This post centers on the five disability models. Before we delve into the intricacies of each model, hear me out for a minute. if we’re going to spend time together, I want to make sure we’re “speaking the same language.”
I use the term “disability” because that’s the most accurate and accepted term in the communities that I work in. If you cringe and would rather say “differently abled” or “special needs” or “(fill-in-the-blank) impaired,” I won’t fight you. But look around the internet and find what words are used by reputable organizations that are led by those who have disabilities.
With that out of the way, let’s dig back into the topic at hand.
Maybe you’re here for the romance, adventure, magic, or world-building fun in my stories. Maybe you don’t want to dig into this stuff. Cool. You can move on… but maybe you love someone who is neurodivergent. Maybe your grandparent struggles with ordinary tasks they used to do. Maybe you’re friends with someone who senses the world differently from you. Wouldn’t it be great to take ten minutes to learn a little something that might make your relationship better?
My Introduction to Disability Frameworks
I’ve spent the last dozen years immersed in the disability community. I spent four years pursuing my Bachelor’s in ASL/English Interpreting. I worked as an interpreter for several years. I worked in disability technology, accommodations, and vocational rehabilitation. Then I spent two-and-a-half years pursuing my Master’s in Public Administration. Yet, it wasn’t until my last year of grad school that I came across the concept of different “disability models.” These “models” are ways of framing disability within the larger world.
As I researched, I found different sources. Some used three models. Some used four. All were compared and contrasted. When I pulled them together, I found five different “models.” These are each rooted in a different time period but are all alive and well today – for better or worse. I spent a large part of my writing journey digging into these models. I wrote papers on these, and when I was a faculty member at the New England Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference in 2023, one of my presentations focused on these models and their influence in literature featuring disabled characters.
1. The Moral Model of Disability
The first of these, historically, is the Moral Model of Disability. This model emphasizes the idea that a person is burdened with a disability because s/he is either a great sinner or a veritable saint. Dr. Rhonda Olkin put it this way:
In the moral model, disability is seen as having meaning about the person’s or the family’s character, deeds, thoughts, and karma. From this perspective, disability can carry stigma, shame and blame, particularly if the disability is seen as a mark of wrongdoing. Alternatively, disability can be seen as a sign of honor, faith or strength.[1]
We see this idea personified in Bible stories where Miriam is struck down with leprosy as a curse for sin, or Jesus’ apostles asked whose sins had caused a man’s blindness. Or, like in the case of Job, being struck down with an ailment is a test of one’s righteousness. If you endure pain, disfigurement, or disability without complaint, then you’re glorifying God. The disability is either punishment or a crucible for refining and elevating your soul.
2. The Charitable Model of Disability
The second is the Charitable Model of Disability. This model has well-intended but relatively dated views on how the privileged should care for and perceive the disabled. Charity is a central tenet in all major religious faiths, but the Charity Model is really an outgrowth of the concept of “noblesse oblige” – the obligations of the noble and rich – which was then harnessed to the Christian ideals of charity during the Industrial Revolution. In the centuries leading up to the 19th century, nobles and property owners had certain responsibilities towards the lower classes who served them or lived in their communities.
During the Industrial Revolution, society shifted. Young people left farming communities in search of better opportunities in towns and factories. In this new setting, productivity was king. If an individual couldn’t keep up with the acceptable level of productivity, they weren’t hired. If they were born with a disability, if they became sick, if they had an accident at a factory that resulted in injury or maiming, they couldn’t work. They became a burden to the community. The Charitable Model was developed to lift that burden. With all that rich history behind, the model is not without its flaws. One writer put it clearly but candidly:
[The disabled] are reliant on the goodwill of other, non-disabled people, and are usually shown in a scenario of ‘passive’ suffering. The non-disabled people are the saviours, the heroes, of this model. While this model can be used effectively in terms of raising money through campaigns, we need to be asking ourselves if this is appropriate in 2025. [2]
It cast the disabled person as an object of pity and praised those who donated money or good works as selfless and godly benefactors.
