Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Section I
The Assistive Technology
Assessment Model and
Basic Definitions
S. Federici and M. J. Scherer
Introduction
As a part of the human condition, “Disability is complex, dynamic, multidimensional, and
contested” (WHO and World Bank 2011, p. 3). The concept of disability conveys a very wide
set of different and correlated issues: from disability models to individual functioning
and its measurement, from social barriers to the digital divide, from the objective quality
of life to subjective experience, to concepts of functioning, activity and participation,
human rights and poverty, health and well-being, morbidity, and quality of life (WHO
and World Bank 2011). Because of the multidimensionality of disability, the International
Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) would like to make clear that
disability (and its correlated term “functioning”) must be understood as an umbrella term,
“encompassing all body functions, activities and participation” (WHO 2001, p. 3).
Disability's multidimensionality and complexity entails a kind of “definitional paradox”
(Madans and Altman 2006): On the one hand, any theoretical definition of disability
implies aporia, and on the other hand, operational meaning is determined by the purpose
of research. In fact, Mont explains:
[If] each domain represents a different area of measurement and each category or ele-
ment of classification within each domain represents a different area of operationaliza-
tion of the broader domain concept, [then] to generate a meaningful general prevalence
measure one must determine which component best reflects the information needed to
address the purpose of the data collection. (2007, p. 4)
1
