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Social theories are usually developed to enable a clearer understanding of a situation or problem. The ‘Social Model’ in various forms is currently the dominant model for researching disability, addressing disability from within a socio‐political framework that draws substantially on a ‘social constructionist’ perspective. This article critiques some of the core sociological assumptions of the Social Model, questioning what ‘work’ this kind of theory does in informing a set of practical concerns around the design of assistive technologies, suggesting an alternative framework of analysis, supported by extensive ethnomethodologically informed ethnographic research