Disability
Under section 6 of the Equality Act 2010, Disability is defined in the following way: “A person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”
An impairment is considered to have a long-term effect if:
- it has lasted for at least 12 months
- it is likely to last for at least 12 months, or
- it is likely to last for the rest of the life of the person
For more information, see the full 'Disability' definition below, or visit the University’s Disability Services along with the Guidance and information for disabled staff. Also see the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ definition.
Related links
Content warning
Some of the terminology and definitions used in this glossary relate to subject matter that may be upsetting or triggering for some people.
The individual and social discrimination faced by disabled people. It is rooted in a social prejudice that assumes people who are not disabled are superior and more valid than those who are. At its heart, ableism defines individuals by their disability and medicalises them, taking the position that they are deficient, incomplete or require ‘fixing’ in some way as a result of them being disabled. Like racism and sexism, ableism classifies entire groups of people as ‘less than’, enabling harmful stereotypes, misconceptions and generalisations to form,39 while seeking to limit the ability and agency of disabled people.
Ableism can take the form of overt acts of disability discrimination, however it is often more subtle and discreet, working to form the basis of how a society and culture is structured. From the design of buildings, to the development of policies and even to the everyday use of language; an ableist culture is said to de-emphasise disabled people and presents those who are not disabled as the typical or ‘ideal’ human.
A publicly funded employment support programme that aims to help more disabled people start or stay in work. It can provide practical and financial support if someone is disabled or has a long-term physical or mental health condition. For more information see the available guidance on Gov.uk.
The extent to which a service or facility is readily approachable and usable by disabled individuals, such as self-opening doors, elevators for upper levels, or raised lettering on signs.40 This may also apply to teaching and learning materials as well as some of the University’s inclusive facilities that are intended to make our campus as accessible as possible. For information about some of the University’s accessible facilities see the Inclusive facilities web page as well as the Digital Accessibility web page.
40 University of Washington - School of Public Health - ED&I Glossary
Previously referred to as ‘disabled toilets’, an accessible toilet is a toilet that is designed to accommodate disabled people and/or people with health conditions. They often allow for wheelchair access, increased privacy and several other facilities that help to accommodate specific requirements. Also see the ‘Changing Places Toilet’ definition.
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is the result of damage to the brain. The impact of ABI can be temporary or permanent and can affect people physically and/or emotionally. It can also affect their behaviour and ability to carry out tasks and process information. People with ABI may experience tiredness or lack of stamina, and might also find it difficult to concentrate.41
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Anxiety covers a range of phobias and disorders. Anxiety and stress are things that most people experience but for some people coping with anxiety and stress can become extremely difficult and may lead to panic attacks. There are lots of types of anxiety disorders, some of the most common ones are:
- Social phobias
- Agoraphobia
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Health anxiety (hypochondria)
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Post traumatic stress disorder.42
It is important to note that, as with many health conditions, the impact of a particular health condition on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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Arthritis is a condition that includes inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases that affect the body's joints and connective tissue. Tendons, cartilage, blood vessels, and internal organs are also often affected. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but two of the more common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. Pain and swelling are often associated with arthritis.
It is important to note that, as with many health conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) is a lifelong neurological difference that affects around 700,000 people in the UK. It includes autism as well as conditions previously described as Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism, and it can affect a person’s perception, communication and social interaction. Most people with ASC share some challenges, which may include processing language or managing complex and intense social situations, but characteristics of ASC will vary from one person to another.
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a severe mental illness characterised by mood swings between mania (highs) and depression (lows).43
As with many health conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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British Sign Language (BSL) is a sign language used in the United Kingdom and is often either the first or preferred language of some D/deaf people in the UK. BSL interpreters are people who assist D/deaf people by using sign language to communicate what is being verbalised during a talk or meeting (for example); as well as interpreting what the individual wishes to say and verbalising it on their behalf. For information see the University’s supporting students page.
Changing Places Toilets are specialised facilities with additional equipment that are used to assist people with specific requirements. They are different to accessible toilets as they are designed for individuals with profound and multiple learning disabilities, as well as people with other physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and those with multiple sclerosis, who often need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably.44
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness, which varies in terms of its impact on an individual’s day-to-day life, but can lead to a person being unable to walk even short distances. CFS is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Many people refer to the condition as CFS/ME. CFS/ME can affect anyone, including children. It's more common in women and tends to develop between a person’s mid-20s and mid-40s.45
It is important to note that, as with many health conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months. It’s severity can vary from mild to excruciating and can be continuous or sporadic. It can be caused by another condition such as arthritis or diabetes nerve pain, but is often an illness in its own right.46
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Having total or profound hearing loss. While the term ‘hearing loss’ refers to a reduced ability to hear sounds, deafness relates to when a person cannot understand speech through hearing, even when sound is amplified. The term ‘profound deafness’ can be used to refer to a total lack of hearing. An individual with profound deafness is unable to detect sound at all and a diagnosis of profound deafness is at the end of the hearing spectrum.
