What Is Disability? A Beginner’s Guide to Disability and Accessibility in Canada
- Kaitlyn Boudreault
- Jul 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 6
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide live with disabilities, accounting for 16% of the global population.
In Canada, 27%, or approximately 8 million Canadians aged 15 and older, have one or more disabilities.
Although over a billion people globally live with disabilities, the definition of disability is still widely debated. Understanding what disability means, the different models of disability, and how support systems work in Canada is key to building a more inclusive society.
Use this blog as a guide for the definition of disability, its models, and the support available for disabled individuals.
Table of Contents
What Is Disability?
According to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), a disability encompasses "any visible or invisible condition that may be present from birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time."
According to various disability models like the medical and social model, the term can take on different meanings depending on social, political, and medical perspectives.
The social model sees disability as a natural part of human diversity that enriches our world. At any moment, anyone can become disabled. No one is immune to this possibility.
Types of Disabilities
Disabilities can take many forms, including physical, mental, intellectual, sensory, or emotional. Some examples of disability types include:
Visual disabilities
Speech impairments
Hearing impairments
Physical disabilities
Brain injuries
Epilepsy
Intellectual disabilities
Mental health challenges
Neurodivergence
Invisible Disabilities
Among these conditions, some may be visible, while others remain invisible disabilities. Estimates suggest that 70–80% of all disabilities are invisible.
An invisible disability refers to a condition that one cannot readily detect just by looking at the individual or interacting with them. Conditions like anxiety, depression, epilepsy, and chronic pain disorders fall into this category.
Is Neurodivergence Considered a Disability in Canada?
Neurodivergence describes individuals whose brain differences impact how they interact with the world. Neurodivergent individuals may demonstrate variations in one or more cognitive areas, such as language, memory, speech, and emotions.
The neurodivergent spectrum includes anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and epilepsy, among others. Each person with these experiences unique brain differences.
Many people wonder whether neurodivergence, such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia, qualifies as a disability in Canada. The answer isn’t simple.
When you ask the neurodivergent community whether neurodivergence constitutes a disability, you would likely encounter differing opinions.
Some individuals identify as both disabled and neurodivergent, while others view their brain differences as just part of human diversity.
It is crucial to respect each individual's right to self-determination and agency, allowing them to define their own experiences with neurodivergence.
Models of Disability
Understanding the medical and social models of disability is essential for shaping policy and accessibility efforts in Canada. At Blue Sky Learning, we use a disability justice framework and Social Model of Disability that centers lived experience and equity.
Medical Model of Disabilities
The medical model frames individuals as disabled due to their condition or impairment. In this view, the disability is seen as the problem, prompting a push for medical treatments aimed at fixing or changing the individual.
Some common phrases reflecting this model include:
“A person is bound to a wheelchair.”
“They can’t climb stairs.”
“They are housebound.”
“They can’t see or hear.”
“They have sensory issues.”
This model emphasizes what is ‘wrong’ with the individual rather than addressing their access needs based on their disability.
Social Model of Disabilities
Conversely, various barriers hinder the full participation of disabled individuals in society.
As research indicates, there are multiple barriers that prevent the full participation of disabled individuals in society. Barriers can be physical, such as the absence of wheelchair ramps, or social, including prejudiced attitudes that dismiss someone as not disabled based on their appearance.
These negative societal attitudes can affect people internally, leading to internalized ableism. Disabled individuals adopt society's biased views and perceive themselves as inferior.
The Disability Rights Movement embraces the social model and advocates for the removal of barriers that impede the full societal participation of disabled individuals. For example, offering alternative communication methods, such as through letters, email, or text messages to individuals with social anxiety, embraces this model.
As our understanding of disabilities evolves, society is shifting from a medical model to a social perspective. We are beginning to recognize the lack of access as the central issue, rather than viewing an individual's disability as the problem.
Disability Rights Advocates in Canada
A disability rights advocate actively works to promote the rights of disabled individuals. While many disability advocates contribute to the movement, here are a few examples:
This network promotes the principles of the disability rights movement specifically for autism. They empower the autistic community to take control of their lives and advocate for their rights, reinforcing that autism advocacy should center on autistic voices. They envision a world where autistic individuals have equal access, rights, and opportunities.
Carly Fox is a queer, disabled, and neurodivergent disability advocate who draws upon her personal experiences with physical and psychosocial disabilities, as well as her neurodivergence. She uses her professional experience in Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) to raise awareness about systemic ableism and challenge oppressive structures.
The national organization represents autistic individuals and is led by autistic individuals. As an international affiliate of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), they work collaboratively with disability groups across Canada to educate the public about disabilities and work towards transforming autism-related policies.
Book a Free Consultation With Blue Sky Learning
Whether you're newly diagnosed, identifying as neurodivergent, or interested in disability advocacy, our team at Blue Sky Learning is here to help. We offer neurodivergent coaching, accessibility workshops, and more.
Book a free 20-minute consultation with a member of the Blue Sky Learning team by emailing hello@blueskylearning.ca or following the link below.
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