This content compiles diagnostic, assessment, and
instructional frameworks for Intellectual Disability (ID) and Developmental
Disabilities (IDD), primarily aligned with the DSM-5-TR, AAIDD (American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities), and IDEA
guidelines.
Here is a clean, structured overview of the core
concepts, diagnostic criteria, and instructional strategies contained in your
text.
1.
Diagnostic Framework & Definitions: An Intellectual
Disability onset occurs during the developmental period (before age 18) and
requires impairments in both intellectual functioning (IQ typically below
70–75) and adaptive behaviour.
2.
Rosa’s Law (2010): Replaced the term "mental
retardation" with "intellectual disability" in US federal law
without altering the statutory definition.
3.
Intellectual Disability
vs. Specific Learning Disability: Intellectual Disability: Affects overall
cognitive ability (IQ < 70) and daily adaptive functioning across
environments.
4.
Specific Learning Disability (e.g., Dyslexia, Dyscalculia):
Affects specific academic skill domains while overall intelligence remains
average or above average (typically IQ > 85).
2. Core Domains of Adaptive
Functioning: Under modern criteria, adaptive functioning—measured via
standardised tools such as the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales or
ABAS—determines the level of severity and support needed.
5.
Adaptive Domain Core
Competencies Daily Activity Examples Conceptual (Academic)Memory, language,
literacy, math reasoning, problem-solving, judgment Managing money, telling
time, academic learning, self-direction Social Interpersonal communication,
empathy, friendship skills, understanding rules Social cues, making/keeping
friends, abiding by laws Practical Personal care, job skills, safety,
structural routine management Bathing/dressing, using public transport, job
tasks, health/safety.
6.
3. Severity & Support Classifications Severity is
classified by adaptive support needs rather than strict IQ score cutoffs
alone: By Severity Level (DSM-5 / Clinical Model)Mild: Functions relatively
independently; requires minor support for complex tasks (e.g., taxes, legal
matters, complex health decisions).
Moderate: Cares for simple personal needs;
requires daily ongoing supervision and structured routines for work and living
environments.
7.
Severe: Requires significant daily assistance for almost all
activities; relies closely on support networks for communication and personal
care.
8.
Profound: Extremely limited communication/mobility; requires
total, 24-hour specialised caregiver or nursing support for survival and care.
9.
By Intensity of Support (AAIDD Model)Intermittent: Support on
an "as needed" or episodic basis (e.g., during acute transitions or
crises).
10.
Limited: Consistent support over a specified, limited time
(e.g., job skill training).Extensive: Regular, ongoing daily involvement in
specific environments (e.g., long-term school or workplace
assistance).Pervasive: High-intensity, constant, life-sustaining support across
all environments.
11.
4. Characteristics Impacting Learning & Pedagogy: Students
with ID/IDD experience specific learning dynamics that require deliberate
instructional adaptation: Cognitive & Learning Profile Attention:
Difficulty maintaining focus; responds best to concrete real-life instructional
materials (e.g., handling real currency).
12.
Memory: Working memory deficits impact multi-step processing,
task sequencing, and logic. Generalisation: Difficulty transferring a skill
learned in one environment to a new context (e.g., using a calculator in class
vs. budgeting at a store).
13.
Learning Rate vs. Learning Ceiling: Rate: Learners require
more time, repetition, and explicit instruction to master concepts.
Ceiling: The potential limit of performance is
directly shaped by disability severity, exposure to rich learning
opportunities, and targeted external support.
Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies: Direct
& Explicit Instruction: Use task analysis to break down complex tasks into
small, sequential steps with explicit prompting and feedback.
Concrete & Natural Contexts: Teach using
real-world objects and practical applications rather than abstract worksheets.
Explicit
Generalization Training: Practice skills across multiple real-world settings,
with varied instructors and materials.
Assistive Technology & AAC: Implement low-tech
aids (visual schedules, PECS) or high-tech speech-generating devices to foster
independence and communication.
Availability of Supports (Systemic/Instructional
Factor):
Instructional Adaptations: Explicit instruction,
systematic prompting, graphic organisers, and hands-on/concrete learning
materials.
To see how
adaptive skills, levels of support, and evidence-based instruction work
together in practice, here is a step-by-step breakdown of how Task Analysis and
Explicit Instruction are used to teach practical daily skills.
1.
What Are Task Analysis & Explicit Instruction?
2.
Task Analysis: The practice of breaking a complex, multi-step
skill down into smaller, discrete, and teachable sequential steps. This reduces
cognitive load and working memory demands.
3.
