sense' and hard to shift (Oliver, 1990).
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Another important dimension to consider is why disability has been defined the way it has in policy and how such notions have become 'common sense'. Using the concept of power Gramsci's 'Doctrine of Hegemony' puts forward the idea that "the ascendancy of a class or group rests on its ability to translate its own world view into a pervasive dominant ethos" (Drake, 1999:14). As there are more non disabled people than disabled people, this makes disabled people the minority. Oliver (1996) notes that disabled people are often excluded from the political process and positions of power meaning they ...

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