Page 2 - Mainstreamer Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Makmor Tumin

Disability and Society in Southeast Asia and environment concerning Person with
bility and disability are not a binary cat- Disabilities in navigating challenges to education
egory. It is a continuum. So too is the under- especially, capturing experience from countries
Astanding of the medical model and social like Vietnam and Malaysia. It also featured several
model of disability. When a mental map such as a avenues to achieve the means of being inclusive,
medical model is understood as an attempt to nor- either through the advancement Artificial
malize disabled people to become abled, we run Intelligence (AI) across the board, strengthening
the risk of stigmatizing the model practitioners. collaboration between every unit of the societies,
Normalization in short is a process in which the from government, non-governmental organizations
abnormal are expected to act like a normal person (NGOs), communities and family member, or
for whatsoever the reason might be. To be sure, purported changes in ideology via well-devised
normalization happens in a family setting when planned policies, laws, regulations and efforts.
there are disabled members, or in school, or even This edition briefly showcased ongoing efforts and
in religious institutions. In fact, the proponent of successes brought about collaborative efforts of
a social model still has to be based on the mental the societies and various engagement to create a
map of medical models to exercise their rights better and uplifting livelihood for the Person with
such as to register their categories of disability in Disabilities, happening in Malaysia and Philippines.
order to get facilities. Not least, it also discussed the idea of embracing
It seems that it is not the medical model that inclusivity beyond the national borders through
is the problem, but rather the normalization as the adaptation of ASEAN spirit and identity.
argued by Zosia Zaks in 2023’s Disability and The magazine’s specific objectives are as
Society in the article, Changing the medical follows:
model of disability to the normalization model of a. To provide a platform for individuals with
disability: clarifying the past to create a new future disabilities to voice their ideas and concerns.
direction. Rather, the understanding of the concept b. To enable individuals with disabilities to use
of normalization should be broadened in order their skills and talents in electronic media.
for society to better understand how to work on c. To recognize the knowledge, skills, and tal-
issues concerning disability in society.
ents of individuals with disabilities in order
One must admit the fact that although to promote and improve their employability
normalization is assumed to be unwanted, people in the labour market.
still need therapy, care, and rehabilitation. Hence, d. To provide individuals with disabilities and
as far as the medical model is concerned, there is a those interested in disability issues the op-
lot to explore rather than continuing to stigmatize portunity to earn income through honorari-
them. ums.

This edition addresses multitude range
of perspectives, encapsulating the needs for
inclusivity throughout every facet of consideration