Chapter 1 Understanding Disability & Vulnerability FINAL 1

Addis Ababa University
College of Education and Behavioral Studies

Department of Special Needs Education

Inclusiveness
Mihiret Ayele (MA)
Addis Ababa University
Chapter 1
Understanding Disability
and Vulnerability
1.1. Definitions of disability and vulnerability
• Disability is not uncommon and it is part of human diversity.
• It is estimated that 15 % of the world’s population has a disability, a
percentage that is expected to grow because of
a)poor health care and nutrition early in life,
b)growing elderly populations, and
c)violent civil conflicts.
• Among the population of PWDs, approximately 80 % live in developing
countries and are disproportionately represented among the poor.
• For instance, of the total population of Ethiopia, 17.6% are estimated to live
with some sort of impairment (WHO and World Bank, 2011, p. 272).
• Understanding the concept of disability varies between cultures and evolves
with in a culture over time.
• People are using the two key terms, impairments and disability
interchangeably but there is a visible conceptual distinction between these
terms as described below:
1.1.1. Impairment
• Impairment is the “purely factual absence of or loss of functioning in a body
part.”
• Hence, the term impairment is used to notify the physical condition of a
person such as visual, physical, hearing, and intellectual disabilities.
• It may result in activity limitation based on the degree/ severity, type and
onset of the impairment.
1.1.2. Disability
• The concept of disability is defined as “the interaction between persons with
impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their
full and effective participation in a society on an equal basis with others” (UN
CRPD, 2006).
• Disability is, therefore, a negative reaction of people towards persons with
impairments that results in “participation restriction.”
• Disability, as a concept is referred: as an umbrella term that include
impairment, activity limitation, and participation restriction.
• Hence, Article 1 of the CRPD describes persons with disabilities as “those
who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments
which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective
participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
1.1.3. Vulnerability
• On the other hand, the term vulnerability refers to state of
being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed,
either physically or emotionally.
• Accordingly, vulnerable groups belong to the people who
are physically and emotionally hurt and attacked as a result
of various forms of social injustice and malpractices.
Vulnerability is classified into four categories as described below:
A.Physical Vulnerability:
• The physical vulnerability of an area also depends on its geographic
proximity to the source and origin of the disasters e.g. if an area lies near
the coastlines, fault lines, unstable hills, etc.
B. Economic Vulnerability:
• Economic vulnerability of a community can be assessed by determining
how varied its sources of income are,
the ease of access and control over means of production (e.g. farmland,
livestock, irrigation, capital etc.),
adequacy of economic fall back mechanisms, and
the availability of natural resources in the area.
C. Social Vulnerability:
• A socially vulnerable community has
weak family structures,
lack of leadership for decision making and conflict resolution,
unequal participation in decision making,
weak or no community organizations, and
the one in which people are discriminated on racial, ethnic, linguistic or
religious basis.
D. Attitudinal Vulnerability:
• A community which has negative attitude towards change and lacks
initiative in life resultantly become more and more dependent on external
support.
• This brings about disunity and individualism in the society.
• Thus, they become victims of conflicts, hopelessness, and pessimism which
reduce their capacity of coping with a disaster.
1.2. Causes of impairments and vulnerability
• The issue of disability/impairment is not yet being scientifically
understood and treated by the society particularly in the low-
income countries including Ethiopia.
• As a result, the cause of impairment is not appropriately
comprehended due to the reason that people still believe that
impairment is caused by curse, sin, and anger of God.
• However, even though some causes of impairment are unknown,
scientific research conducted on the issue confirmed that the
cause of impairment is classified into 2 major categories:
1) Biological factors
2) Environmental factors
1.2.1. Biological
• Under this category of the cause of impairment, genetically induced
factors are commonly known reasons.
• These include:
- Abnormalities in genes and genetic inheritance that may cause
intellectual disability, down syndrome and other multiple
impairments on children.
- Sometimes, diseases, illnesses, and over-exposure to x-rays can
cause a genetic disorder.
- Pre-term and underweight birth also may result in different forms
of impairment.
1.2.2. Environmental
• The adverse effect of poverty and starvation such malnutrition, lack of
access to health care and treatment etc. may cause impairment to the child
during pre- and- postnatal period.
• The use of substances by pregnant woman: The use of drugs, alcohol,
tobacco, the exposure to certain toxic chemicals and illnesses, toxoplasmosis,
cytomegalovirus, rubella and syphilis by a pregnant mother can cause
intellectual and other types of disability to the child.
• Childhood diseases such as a whooping cough, measles, and chicken pox
may lead to meningitis and encephalitis.
• This can cause damage to the brain of the child.
• Toxic material such as lead and mercury can damage the brain too.
• Unfortunate life accident such as drowning, car accidents, falls,
landmines, war, etc. can result in people losing their sight, hearing,
limbs, and other vital parts of their body.
• As in the case of impairment, among several examples of causes of

