Full Equality and Inclusion for People with a Disability: Strategies for the New Millennium in Southeast Asian Countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined the concept of disability when it introduced three independent classifications, namely impairment, disability and handicap in 1980 (WHO, 1980). According to the WHO 1980 classification, impairment refers to abnormalities of body structure and organ or system function resulting from any cause; disability refers to restrictions on functional performance and activity by an individual and handicap covers the disadvantages experienced by the individual in the course of interaction with the environment as a result of impairments and disabilities. This classification system has been adopted by most sectors in many communities. In the disability community, terms such as the crippled and handicapped people have been dropped as demeaning and stigmatic. The terms people with disability or disabled people are becoming the politically correct labeling and accepted by both the mainstream and the disability communities. Towards the end of 1990's, WHO's 1980 classifications for disability and handicap have become less popular. They are criticised as being too focused on the negative aspects and causing confusion in general use of the language rather than improving information dissemination. Responding to the criticisms, WHO published the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH-2) final version (WHO, 1999) with a new title, 'International Classification of Functioning and Disabilities'. The revised classification tool uses functioning as an umbrella term for all body functions, activities and participation; and disability as an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations or participation restrictions. These terms all have their specific meaning in the WHO classification system. The WHO Assembly approved the final version in May 2001 and gave it new acronym, ICF (WHO, 2001).