Note that it is considered impolite to refer to someone with hearing loss or who is D/deaf as having a ‘hearing impairment’, it is instead better to use ‘hard-of-hearing’.
The term D/deaf is used throughout higher education and research to describe individuals who are either Deaf (sign language users) or deaf (people who are hard-of-hearing but who have English as their first language and may lipread and/or use hearing aids).
We use Deaf with a capital D to refer to people who have been Deaf all their lives, or since before they started to learn to talk. It is an important distinction, because Deaf people tend to communicate in sign language as their first language.47
For more information also see the ‘hearing loss’ definition and the University’s supporting students page.
47 Signhealth
Dementia is not one thing, it includes symptoms such as memory loss, difficulties with thinking, problem solving and language. It can be caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s or by a series of strokes.
There are many types of dementia, some of the more common are:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Vascular dementia
- Dementia with Lewy bodies
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- Korsakoff’s syndrome
- HIV-related cognitive impairment
- Mild cognitive impairment.48
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Depression is a common condition. Between 8 and 12 percent of people will experience it in any one year. It is characterised by a low mood and other symptoms, such as anxiety, which last for at least two weeks. Some people may become depressed just once and recover quickly, for others it can last much longer, recur and require treatment.49 For many people depression can be a permanent condition.
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Under section 6 of the Equality Act 2010, Disability is defined in the following way: “A person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”
An impairment is considered to have a long-term effect if:
- it has lasted for at least 12 months
- it is likely to last for at least 12 months, or
- it is likely to last for the rest of the life of the person
The Equality Act considers a diagnosis of health conditions such as cancer, HIV and MS as a disability and an individual does not have to have symptoms or consider themselves as disabled by their condition to be protected under the Equality Act 2010.50
People who were previously disabled are also protected against discrimination, harassment and victimisation. This may be particularly relevant for people with fluctuating and/or recurring impairments/health conditions.51
There are several other health conditions or impairments, which may or may not result in a person being classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010.
As per the social model of disability, disability is said to result from the interaction between persons with impairments and the attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.52 For more information on this see the ‘Social versus Medical model of disability’ definition.
Acquiring disability - a disability can be:
- Related to conditions that are present at birth and may affect functions later in life. This can include memory, learning and understanding, mobility, vision, hearing, behaviour and other areas.
- Associated with developmental conditions that become apparent during childhood (for example, autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD).
- Related to an injury or illness (for example, traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury).
- Associated with a longstanding condition (for example, diabetes), which can cause a disability such as sight loss, nerve damage, or limb loss.
For more information visit the University’s Disability Services along with the Guidance and information for disabled staff. Also see the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ definition.
51 UoY Disability in employment: policy, procedure and guidance
52 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
An intersectional framework or approach that examines disableism and ableism as it relates to other forms of oppression that disabled people may face, depending on their other identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation etc.
The University uses the term “disabled person” rather than “person with a disability” as this is often the preferred terminology used by disabled people. This is because ‘disability’ is not a description of a personal characteristic. A disabled person is not a ‘person with a disability’ as the person does not own the disability in the way that you might be ‘a person with brown hair’, a person is instead ‘dis-abled’ by the barriers they encounter in their external environment. Consequently, the opposite of ‘disabled’ is not ‘able-bodied’ or ‘abled’, but ‘non-disabled’ or ‘enabled’.53
For more on this see the ‘People-first language or person-first language (PFL)’ definition as well as the ‘Social versus Medical model of disability’ definition.
53 The art of respectful language
Disability Pride refers both to an individual’s expression of confidence in and celebration of their physical and/or mental health difference and the community to which they belong. It also refers to the Disability Pride Parades and awareness raising events that are held annually, which seek to change the way people think about and define disability, with the goal of ending the stigma associated with disability.
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are grants that can contribute towards some of the additional costs of studying at university with a disability or long-term mental health condition or Specific Learning Difference/Difficulty (SpLD).
DSAs are usually provided by a funding body and paid on top of the standard student finance package. They do not have to be paid back and are not means-tested. The amount received depends on the extra support needed, not on household income. More information is available on the Disability Services webpage.
Disableism is discrimination, oppression or malicious acts towards individuals with a physical, learning and mental health disability.54 An act of disableism may be considered a hate incident or a hate crime.
