Smith, M.2016-06-032016-06-032012Smith, M. (2013). Application of the international classification of functioning, disability and health with specific focus on disabling hearing impairment in legislation and policy in South Africa.0258-252X (print)2415-0517 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2669English: Disability legislation faces two potentially contradictory perceptions. Persons with disabling hearing impairment (DHI) are committed to eradicating discriminatory attitudes and practices, and removing barriers to communication and integration. Legislation should be aimed at breaking down these barriers, and be designed to assist persons with DHI to overcome stereotyped assumptions about their disability and ability. To achieve these goals, a common framework for describing functional status information is needed in order to make this information comparable and of value. The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which has been approved by all its member states, including South Africa, provides a common language and framework to be used in legislation. This article analyses disability legislation in South Africa, with specific focus on DHI, in order to determine the application and definition consistency. It finds that some legislation includes some elements of disability. This endeavour may have extensive implications for the development of law and public policy to supplement the ICF and the Constitution of South Africa.Afrikaans: Gestremde wetgewing het dieselfde gesig, maar met potensiële teenstrydige persepsies. Mense met gehoorgestremdheid (GG) is vasbelote om diskriminerende gesindhede, praktyke, en hindernisse te verwyder om sodoende kommunikasie en integrasie te bewerkstellig. Wetgewing moet gerig wees om hierdie hindernisse af te breek, te stereotipeer, en aannames te maak rakende hul gestremdheid en vermoëns. Om hierdie doel te bereik, is ’n gemeenskaplike raamwerk vir die beskrywing van funksionele status nodig om inligting vergelykbaar en van waarde te maak. Die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) se internasionale klassifikasie van funksionering, gestremdheid en gesondheid (FGG), wat deur al die lidlande, insluitend Suid-Afrika, goedgekeur is, bied ’n gemeenskaplike taal en ’n raamwerk om te gebruik in wetgewing. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om wetgewing rakende gestremdhede te ontleed, met spesifieke fokus op GG, en om die toepassing en konsekwentheid van die definisie te bepaal. Daar is ook gevind dat sommige wetgewing sekere elemente van gestremdheid insluit. ’n Nuwe benadering tot die komponente van ’n gestremdheid moet oorweeg word. Hierdie strewe kan uitgebreide implikasies vir die ontwikkeling van die reg en openbare beleid hê om die FGG en die Grondwet van Suid-Afrika aan te vul.enSouth AfricaDisabilityHearing impairmentLegislationArticleFaculty of Law, University of the Free State