Let's Talk About Neurodiversity {Acceptance, Love, and Self-care: #AutismPositivity2015}

Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level: 12^th grade. For an EASY READ VERSION, please scroll down.

[Note: the following blog post is my opinion. I certainly do not speak for everyone.]

Hello, everyone! Today, as part of Autism Acceptance Month (which was actually in April), bloggers from all over the world are posting to celebrate autism pride. This year’s theme, “Acceptance, Love and Self-Care” will be written about by hundreds of disability and autism bloggers. So, once you’re done here, check out #AutismPositivity2015 on your social media site of choice, and happy reading!

Today, I’d like to just have a quick chat about NEURODIVERSITY with all of you beautiful souls, and then I’d love to direct you toward some awesome autism-positive and disability pride resources so that you can feed your brains with the deliciousness that is the celebration of variation!

So what is neurodiversity?

Great question! Neurodiversity is an understanding that neurological differences should be recognised and celebrated as part of human variation. Differences in cognition should be valued and cherished as diversifying our communities and challenging false paradigms about “normalcy” (National Symposium on Neurodiversity).  Basically, the neurodiversity model posits that there is no one way for the human mind to function, and differences in neuro-functioning should not necessarily be pathologised.

So, who is neurodiverse?

We all are! Neurodiversity encompasses all people of every neurological status. Many people use the term Neurotypical when referring to people whose cognition is accommodated by the dominant culture and Neurodiverse (or Neurodivergent) when referring to someone who is poorly accommodated by social structures, such as those with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, and ADHD.

I also just learned the term Neurominority, which can be used to describe the latter category (Source). It is a term that is best understood using the social model of disability. If you will remember, dear readers, the social model claims that disability is a social construct built upon the poor accommodation of people with neuro- and physical differences in mainstream society. While the social model is a useful lens to view a lot of disability issues, it has its flaws…but that’s a different blog post! For now, I actually really like the term neurominority, and am planning on incorporating it into my daily vernacular. See, we ALL learned something! Thanks, #Autismpositivity2015!

So, Neurodiversity means that we should stop providing specialised supports for people with disabilities, right?

Nope!  Good try, though! What you’re referring to there is a misunderstanding of a concept known as normalisation. Normalisation (also known as Social Role Valorisation), was popularised by good ol’ Wolf Wolfensberger in the 1970s.

This guy. 

Normalisation is built upon the idea that people with disabilities should live a life as “culturally normative as possible.” I know, you guys, that language does suck, but it was the 1970s, what do you expect?  He also suggested using practices and means that were culturally normative and socially valid, which some people interpreted as, “Let’s stop providing specialised supports!” This push for de-differentiation of services often ended up failing people who needed support, placing unrealistic expectations on people with disabilities, and forcing internalisation of blame when people did not meet the standards of “normal.”

So…that’s not good.

More importantly, normalisation makes the assumption that there is an inherently right way to be. It assumes that one social culture is superior and the best way to live a good life is to adhere to that culture as closely as you are able.

The neurodiversity paradigm works from a multi-cultural perspective. There are many ways to be and to think, and no one is inherently better than any other. To me, this is an extremely important point, and one that does not exclude people who require support to excel in the world as we have constructed it. People who are supported by staff, receive counselling, use communication devices, or access any other type of support are absolutely as valuable and important as a neurotypical individual in a community. The multitude of ways in which a person can interact with their environment and the methods by which they communicate should not exist in a hierarchy. With a single dominant culture (in this instance, one that favours neurotypicality), one method of being achieves a favoured status, and therefore the culture is built to provide the best outcomes for that method. The neurodiversity movement challenges that paradigm.

It is the combination of all people and all our variable ways of thinking that make our societies valuable, innovative, and irreplaceable.

Neurologically diverse individuals are not broken, defective, or wrong. We are all part of one massive and endlessly varying species. Difference is beautiful. It is what challenges and changes our perceptions, breaks our faulty paradigms, and forces the creation of new and better systems and practices.

Yeah? Yeah.

Some Resources for Your Neurodiversity Reading Pleasure!

So, I am not an expert on neurodiversity outside of the context of the larger disability pride movement. There are some incredible resources out there if you would like to learn more. Below are some of my favourites:

-Neurocosmopolitanism: Nick Walker is an academic and activist who does a lot of work around neurodiversity and autism. His website has an excellent introduction into neurodiversity, as well as many posts that are more academic in nature.

-Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN): ASAN is the largest non-profit run by and for Autistic people in the United States. They focuses primarily on policy changes, self-advocacy, and the development of Autistic culture.

-Boycott Autism Speaks: This is a collection of individuals who are opposed to Autism Speaks and its consistent record of excluding Autistic people from its leadership, supporting “cure” research rather than funding supports and services for people, and pathologising autism using fear-mongering. It lists all the businesses that currently support AS and works actively to shift public interest toward listening to Autistic voices.

EASY READ VERSION

Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level: 6^th grade

April was Autism Acceptance Month. Today, people all over the world are celebrating autism by creating blog posts. To read what everyone is writing, look up #AutismPositivity2015!

Today I am talking about NEURODIVERSITY. Neurodiversity means that everyone thinks in a different way.  The way you think is special. No one should tell you that your way of thinking is wrong.

People who think in different ways are called Neurodiverse or Neurodivergent. It includes lots of people, including those with autism. People who get help from staff or use devices to talk are also included. No one way of thinking is better than any other way.

People who think in different ways are not broken or sick. We are all different. It makes our communities better.

If you scroll up, there are some other websites for you to get more information.

Thank you all for reading! Don’t forget to check out #AutismPositivity2015 for loads more good stuff!

We All Use the Big Stall: Universal Design

By: Rebecca Monteleone

Hello, friends and readers! First, let me apologize for how long it has taken me to post this, [insert appropriate excuse for my poor time management skills]. Life, man.

Today, I want to branch out a little bit and talk about something that each of you encounters nearly every day. This topic is something that is becoming more and more integrated into our daily lives so that its ubiquitousness makes it nearly invisible. While its pervasiveness is excellent in some ways, its pedestrian status may cause us to undervalue it. And worse, assume that it is maximally effective and there is nothing to be done. Readers here at [Insert Disability Euphemism Here] know that there is always something to be done. Always.

So what am I talking about?

UNIVERSAL DESIGN.

The History

Universal Design is a term coined in the late 1950s by architect Ronald L. Mace, which he defined as, “The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design.” [Source]

Universal Design (or UD, as people who love acronyms refer to it) is the idea that community and commercial spaces and products should be accessible by their nature. UD is not about adjusting spaces for a specific group of people (i.e. people with disabilities), but about making all spaces and products welcoming to all people. Places and products should be available to a wide range of people by their nature.

It seems almost too obvious, doesn’t it?

Think about it this way, there's no need to pay to install a ramp (which, just for the record, is required by law, folks) if you design your space to be accessible from the get-go. This also enables the architects to better control the aesthetics—accessibility can be beautiful.

Robson Square, Vancouver Canada Photo by Dean Douchard

While Ronald L. Mace was the first to use the term Universal Design, the real champion of the movement was UK architect Selwyn Goldsmith. In 1963, his book Designing for the Disabled, provided the first guide for architects hoping to create accessible spaces. Prior to his work, architects and building planners had no basis for creating welcoming spaces. Their ignorance to the needs of people with disabilities did (and still does) systematically exclude people from participating in their communities.

Goldsmith, who himself was a wheelchair user, interviewed countless people with disabilities while conducting research, practice that was nearly unheard of in the 1960s. The direct result of his first batch of interviews was the magnificent and truly innovative ramped curb!



Look at it. LOOK AT IT. (FUN FACT: Truncated domes [tactile paving] were developed by Seiichi Miyake in 1965 in Japan for the benefit of people with visual impairments, but would not be introduced in North America or the UK until the 1990s) (Source)

Despite his contributions to accessibility and inclusion, Goldsmith did not consider himself a disability rights activist, and in fact, steered wide of any kind of political affiliation. At one point in his career, he was invited onto a local council in an effort to fill their disability quota—an offer he vehemently refused on the grounds that the his disability was not to be politicised. (Read more about Selwyn Goldsmith’s life here)

At the end of his career, Goldsmith took a radical stance on creating inclusive spaces, stating in his final book Universal Design that having what would be considered extreme or complex needs is not aberrant. It is the most normal human condition.