Disablism isn’t always easy to spot and in many cases, people do not realise that it exists. Disablism is first and foremost about people's attitudes, it does not only refer to consciously discriminatory behaviour, but also to the way that people unconsciously relate to disabled people. Also see the ‘Ableism’ definition.
Dyslexia can be described as difficulties in processing written language. These difficulties often do not reflect an individual’s cognitive abilities and may not be typical of performance in other areas. Dyslexia is often under-diagnosed and it is a neurological difference affecting perception, and with the right adjustments its effects can be minimised. It is not related to intellect and should not be connected to intellectual capacity in any way.55 For more information visit the University’s Dyslexia and SpLD webpage.
As with many neurological differences the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that the effects are minimised, while for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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Dyspraxia is a form of developmental coordination disorder. It is a common condition affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination, in children and adults. Approximately seven to ten percent of the general population are affected by dyspraxia. A person with dyspraxia may have a lack of manual dexterity, difficulty with typing, handwriting and drawing, difficulty with dressing and grooming activities or poor balance and a ‘clumsy’ gait.56
As with many neurological differences the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that the effects are minimised, while for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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The use of online or electronic information and communication technologies such as websites or electronic materials like PowerPoint slides or documents etc, and the need to develop such resources so that disabled people can access the information whatever their individual needs might be. For more information about E-Accessibility and guidance on making resources accessible, see the University’s Digital Accessibility webpage.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition where an abnormal electrical activity happens in the brain causing seizures - also known as fits. What people experience during a seizure depends on where the epileptic activity takes place in the brain. About one in 20 people with epilepsy will be affected by flashing lights and most will not be affected negatively by using a computer screen.57
It is important to note that, as with many health conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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Fibromyalgia is a complex, chronic condition that causes widespread pain and severe fatigue. Fibromyalgia is often considered a syndrome because it is a set of signs and symptoms that occur together, affecting muscles and their attachments to bones. It is not a true form of arthritis and does not cause deformities of the joints. It is, however, a form of soft tissue or muscular rheumatism. Deep muscular pain is the most common symptom of fibromyalgia. Usually starting at the neck and shoulders and spreading to other parts of the body over time, the pain varies according to the time of day, weather, sleep patterns, and stress level.
It is important to note that, as with many health conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
Hearing loops, also known as induction loops, are sound systems used by those who wear hearing aids. These systems send a wireless or magnetic signal to an individual’s hearing aid, delivering certain sounds directly to their ears.58
The University has a number of hearing loops fitted in teaching and meeting rooms across campus. These are rooms with a hearing loop that has been tested and endorsed by members of staff with hearing loss. Additional equipment may also be required where a room layout has been changed from its default. For example, extra microphones, if a seminar room is changed to boardroom style for a meeting.
The University has a list of approved meeting and teaching rooms that are, with the exception of K/133, also wheelchair accessible:
In addition, the following rooms on campus have been tested and endorsed by members of staff with hearing loss as being suitable for meetings because they have good lighting and good acoustics, but no hearing loops or microphones. These are also wheelchair accessible.
The University also has some guidance on good practice to assist individuals with hearing loss in meetings and guidance for students on the recording of teaching sessions.
Hearing loss can be described as a partial or complete hearing loss or tinnitus (noises in the ear). There are 3.7 million people of working age with hearing loss in the UK. Some people may be able to hear but have difficulty picking out sounds in a noisy environment. The impact of hearing loss could be:
- A sudden or unexpected loss in hearing that can have an emotional or negative impact on mental health.
- Workplaces may need aids and adaptations, for example to fire alarms or the way a job is carried out.59
Note, it is considered impolite to refer to someone with hearing loss or who is D/deaf as having a ‘hearing impairment’, it is instead better to use ‘hard-of-hearing’.
Also see the ‘D/deaf and deafness’ definition and the University’s supporting students page.
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When a disabled person believes that they are less worthy due to them being disabled and where they see themselves as ‘other’, marginalised or unworthy. Internalised disableism can result from the difficulties experienced by a disabled person as they navigate an Ableist society that may be seen as prioritising people who are not disabled and thereby ‘othering’ or marginalising those people who are. Also see ‘Ableism’ definition.
An invisible disability is a physical, mental or neurological condition that is not visible from the outside, yet can limit or challenge a person’s movements, senses, or activities. Examples include a visual impairment, hearing loss, dyslexia etc. There is still an incorrect tendency in society to associate disability with physical signs of disability such as a person who uses a wheelchair, and so it is important to appreciate that individuals may be disabled by factors or impairments that are not visible.
