Though many use the term CBR, the organisations involved in fact include institutions, community outreach services, self help organisations, general development or human rights organisations, and welfare organisations. There is scope for the involvement of all these different types of organisations, each of which has some skills and expertise to offer. What really exists is a disability related network, which is addressing wider issues at many levels. Another advantage of this wide network is that it has also effected a change in disability services to bring it out of a narrow and often medical context, to emphasise the social and development aspects. If one looks at the history of disability work, much of it has come from a medical background.
Many projects emphasise 'rehabilitation' aspects more than the 'community' aspects.
With regard to the involvement of people with disabilities in rehabilitation projects, there is a mixed picture. There are many organisations set up by able bodied people, who are providing 'services' for people with disabilities. There are also organisations which have a more process orientated approach, that include people with disabilities and their families in decision making roles, resulting in an integrated system, in which disabled and non disabled people work together. Improvement in the quality of life of PWD is the single most unifying goal of all the projects involved. Some projects have been set up specifically for disabled people, while others are part of more general development activities.