ABSTRACT
Before we address the mainstreaming of invalidity /disability from destiny (random selection) to self-determination, as well as the salience, success and failure of mod ern disability welfare policies, some thoughts are in order about what invalidity/ disability actually means. How can this most complex of phenomena be defined and measured - and how can people, their needs, hardships and behaviour, their restricted employment opportunities, life chances and their compensation requirements be clas sified accordingly? What are the problems that these definitions, measurements and classifications involve, and how do these problems impact on invalidity/disability entitlements?