vulnerability, the following are the most known contributing factors to
vulnerability:
- Poor governance;
- Poverty;
- Discrimination;
- Inequality and inadequate access to resource and livelihood.
1.3. Types of impairments and vulnerable groups
• Regardless of the existence of a number of types of impairments, the commonly known
and major kinds of impairments are listed below.
1.3.1. Visual impairment (Generic terminology for blindness & low vision
1.3.2. Hearing Impairment (Generic terminology for deafness and hard of
hearing)
1.3.3. Specific Learning Disability (Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia)
1.3.4. Speech and Language Impairments including fluency disorder
1.3.5. Autism
1.3.6. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
1.3.7. Intellectual Disability
1.3.8. Physical /Orthopedic Impairments
1. 3.9. Multiple Impairment:
- Deaf blindness.
1.3.10. Health related Impairments such as:
- Heart disease;
- Cystic fibrosis (is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and digestive
system);
- Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS);
- Hemophilia (is a rare disorder in which your blood doesn't clot normally
because it lacks sufficient blood-clotting proteins (clotting factors);
- Asthma;
- Diabetes;
- Nephrosis & Nephritis Kidney disorders: nephrosis is (pathology) a non-
inflammatory disease of the kidneys that is characterized by the leaking of
blood protein into the urine, swelling or oedema, and degenerative injuries
while nephritis is (pathology) inflammation of the kidney.
-Sickle-cell anemia;
-Leukemia (is a blood cancer caused by a rise in the number of white
blood cells in your body.) ;
-Lead poisoning Disorder (is a type of metal poisoning caused by lead in
the body) ;
-Rheumatic fever (is a disease that can affect the heart, joints, brain, and
skin) ;
-Tuberculosis;
-Cancer;
-Epilepsy;
-Leprosy
• Then again, children, pregnant women, elderly people,
malnourished people, and people who are ill or immune-
compromised, are particularly vulnerable when a disaster strikes,
and take a relatively high share of the disease burden associated
with emergencies (WHO, 2020).
• In general, poor and socially disadvantaged people are the most

known vulnerable groups throughout the world.
 The following features describe the common characteristics of
the vulnerable groups stated above:
- Less physically or mentally capable (infants, older adults,
people with disabilities);
- Fewer material and/or financial resources (low-income
households, homeless);
- Less knowledge or experience (children, illiterate,
foreigners, tourists);
- Restricted by society to grow and develop according to
their needs and potentials.
1.4. Historical background of modalities moving towards
inclusion
 In the post industrial period, legislations and litigations created opportunities
for CWDs to access education in public schools.
 The following modalities were applied to teach children with disabilities.
1.4.1. Specialized and or residential schools

 These schools were established with an intention to provide educational
services in specialized approach only for CWDs.
 Consequently, schools for the deaf, schools for the blind etc. came into
being as separate institutions throughout 19th & 20th century.
1.4.2. Mainstreaming
• In the 1960 & 70s, special needs education classes were established in public
schools with an intention to create least restrictive environment for CWDs.
• LRE is a principle that governs the education of CWDs and other special needs.
1.4.3. Integration
• The approach was introduced and applied in 1970s with an objective to
integrating SWDs in general class setting without the change of regular
school/education system.
• In this situation, SWDs are required to fit the system.
• This approach is characterized by the following realities:
1.System stays the same;
2.Round pegs for round holes;
3.Change the child to fit the system;
4.Make the square peg round;
5.Child must adapt or fail.
Integration
1.4.4.Inclusive Education
• This approach was applied as of the last quarter of 20th century
focusing on regular education system change to fit the special
educational needs of SWDs as discussed in the next section in
detail.
• This approach is characterized by the following factors.
- Flexible system;
- Children are different;
- All children can learn: (Different abilities, Ethnic Groups, Size,
Age, Background, Gender, Persons with disabilities);
- Change the system to fit the child.
Inclusive
Illustration from Exclusion to Inclusion
1.5. Evolution of the concept of disability
 In order to understand how disability is currently viewed, it is
helpful to look at the way the concept of disability has evolved
over time as described below.
1.5.1.Traditional/Charity Model
 Historically, disability was largely understood in mythological or
religious terms; for instance,
PWDs were considered to be possessed by devils or spirits;
disability was also often seen as a punishment for past wrong doing.
 These views are still present today in many traditional societies.
1.5.2.Individual/Medical Model
 In the 19th &20thCs, developments in science and medicine helped
to create an understanding that disability has a biological or
medical basis, with impairments in body function and structure
being associated with different health conditions.
 This medical model views disability as a problem of the

individual and is primarily focused on cure and the provision
of medical care by professionals.
1.5.3.Social Model/ Human Rights-Based Model
 In the 1960s &1970s, the individual and medical view of disability
was challenged and a range of social approaches were developed,
e.g. the social model of disability.
 These approaches shifted attention away from the medical aspects of
disability and instead focused on the social barriers and
discrimination that PWDs face.
 Disability was redefined as a societal problem rather than an
individual problem; and solutions became focused on removing
barriers and social change, not just medical cure.
PWD as part of society

Activities
1.Read the following short story and identify the phrase that clearly
shows the meaning of impairment and disability.
Ten-year-old Mesfin’s eyes are damaged =

________________ due to an eye disease, and he develops
difficulties in seeing =______________________. His school
refuses to take him back as they don’t have the resources to support
a child with visual impairment =_______________. There are no
other schools in his community and therefore Mesfin cannot go to
school = ______________________.
2. Which modality applied to teach CWDs isolated from their non
disabled peers? Why?
3. What factors make inclusive education as a modality to teach

CWDs and other vulnerable groups different from integration?
4. Who are exposed to vulnerability? Why?
5. What are the major and common characteristics of vulnerable

groups?

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Addis Ababa University

College of Education and Behavioral Studies

• As in the case of impairment, among several examples of causes of

• In general, poor and socially disadvantaged people are the most

1.4.1. Specialized and or residential schools

 This medical model views disability as a problem of the

Ten-year-old Mesfin’s eyes are damaged =

3. What factors make inclusive education as a modality to teach

4. Who are exposed to vulnerability? Why?

5. What are the major and common characteristics of vulnerable

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