Referring to a plausible human example, explain the relationship between impairment,

disability, and handicap. 

The terms disability, impairment, and handicap have been used synonymously within the

education, counselling, and health literature. Although, each of these three terminologies can be

used when discussing disabling conditions, they convey three different meanings. To promote

the appropriate use of these terms the World Health Organization (WHO) provided the following

definitions in their International Classification of Impairment, Disability, and Handicap (1980):

 Impairment – any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical

structure or function.

 Disability – any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or

within the range considered normal for a human being.

 Handicap – the result when an individual with an impairment cannot fulfill a normal life

role.

Dexter is an 8-year-old who has extreme difficulty with reading (severe dyslexia). He has good

vision and hearing and scores well on tests of intelligence. He went to an excellent preschool

and several different special reading programs have been tried since early in kindergarten.

Impairment

While no brain injury or malformation has been identified, some impairment is presumed to exist

in how Dexter’s brain puts together visual and auditory information. The impairment may be

inability to associate sounds with symbols, for example.

Disability

In Dexter’s case, the inability to read is a disability. The disability can probably be improved by

trying different teaching methods and using those that seem most effective with Dexter. If the

impairment can be explained, it may be possible to dramatically improve the disability by using a

method of teaching that does not require skills that are impaired (That is, if the difficulty

involves learning sounds for letters, a sight-reading approach can improve his level of disability).

Handicap

Dexter already experiences a handicap as compared with other children in his class at school, and

he may fail third grade. His condition will become more handicapping as he gets older if an

effective approach is not found to improve his reading or to teach him to compensate for his

reading difficulties. Even if the level of disability stays severe (that is, he never learns to read

well), this will be less handicapping if he learns to tape lectures and "read" books on audiotapes.

Using such approaches, even in elementary school, can prevent his reading disability from

interfering with his progress in other academic areas (increasing his handicap).

Reference:

World Health Organization (1980). Impairment, Disability &

Handicap. https://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/nas1/07c187/Module
%201/module_1_p3.html
Response:

Hi Camille,

Thank you for your contribution to the discussion. It was informative and enlightening. I agree

that handicap, impairment, and disability are similar related conditions that make it difficult for

anyone to operate and carry on normally. These terms have been used synonymously within the

education, counselling, and health literature but they convey three different meanings. The

World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified impairments, disabilities, and handicaps as

follows:

 An impairment is any loss or abnormality of physiological or anatomical structure.

 A disability is any restriction or lack of ability (due to an impairment) in performing an

activity in a manner or range considered normal for a human being. Therefore, a given

disability may be the result of a variety of impairments, for example, the disability of

blindness may be due to corneal opacity, cataract, retinal abnormality, optic nerve lesion,

or cortical damage. These structural abnormalities are the impairments.

 A handicap is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from a disability or

impairment, that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on

age, sex, and social and cultural factors) for that individual.

Just as various impairments may lead to the same disability, so a given disability may produce a

range of handicap which is dependent on the individual carrying out their expected role or

activity. The partial loss of a finger (the impairment) will lead to some disability in anyone so
afflicted. The majority, however, will not find this a serious handicap as it will not interfere with

their usual work and leisure activities. In contrast, the same impairment and disability in a

professional pianist will result in a profound handicap.

Again, thank you for your contribution and best wishes for continued success!

References:

World Health Organisation. International classification of impairments, disabilities, and handicaps: a

manual of classification relating to the consequences of disease. Geneva: WHO, 1980.

World Health Organization (1980). Impairment, Disability &

Handicap. https://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/nas1/07c187/Module
%201/module_1_p3.html