Explanatory text that can be used alongside imagery in accessible materials in order to provide textual access to visual content, most often used online and in digital formats, it can be used as ‘alt text’ in coding. For more information about the use of image descriptions and other forms of accessible materials see the University’s Digital Accessibility webpage.
The word impairment can be used to help describe the specific grounds on which an individual is disabled. For instance, someone who is disabled may have a visual or mobility impairment.
Note, it is considered impolite to refer to someone with hearing loss or who is D/deaf as having a hearing impairment, it is instead better to use ‘hard-of-hearing’.
Acquired at birth, a learning difference or disability is a lifelong intellectual impairment, which makes most everyday tasks harder than they are for other people, an example being Down’s Syndrome. For more examples of learning differences and specific information about how individuals are affected visit the Remploy Learning disabilities tab.
It is important to note that some individuals, groups and institutions prefer to use the term ‘learning differences’ as there are concerns that the term ‘learning disability’ focuses on an individual's cognitive weaknesses and isolates them from other learners, while the term ‘learning difference’ highlights the fact that individuals simply learn differently than others.
Mental health can be described as a state of wellbeing. We all have health and we all have mental health. Mental health is a continuum, demonstrating fluidity and the possibility for change over time. Everyone exists somewhere on the continuum.60
60 Universities UK - Stepchange: mentally healthy universities
Mental illness can be defined as an acute, diagnosed condition, mental health crisis, or suicidal depression. Examples of mental illness include: eating disorders, depression, anxiety, bipolar affective disorder, psychoses.61 The definition of ‘mental ill health’ or ‘mental health problems’ covers a wide spectrum. Everybody responds differently to the stresses and strains of modern life and it is common to describe ourselves as ‘depressed’, ‘stressed’ or ‘anxious’ at times. For some people, these feelings can become serious enough to make it difficult to carry on with everyday life.62
For more information and support visit the University’s student Health and wellbeing webpage and the staff Support, welfare and health webpage.
61 Universities UK - Stepchange: mentally healthy universities
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A migraine is a condition of recurring headaches, which happen again and again. The headaches may be linked with other symptoms, such as sensitivity to light and noise, nausea (feeling sick), vomiting (being sick), dizziness, and eyesight changes.63
It is important to note that, as with many health related conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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Neurodiversity / neurodiverse or neurodivergent is a term first used by Judith Singer in 1998, and refers to the different ways the brain perceives and interprets information. While it is natural for people to think about things and to see the world differently, neurodiversity highlights the different ways people interpret information as a result of specific conditions, such as autism and dyslexia etc. For more information on this see the University’s Supporting Neurodiverse Staff wiki page (log-in required).
The opposite of neurodiverse, this refers to individuals who do not display, or who are not characterised by, neurologically atypical patterns of thought or behaviours, such as individuals who have specific conditions like autism or Asperger's Syndrome, for example.
The opposite of disabled, non-disabled refers to a person who is not ‘dis-abled’ by the external barriers they encounter in the world as a result of a long-term mental or physical health condition or impairment.
“Nothing about us, without us” is a central motto or principle expressed as part of global disability activism, which highlights the fact that disabled people know what is best for them and their community, and that they must therefore be valued as integral and essential contributors to anything that is developed for or with disabled people in mind.
Stands for a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. A PEEP is a bespoke plan detailing the most suitable and safe method for individuals who may have difficulties evacuating a building and getting to a place of safety, in the event of a fire or other emergency, without the support or assistance of another person.
In relation to disability, person-first language is considered outdated as it relies on the medical model of disability, which places an individual alongside their diagnosis, for instance labelling someone as "a person with a disability" instead of a “disabled person”.
The social model of disability views environmental, physical, structural and attitudinal barriers as disadvantaging or disabling the individual.64 For instance someone who uses a wheelchair due to a mobility impairment is not defined as “a person with a disability” because that places the emphasis on the individual as having the problem. Instead, it is more accurate to describe them as “a disabled person” because it is the barriers and limitations of the world around them which effectively ‘dis-ables’ them and makes navigating their environment by use of a wheelchair more difficult.
Also see the ‘Disabled person & disabled people’ definition along with the ‘Social versus Medical model of disability’ definition.
