Module 2 Blog Post

 Current ADA descriptions of what constitutes a disability provides limitations through the way the mental or physical disability must impair a major life activity, such as walking, talking, seeing or learning. When compared with the concepts of the ICF and the BMW Meta-Model, the latter two factor in critical aspects of what an individual with a disability might encounter, such as their social environment, as well as physical. Where the current ADA concepts focus on the individual with the disability, the other two integrate physical, mental, environmental, and social aspects, thus making it more comprehensive. The ICF classifications acknowledge that disability occurs in varying degrees 

The BMW-Meta method brings to light the unfortunate nature of how our environment is typically more limiting to an individual than their own disability. This method also shows how limiting ADA descriptions of what constitutes a disability can be as qualifications for special services have to be by medical diagnosis, which can be difficult to obtain. 

If I were to create my own description of what constitutes a disability, I would say that a disability can be mental or physical and in which someone's major life activities are impaired  and their basic life needs, such as walking, talking, seeing, and learning are not met through how their disability interacts with their environment. This is an extremely convoluted and roundabout way of saying that the way we discuss disabilities should center around the fact that people are diverse and have diverse needs and public spaces should be inherently conducive to a wide degree of mental and physical impairments.