3. The Medical Model of Disability
Third is the Medical Model of Disability. This came to the forefront after the Great War (WWI) when thousands of soldiers returned home from the trenches with disfigurements, dismemberments, and disabilities. It doubled down after World War II. Medical advancements have made many interventions possible – from braces and prosthetics to advanced surgical techniques, penicillin, and commercial drug development. The military invested in the rehabilitation of injured soldiers. Helping them get medical treatment (and gaining new skills), they could become employable again. It was a way to “fix” what they had “broken.”
The central concept is that the disabled person has a defect that needs repairing.[3] Though this is beneficial to a person who has a condition that can be healed through surgery, medication, or therapy, it can be harmful to a person with a disability that can’t be “fixed.” The Medical Model falls short for many within the disability community, whether they have Downs Syndrome, are neurodiverse, are profoundly deaf, or experience some other “impairment” that cannot be medically resolved.
4. The Social Model of Disability
The Social Model of Disability emerged a few decades ago. It is a direct contrast to the Medical Model. The Social Model shifts the focus from the individual to society at large, viewing disability as something that’s socially constructed.[4] It takes the stance that it isn’t the person with the disability that needs to be fixed, but society that needs to remove barriers in our environment.
Some of these barriers are addressed directly in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Thanks to the ADA, we have the following innovations to name a few:
- Curb cuts
- Wheelchair ramps
- More elevators
- Braille signage
- Closed captioning
- Accessible signage
There’s been more investment in Universal Design, making buildings, furniture, appliances, and technology more accessible. Most within the disability community see the Social Model as a true advancement. However, many point out that it doesn’t solve all access problems.
5. The Rights-Based Model of Disability
And so we come to the fifth, the Rights-Based Model of Disability. This frames disability as a human rights issue. The foundational principle is that disabled people have the same rights as everyone else and are entitled to full participation, dignity, autonomy, and non-discrimination. This demands accessibility, accommodations, and anti-discrimination laws. It also recognizes neurodiversity as a valid form of human variation. A resource from the Centre of Innovation for Campus Mental Health described the Rights-Based Model of Disability this way:
This model says that the barriers in society are in fact discriminatory, and gives disabled people routes through which they can assert their rights and complain when they encounter those barriers.[5]
This model stresses the need to guarantee inclusive education, employment, healthcare, legal participation, and protection from abuse. This is the newest model and isn’t widely used or applied in many countries’ laws. If a government uses the Rights-Based Model, it would provide systemic protection to all people, regardless of ability, disability, or neurodiversity.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to unpack here. We’ll dig deeper into each of these models over the next few posts. I’ll discuss the foundations and the long-lasting impact of each. For example, that ancient Moral Model is still alive and kicking – in modern churches, schools, and even in healthcare settings.
We’ll talk about “sympathy vending” and “inspiration porn.” I’ll share how the modern telethon is directly pulled from the Charitable Model. Did you know that former Jerry’s Kids fought back against the Muscular Dystrophy Association? As they grew up, they saw themselves used as “sideshow attractions.”
Throughout, I’ll share how I used these different models in the world-building for my novels. As I pull back the curtain, you’ll find these frameworks in books, movies, gaming, and social media. So much stuff to dig into.
With hope, Amelia
References
[1] Olkin, R. (2022, March 28). Conceptualizing disability: Three models of disability. American Psychological Association (APA). Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/disability-models
[2] Wilkins, L. (2025, February 28). What are the models of disability and why do they matter? Purple Goat. https://www.purplegoatagency.com/insights/models-of-disability/
[3] Office of Developmental Primary Care. (n.d.). Medical and social models of disability. University of California, San Francisco. https://odpc.ucsf.edu/clinical/patient-centered-care/medical-and-social-models-of-disability
[4] People with Disability Australia. (n.d.). Models of disability. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://pwd.org.au/resources/models-of-disability/
[5] Center for Innovation in Campus Mental Health. (n.d.). Models of disability. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://campusmentalhealth.ca/toolkits/accessibility-and-accommodations/disability/models-of-disability/