Definition of disability (why is it so difficult to define a word)

Disability definitions are complicated to develop and lack comprehensiveness. A comprehensive definition of disability is impossible for several reasons, including disagreement about the severity and type of limitations that make a person disabled, and the fact that people view their limitations and abilities in different ways. The list below concisely shows some of the reasons why a single disability definition is not rather impossible.

1) There are various types of disabilities (ie physical, mental, cognitive, psychological). Defining all these groups with one declaration is very difficult. 2) People with disabilities, even with the same diagnosis, are not always limited in exactly the same activities. 3) People vary in the way they adapt to suit their condition and perform life activities. 4) People with disabilities, even with the same condition, are not always identified under the same label. 5) Persons considered disabled under one definition cannot be considered disabled under a different definition.

Definition of a disability under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

The main objective of the Act was to integrate disabled people with outside society through higher employment rates and accessible communities. The 1973 Act used the term “handicapped” as opposed to the term “disabled.” Under this Legislative Act, a person with a disability was classified as:

“…any individual who (A) has a physical or mental disability that for such individual constitutes or results in a substantial disadvantage to employment and (B) can reasonably be expected to benefit in terms of employability from REHABILITATION services vocational…”

Because the goal of previous legislation was to increase job training and jobs for the disabled group, the term handicapped was defined in relation to how a disability affected a person’s ability to work, including integration into a workplace.

Definitions of progressive disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act

There have been many significant changes in the way the ADA defines the disabled. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a person is considered disabled if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

(a) A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of said person’s major life activities; (b) A record of said impediment; or c) is considered to have such an impediment.

Because the goal of the ADA was to make public places and businesses more accessible to people with disabilities, it is obvious that the term “handicapped” should have a wide variety. The ADA amendments, discussed below, point out the reasons why it is crucial that the ADA definition be specific, while covering a wide range of disabilities.

Definition used by the US Census Bureau.

The definition of disability used by the US Census Bureau focuses on a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living, such as eating and housework. The use of assistive equipment or difficulty performing tasks of daily living qualifies a person as disabled.

By way of illustration, according to the US Census Bureau definition, a 60-year-old man who uses a cane to get around is classified as having a disability. However, this gentleman does not classify himself as a disabled person. He rather sees the need for a cane as an element of aging. Considering that the cane is not affecting job performance as a secretary, the older gentleman has no idea why others classify him as disabled. This scenario illustrates how a person’s view of the support team is affected by the team’s use of the team. The gentleman may even think that the cane makes him look elegant. The older man in this case sees the use of the assistive cane as part of aging, rather than as an aspect of becoming disabled. A man’s view of having a disability is closely related to his ability to do his job, illustrating how people may base personal ratings of a disability on their ability to do their job.

The multiple definitions used by the federal government can create some confusion when trying to define the term disabled. However, the above definitions illustrate the key point of this article: a universal definition that encompasses all disabilities is not practical. When trying to define what disabled means, first consider the purpose and scope of the definition you need. Please refer to the definition of disability in the case study to further examine the considerations of the term disabled.