Defining Disability: A Comparative Policy Analysis

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dc.contributor.advisorZwicker, Jennifer
dc.contributor.authorMaldonado Leon, Nikole
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-29T22:24:40Z
dc.date.available2025-01-29T22:24:40Z
dc.date.issued2024-05-29
dc.description.abstractThis research assesses how Canadian laws define disability and their impact on disability benefits and programs related to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). Canada has committed to ensuring that its federal, provincial, and territorial laws reflect the principles of dignity, equality, and inclusion for persons with disabilities, as outlined in the UN CRPD. However, there is no evidence on how disability is defined across jurisdictions and its implications on programs available to individuals. The study uses a comparative policy analysis to evaluate 48 pieces of legislation and 201 programs and benefits across Canada. Using the READ methodology, the research identifies patterns in how disability is framed, mainly through medical and biopsychosocial models, and analyzes the implications of these frames for policy implementation. The findings reveal that most Canadian legal documents (n=37) align with a medical model, determining eligibility criteria based on impairments. In contrast, fewer documents (n=11) align with a biopsychosocial model, which closely reflects the UN CRPD by considering the interaction between an individual's health condition and societal barriers. The results highlight the need for a common definition of disability across Canadian legislation to ensure equitable access to disability benefits and services. The study concludes with policy recommendations, advocating for the adoption of a common disability definition, the establishment of a standard classification system based on the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), and the alignment of the Canada Disability Benefit's eligibility criteria with the Canada Disability Benefit Act.
dc.identifier.citationMaldonado, N. (2024). Defining Disability: A Comparative Policy Analysis (Unpublished master's project). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1880/120639
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.departmentSchool of Public Policy
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgary
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectLegislation
dc.subjectDisability Inclusion Action Plan
dc.subjectCanada Disability Benefit
dc.titleDefining Disability: A Comparative Policy Analysis
dc.typeReport
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
ucalgary.scholar.levelGraduate
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