People\'s perception about disability has been greatly improved compared to the past. In particular, there are movement to see students with disabilities as those with various abilities like non-disabled students rather than those with limitations or problems. However, many people still have negative perception about disability. People\'s negative perception about disability makes students with disabilities experience difficulty in inclusion in non-disabled centered society as well as their education. Therefore, we need to make an effort to change negative thought about students with disabilities. One of the ways to improve the negative perceptions about disability is to approach disability through a theory. The understanding of disability through various theoretical perspectives helps rethink the beliefs which we accept disability without doubt.
This study first explored a perspective on disability which people believe without doubt, and then discussed the issues about this perspective. The researcher introduced social constructionism as a theoretical approach which could interpret disability. Social constructionist perspectives usually 1) critiques conventional belief about a reality and 2) emphasizes the consideration of a reality as a constructed one within context.
The two characteristics of the lens of social constructionism can be applied to people\'s perception of disability. First, people often approach disability through the medical approach which assumes the cause of disability as problems and attempts to treat these problems. The medical approach can cause negative perceptions about disability, because it emphasize the difficulties of students with disabilities rather than disabled students\' abilities and potentials. However, when we approach disability through a social constructionist perspective, we can also see students with disabilities from abilities and potentials. Second, a social constructionist approach shows that people\'s current knowledge about disability is created by people who live in a specific context and time. In other words, the inquiry through social constructionist perspectives helps think that disability is not a realty which has the same definition and explanation but can change according to specific contexts and time.
Since many South Koreans still have negative perceptions about disability more than positive ones, it is important to develop the perspectives to better accept disability. Therefore, social constructionist perspectives, which pursue to critique the current belief of disability and encourage to have new perspectives, need to have consistent development in our country.