what is disability pdf

Disability is a term used to describe a permanent or long-term total or partial impairment in one of the physical, sensory, mental, communicative, educational, or psychological abilities. Disability can occur at three levels: an impairment in body function or structure; a limitation in activity, such as the inability to read or move around; a restriction in participation, such as exclusion from school or work. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines disability as "neither purely a biological nor a social construct but the result of interactions between health conditions and environmental and personal factors". The WHO and the World Bank published a report in 2011 that shows many of the barriers people with disabilities face are avoidable and that the disadvantage associated with disability can be overcome. The report recommends that governments and their development partners cover the following areas: health, rehabilitation, support services, enabling environments, education, and employment. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects qualified individuals with disabilities. An individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities; has a record of such an impairment; or is regarded as having such an impairment.