Why can’t society treat people living with disability like everyone else?

There are so many ways to understand disability, and to a certain degree, the NDIS has increased society’s awareness of PWD. However, advocating against general ignorance about disabilities, accessibility and breaking barriers calls for constant advocacy.  

One way disability is viewed is through a medical model. Society focuses on health conditions often emphasising prevention or cure.  In contrast, the social model recognises that disability is largely a result of societal barriers and discrimination. For myself as a child, the medical model was the way society viewed me. I was ‘different’ from what is ‘normal’. Society viewed my ‘disability’ as a problem for the ‘individual’ that was to be addressed medically. My parents were encouraged to take me to various doctors to address the problem.  While at primary school, one of my schools also viewed me this. This didn’t help me in my education.   The school could have realised that their attitudes needed to change to allow people living with disability to participate in society on an equal basis.    

My colleague Alex Jones, Project Manager - Disability Employment Catalyst for The Achieve Foundation, is deaf and deeply understands this challenge.  

“Society often struggles to treat people with disabilities like everyone due to a lack of awareness, unconscious biases, and insufficient self-education.  While we live in a wonderfully diverse community, there remains a significant gap in understanding and appreciating our lived experiences.  For instance, I recently encountered someone from human resources who asked me about the difference between automated captions and real-time live captioning.  While I am always willing to share my knowledge, repeated enquiries about basic information, such as the cost of live captioning, can lead to advocacy fatigue.  This fatigue stems from the constant need to educate others on matters that are readily accessible online.  Ignorance, whether intentional or not, often stands in the way of progress.  This also has reinforced my constant feeling of advocacy fatigue when I need to advocate for my daughter’s right to access qualified, skilled, and certified Auslan interpreters for her Year 12 and HSC exams.”  

PWD’s face significant hurdles daily, many of which are founded in the way society has conditioned people to treat them. The social model of disability emphasises that disability is not merely a result of individual impairments but arises from unconscious biases. Attitudinal, physical, systemic, non-communication, and technological. These barriers can show up in various ways. 

For instance, consider the scenario where a public building lacks wheelchair ramps. This physical barrier effectively excludes wheelchair users from accessing the facility, treating them differently from those who can easily navigate stairs. Similarly, when job advertisements specify requirements that are not necessary for the role but create barriers for PWD, it reflects systemic discrimination. 

Another colleague Jade Strongman, Project Manager - Practice Framework/Disability Projects for The Achieve Foundation, shares his thoughts.  

“As a person living with disability, I've come to realise that changing society's perception of disability starts with meaningful inclusion in the workforce. It's not enough to have token entry-level positions - we need to see people with disabilities thriving in all roles, from team leaders to managers and even CEOs. True equality means being valued for our abilities and contributions, and not defined by our disabilities. When society sees us succeeding in diverse professional capacities, it challenges assumptions and opens doors for greater acceptance and opportunity. Meaningful employment isn't just about a pay cheque, it's about dignity, purpose, and changing the narrative around disability.” 

Conversely, treating a PWD like everyone else involves removing these barriers and ensuring equal access and opportunities. By implementing accessible design features in public spaces allows everyone, regardless of ability, to participate fully. Providing reasonable accommodations in the workplace, such as adaptive technology or flexible work schedules, ensures that the PWD can perform their jobs effectively without facing discrimination. For example, I use a co-writer attached to my keyboard to assist me. This allows me to use my Mac efficiently.  

PWD’s recognise society cannot fully understand every individual’s needs, as each person’s lived experience with disability is unique.  The ongoing learning process underscores the importance of community-wide efforts to educate themselves and appreciate the diversity within the disability community.