64 Enabling equality: furthering disability equality for staff in HE
This is usually someone who is employed to provide personalised and specialist care for someone who is disabled, either at home or at work (or both), by undertaking specific tasks to assist the individual. This often differs from ‘carers’ who are not paid to provide care for the individual and who are more likely to be family members or friends of the disabled person.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a social security benefit in the United Kingdom that helps with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability for people aged 16 and over. PIP has replaced the older system that was known as Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
Universities recognise that achieving equality for all members of a diverse community means making reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of those who are disabled.65 All HEIs have an ‘anticipatory duty’ to make, where possible, reasonable adjustments or adaptations to buildings and to the services it provides in order to make them more accessible and to anticipate the requirements of individuals. The duty to make reasonable adjustments requires institutions to take positive steps to ensure that disabled staff can perform their roles and students can fully participate in the education provided by the university, and that they can enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services on offer. It is owed to disabled people generally and requires service providers and those exercising public functions to proactively remove barriers that could put disabled people at a substantial disadvantage.66
What is considered reasonable will depend on all the circumstances of the case including the size of an organisation and its resources, what is practicable, the effectiveness of what is being proposed and the likely disruption that would be caused by taking the measure in question, as well as the availability of financial assistance.
For more information, particularly on employment law as it relates to reasonable adjustments, see the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance.
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder, which often results in the individual being unable to tell their own intense thoughts, ideas, perceptions and imaginings from reality. It can be a chronic and debilitating illness that affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves. However, it can also often be very successfully managed and there are many people with schizophrenia working very well in a whole range of jobs in the UK. Schizophrenia is not a split personality.67
It is important to note that, as with many health related conditions, the impact on the day-to-day life of one person may be managed or reduced to the extent that their symptoms are minimised, perhaps via the use of medication, therapy or pain relief. While for another person with the same condition, it may have a significant and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and as such that person would be considered as disabled, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Also, see the ‘Disability’ definition for more information.
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A sensory disability is a disability of the senses (for example, sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste). As 95% of the information about the world around us comes from our sight and hearing, a sensory disability can affect how a person gathers information from the world around them.
Examples of sensory disability are: blindness and low vision, hearing loss.
When a person experiences some degree of irretrievable loss of vision, which cannot be corrected using glasses or contact lenses. It can also be referred to as a visual impairment. There are two main categories of sight loss: partially sighted, or sight impaired, where the level of sight loss is moderate; or severe sight impairment, where the level of sight loss is so severe that a person is unable to complete any activities that rely on eyesight68 and who may therefore be blind.
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In an ED&I context, the social model of disability seeks to define disabled people as people, first and foremost, and emphasises that they are not inferior, incomplete or ‘less than’ but simply different from people who are not disabled. The social model seeks to celebrate difference and is preferable to the medical model as it involves a proactive approach to anticipating and then removing external barriers that exist and hinder disabled people. It does this by including the individual in the process, emphasising their individual requirements and personal experiences above all else, acknowledging that it is not the disabled person who is the ‘problem’ instead it is the barriers and limitations of the world around them which effectively ‘dis-ables’ them.
The medical model of disability views individuals via the lens of their disability. It confines people to the perceived limitations of their physical, learning and/or sensory abilities, which are defined via a deficit model that imposes restrictions on what they are capable of doing. The medical model places emphasis on the individual being the owner of their disability, using ‘person-first language’ to describe them as “a person with a disability”, thus placing expectations on them and requiring them to adapt to their surroundings in order to overcome barriers in the external environment. This is in opposition to the social model, which seeks to take appropriate steps to remove the barriers that ‘dis-able’ people so as to make the external environment accessible for all.
The medical model asks ‘what is wrong with you?’ The social model asks ‘what is wrong with society?’ If we adopt and promote the social model we improve accessibility, inclusion and support for everyone, including disabled people.
Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) are differences or difficulties with particular aspects of learning and processing information. SpLDs are sometimes also referred to as Specific Learning Difficulties, though this is becoming less common as it may not be seen as appropriate.
Examples of SpLDs are: dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, Irlen syndrome, attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For more information visit the University’s Dyslexia and SpLD webpage.
The presence of lifts, ramps and level surfaces along a particular route or across an entire campus (for example) which mean that people do not need to use stairs or escalators.
A Student Support Plan (SSP) is a support plan created by Disability Services and a disabled student, based on their specific requirements. The SSP outlines tailored support and recommended adjustments for departments and other relevant areas of the University. It can be reviewed and updated by Disability Services as required, to reflect a student's changing presentation or requirements as they progress through their course. For more information see the new home undergraduate disabled student journey page.
Where ‘accessibility’ primarily refers to design for a specific individual such as a disabled person, universal design is the process of creating an environment in which the products, services, facilities and resources can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size, ability, or disability.71a
An individual who uses a wheelchair either some or all of the time in order to assist them when moving around. This may be due to a temporary injury or a disability or health condition, resulting in their mobility being impaired. It refers to all types of wheelchairs including motorised wheelchairs. It is important to note that the term ‘wheelchair bound’ is no longer considered appropriate and may be viewed as offensive.