Explicit Instruction: A structured, direct teaching approach
that uses clear modelling ("I Do"), guided practice with systematic
prompting ("We Do"), and independent practice with feedback
("You Do").2. Practical Example: Purchasing a Bus Ticket Using Exact
Change.
4.
This functional practical domain skill combines math
reasoning, motor skills, and real-world navigation.
5.
Step 1: The Task Analysis (Sequence)1. Identify the required
fare amount: Conceptual & Literacy Focus.
6.
Read the bus fare sign or check the visual cue card to
determine the exact amount needed (e.g., £2.00 / $2.00).2.Retrieve money from
wallet or pouch: Fine Motor & Organisation Focus/
Locate wallet, open the
zip/snap, and pull out the coin purse or bill section without dropping
items.3.Count out the target amount: Functional Math Focus.
7.
Select the correct combination of coins or notes to equal or
slightly exceed the fare.
8.
4. Board the bus and wait at the fare box: Social & Safety
Focus.
9.
Step onto the vehicle safely, stand behind the yellow line,
and wait for the driver to confirm they are ready.5.Deposit money into the fare
box: Practical Motor Execution.
10.
Insert coins/bills into the slot one at a time or tap the
payment card against the reader.6.Collect receipt or ticket and move to a seat:
Transition & Spatial Awareness.
11.
Take the printed paper ticket, turn toward the aisle, locate
an open seat, and sit down safely before the vehicle moves.
12.
3. How Explicit Instruction Delivers the Lesson.
Teaching
follows a systematic three-phase lesson
structure:┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. "I DO" │
│
Instructor Models & Thinks Aloud Explicitly │
└────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 2. "WE
DO" │
│ Guided
Practice with Systematic Prompting Hierarchy
│
└────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 3. "YOU
DO" │
│
Independent Execution across Real-World Settings │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Phase 1: Direct Modelling
("I Do").
The instructor demonstrates the entire sequence while
explicitly verbalising every decision.
Example: "First, I
look at the sign. It says $2.00. I need two $1 coins.
I open my wallet, pull out
one, then two coins.
"Phase 2: Guided
Practice ("We Do") & Prompting Hierarchy.
The learner practices
with the instructor using a Least-to-Most Prompting hierarchy to ensure success
without creating prompt dependency: Visual Prompt: Point to a visual schedule
or graphic cue card depicting the step.
Verbal Prompt: Give a
clear, direct verbal instruction ("Look at the fare sign").Model
Prompt: Demonstrate the specific missing action ("Watch me count two
coins").Physical Prompt: Provide light physical guidance (e.g.,
hand-over-hand or guiding the elbow) to complete the motion.
Phase 3: Independent Practice &
Generalisation ("You Do")Data Collection: Track which steps the
learner completes independently versus steps requiring prompts.
Generalisation Training: Practice the routine
on different bus routes, at different times of day, and using alternative fare
types (e.g., exact cash vs. contactless payment cards) to ensure the skill
translates beyond the classroom setting.
4. Aligning Assistive
Technology & Support Levels: Depending on the individual's intensity of
support needs, accommodations are layered onto this task analysis: Level of Support
Applied Accommodation / Assistive Technology Intermittent / Limited Low-Tech
Visual Cue Card: A laminated step-by-step image card attached to a lanyard or
wallet, allowing the user to complete the process independently with minimal
staff involvement.
Extensive High-Tech AAC /
AAC Application: A speech-generating device or tablet app pre-loaded with a
"Bus Ticket" phrase folder ("One single ticket to downtown,
please"), combined with daily staff modelling during commute routines.
Pervasive Direct Physical
Assistance & Adapted Equipment: High staff support where the individual
uses a single switch or accessible pointer to hand the fare card to the driver,
maintaining maximum personal participation in the community routine.
The "KIDS"
Perception (Infantile Language)
• The Concept: This refers
to the systemic tendency of society—and often professionals—to treat adults
with disabilities like perpetual children ("kids").
• How it Manifests: Using
high-pitched "baby talk," making decisions on their behalf without
asking, or referring to grown adults as "boys," "girls," or
"kids."
• The Impact: It strips
away dignity, lowers expectations, and denies adults their right to autonomy,
romantic relationships, financial independence, and self-determination.
• Teaching Point:
Professionals must practice age-appropriate communication. An adult with a
disability is an adult, regardless of the intensity of their support needs.
Limitations: The Social
vs. Medical Model
When teaching
professionals about "limitations," it is highly effective to
introduce the distinction between impairments and societal limitations:
• The Medical/Individual
Limitation: This views the limitation as residing entirely within the person's
body or mind (e.g.,
"They cannot work because they cannot walk").
