After the national adoption of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, children with disabilities have free and appropriate education. With this brings the emergence and acceptance of dichotomous language. It is acceptable to equate general education classrooms to normal or regular classrooms. O’Laughlin explains that “The ongoing use of terms like regular when referring to children without disabilities is problematic and this study demonstrates how IDEA contributes to the ongoing issue of ableism…” (O’Laughlin, 113). On the other hand, special education rooms may be seen as different with different students. These words segregate disabled students and non-disabled students. This may establish an ability hierarchy in the classroom and make students with disabilities feel inferior. An alternative term I have been using since I was younger was called the “resource room”. It is not dichotomous and also explains the purpose of the classroom. It is a positive way to say a classroom with resources for those who need it. 

There are plenty of ideas that support going against these stigmas and stereotypes that O’Laughlin includes in her essay. One being that “Policy-makers should, at a minimum, remove any dichotomous language elements from legislation or regulations. The term regular should be removed from any education legislation” (O’Laughlin, 126). Eradicating dichotomous language will decategorize people. It is only humane to address Americans with demeaning terminology and promotes subtle ableism among the legislative level.