Disability

The ADA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including those with a history of such impairments or who are perceived as having one. Beyond the ADA, disability is also viewed as an aspect of identity, community, and culture.
Alternative definitions, like that of New York Public Schools, describe disability as when someone’s brain or body functions in a way that requires tools or strategies for participation. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities frames disability as the result of the interaction between an individual and their environment, emphasizing that it evolves with societal changes.