Examples of UD



Roll-under sinks in public restrooms



Rocker light switch



Types of accessible door knobs

The previous two examples are particularly relevant for people without full dexterity in their hands or fingers. What makes UD important, however, is that these architectural components are useful for typical individuals as well. Ever been carrying a load of groceries and been unable to open the door or flip the switch? Universal design is good for all of us.



Accessible pedestrian sign

The traffic signal pictured above provides both visual and auditory information. What strikes me about it, additionally, is the simple symbols that provide step-by-step instructions for its use. Individuals with dementia, intellectual disabilities, or literacy issues will be able to utilise this crossing which in turn empowers independence and community involvement. Providing information in a variety of ways (sound, symbols, text, etc) vastly increases the number of people who are able to use the product or space.



Gallaudet University

Here is an image of Gallaudet University, the United States’ only university for the Deaf. The architecture is deliberate, maximising open spaces and clear lines of sight so that signers can communicate across and between floors.

[Soft Clothing]

Soft Clothing is a sensory-friendly children’s clothing line. “Flat seaming, printed labels, soft fabrics, and seamless features” make their clothing comfortable for children with sensory-processing differences. The line is available through major clothing dealers around the world, and their website can be found here.

Seven Principles of Universal Design (from the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design)

• Equitable Use:

UD should strive to provide identical means of use for all users and not segregate users with more complex needs. For example, forcing a person with mobility issues to use a service elevator directly violates this principle.

• Flexibility in Use:

There should be choice in how a user utilizes a space or product, and adaptability should be inherent in the feature. Something as simple as left or right-handed railings illustrates this principle.

• Simple and Intuitive Use:

The most salient message of this principle is that all features should accommodate a wide range of literacy  and language skills.

• Perceptible Information:

Building on the previous principle, the design should use multiple modes of delivery (symbolic, tactile, auditory) to ensure that all users can understand information.

• Tolerance of Error

The feature should minimise hazards and provide fail-safe features in the event that users incorrectly utilise the design feature.

• Low Physical Effort
• Size and Space for Approach and Use

What about Virtual Universal Design?

Good question, reader! It’s like I’m having a conversation with myself! There has recently been a push to ensure that technology is accessible to a wide range of individuals (with varying degrees of success).

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), published in 2008, currently stand as the most widely used and accepted guidelines for online accessibility. It is broken into four sections:

1. Perceivable: providing alternative formatting and presenting content in multiple ways
2. Operable: providing users to navigate content in the easiest way for them (include keyboard functionality, extended timers, etc)
3. Understandable: making readable content, and producing methods for avoiding and correcting errors
4. Robust: Compatible with current and future technologies, including assistive technologies (screen readers, etc)

FUN FACT: There are several free programs available online to check how well your webpage is adhering to these accessibility guidelines. My personal favourite (yes, I do have a favourite), is the Functional Accessibility Evaluator 1.1 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

I ran this very blog through it, and here’s what we ended up with:

So…yeah. We’re doing okay. One of the biggest problems cited was that the default language of the page is not specified. Secondly, although it wasn’t picked up here, the alt-text on my images (short statements that describe pictures—these statements appear when you hover over the image or are read aloud by a screen reader) is abysmal. I will correct this as soon as I, as a bit of a luddite, am able to figure out how. Additionally, my styling is evidently pretty poor, which apparently has to do with the way in which I underline and italicise—if anyone knows the more accessible method of styling, please educate me!

One final point I would like to make is about what I will term  content accessibility. This concept has to do with the audience’s ability to interpret the content. According to the Open Society Mental Health Initiative, there is no hard and fast rule for what “easy to read” means [source]. Research shows, however, that the average reading level of the general population (in the US) is 8^th grade, and for those with intellectual disabilities, it is 4^th-5^th grade [source].

So, quickly running some segments of the blog through a Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test, we get…

Between 9^th-12^th grade.

Here’s where I feel I’ve let you down, readers. I knew this fact. I also knew that I was writing at a readability level that was not universally readable. I wasn’t confident in my abilities to convey what I wanted to say at a reading level that was accessible, and I still am not, but I am going to attempt, in the future, to provide more accessible content.

It would be hypocritical not to.

Meanwhile, I am still looking for collaborators who would like to share their thoughts and experiences of disability. If you are interested, have questions, comments, or ideas, please email me at insertdisabilityeuphemismhere@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you, as always, for reading.