Living with "The Wall": The Experiences and Perspectives on Social Relationships of Two Taiwanese People with a Physical Disability

The individual model of disability, as outlined by Oliver and his colleagues (Barnes, Mercer, & Shakespeare, 1999; Oliver, 1996a, 1996b, 1996c; Oliver & Sapey, 2006; Swain, French, & Cameron, 2003; Thomas, 1999) has been the traditional philosophical approach to "train" people with disabilities (referred to as "patients") to be as independent as possible in order to maximize or maintain their functioning. Medical personnel such as doctors, occupational therapists or physical therapists are seen as experts with regard to medical treatment or rehabilitation, and their purpose is to provide programs aimed at improving quality of life of individuals with a disability. However, disability is not a single issue which can be viewed or explained purely by the individual model of disability (Miles, 2002) The cultural understanding of disability within a society is a pervasive influence on the way that disability is understood within a particular culture and on the social values or attitudes towards people with a disability (Miles, 1995, 2002; Oliver & Sapey, 2006). Therefore, disability can be conceptualized as a social issue with different cultural understanding among various cultures, and not just a medical issue. This paper will focus on the understanding of disability within the Taiwanese culture.