• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.51
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• pp.157-182
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• 2002

This study attempts to identify the changes in social reactions to disabilities in general, and to research the contextual implication of these changes in social work practice in Korea. In the early years after the Industrial Revolution, disability was conceived as social unfitness and it was assumed that the cause and responsibility could be attributed to people with disabilities. But, in the midst and late 20th century, social responsibility for people with disabilities was argued and generally accepted. As the results of these changes, conceptual models explaining disabilities have changed gradually; there has been a transition, so called, from individual model to social model. In a similar vein, WHO has refined the definition and classification of disability. Related to these changes, social welfare service paradigm for people with disabilities has shifted. This paradigm shift can be explained with the perspective of strength approach, empowerment approach, case management and independent living model. In Korea, 1998 Act on welfare for people with disabilities meant that social service for the disabled were categorized with, namely, residential service, community rehabilitation service and vocational rehabilitation service. Recently, the extent of these services has been rapidly broadened. In these situation, this study researched to identify the implications on social work practice in the context of changes in social response, conceptual model, definition and also service paradigm. Such as the followings are enumerated for the implications: disabled person's participation in assessment process, development of assessment tools focusing on social and environmental perspectives, reinforcement of information service helping self-determination, supporting on formal and informal helping network, expanding self-help programs and, finally, a shift from displacement model to support model.