Before reading the flashcards and glossary links at the bottom of this page, let's re-examine the language of special education from an equity lens (thinking about ableism, racism, and other forms of social marginalization).
READ: Ableism ("2021 Working Definition" by Talila A. Lewis)
READ: "Ableism / Language" by Autistic Hoya
READ: Two articles from the Disability is Natural website:
"The Case Against Special Needs" and "People First Language"
READ: "Why Person-First Language Doesn't Always Put the Person First"
READ: Should You Use Person-First or Identity-First Language?
WATCH: "I Am Disabled #SayTheWord-- Why I Choose Identity-First Language"
WATCH:
"Casually Ableist Language"
Use the links below as a resource for unfamiliar vocabulary. Try out the flash cards below to help you become fluent with some of this language.
EXPLORE Special Education Vocabulary:
RESPONSE PROMPT: Choose 1 or 2 words or terms from the glossaries or flash cards above to discuss in your blog post. Be critical and don't be afraid to challenge these "official" definitions based on what you read above about ableism.