• The Societal Limitation
(Social Model): This recognises that the environment creates limitations (e.g.,
"They cannot work
because the building lacks a ramp and the employer refuses to adapt").
• Teaching Point:
Professionals should focus on removing attitudinal and environmental barriers
rather than viewing the person as inherently limited.
Core Domains of Support
Needs
To help you build your
curriculum or talking points on the general things people need support with,
here is a categorised guide you can present to your students:
• Health & Wellness:
Managing medications, navigating medical appointments, mental health coping
strategies, and physical therapy routines.
• Education & Lifelong
Learning: Accessing adaptive technology, modifying learning materials, and
navigating university or vocational training systems.
• Household &
Independent Living Skills: Meal planning and cooking, budgeting and paying
bills, grocery shopping, and home maintenance.
• Personal &
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): Dressing, bathing, grooming, and managing
personal hygiene.
• Social & Community
Integration: Using public transportation, building friendships, participating
in hobbies, and self-advocacy in public spaces.
Dismissing and
Overshadowing Defined
• Dismissing: This occurs
when a professional completely ignores, minimises, or devalues the concerns,
symptoms, or requests of a person with a disability (or their support network).
They assume the person is exaggerating, making things up, or that the issue
"isn't a big deal."
• Overshadowing
(Diagnostic Overshadowing): This is the tendency for professionals to attribute
new physical or mental health symptoms entirely to a person's existing
developmental, intellectual, or physical disability. Instead of investigating
the root cause, they assume the symptom is just a "part of the
disability."
• Misconceptions: The
underlying false belief that people with intellectual or developmental
disabilities do not experience complex mental health conditions (like
depression or anxiety) or that they cannot feel pain or distress in the same
way as neurotypical or non-disabled people.
• Impact:
• Delayed or Denied Care: People are left to suffer from
treatable medical illnesses, dental pain, or mental health crises because
professionals refuse to look past the label.
• Erosion of Trust: The individual learns that speaking up is
pointless, leading to learned helplessness.
• Preventable Tragedies: Serious medical or psychological
conditions go completely untreated, sometimes leading to fatal outcomes.
Classroom Interactive
Exercise: "Look Beyond the Label"
To help your students
understand how easily they might fall into these traps, here is a powerful case
study and discussion exercise you can use when you teach this module.
The Scenario (Handout to
Students):
David is a 28-year-old man
with a formal label of a severe intellectual disability. He lives in a
supported home. Over the past three weeks, David has become highly agitated,
has started pacing up and down the hallway for hours, and has begun refusing to
eat his favourite foods.
He hits his head against the wall when staff try to get
him to sit at the dinner table.
Step 1: The Trap (The
Overshadowing Response)
Ask your students:
"If a support worker or clinician sees this behaviour and says, 'David is
just acting out because of his disability; we just need to wait it out,' what
is happening here?"
• The Lesson: This is
diagnostic overshadowing. The professional sees a behavioural change and
immediately blames the underlying disability, assuming it's just "bad
behaviour."
Step 2: Reality (The
Investigative Response)
Ask your students to
brainstorm: "If you remove David's label entirely, what are the actual,
real-world reasons a human being might pace, refuse food, and hit their
head?"
Guide them to group the
possibilities into the domains you just learned:
• Physical Pain: David
might have a severe toothache, an ear infection, an ulcer, or a broken bone
that he cannot verbally communicate.
• Mental Health: He could
be experiencing severe anxiety or a depressive episode.
• Environmental/Social
Change: A favourite staff member might have left, or a housemate might be
bullying him, causing extreme distress.
The Takeaway for
Professionals:
Teach them this rule of
thumb: Behaviour is communication. When a person’s behaviour or mood changes,
professionals must treat it as a medical or psychological emergency first,
rather than a symptom of a permanent label.
Would you like to build a
similar role-play exercise focusing specifically on how a professional can
practice active listening to avoid dismissing an individual?
Here is a breakdown of both:
A detailed Task Analysis & Instructional Plan for a practical daily skill
(Preparing a Simple Meal: Making a Microwave Bowl of Oatmeal).An overview of
how Standardised Adaptive Assessments (Vineland-3 & ABAS-3) evaluate these
core competencies across adaptive domains.
Part 1: Task Analysis & Instructional Plan
(Preparing a Simple Meal). Teaching meal preparation promotes independence in the
Practical Domain by combining task sequencing, safety awareness, and fine-motor
control.
Task Analysis: Making Microwave
Oatmeal1.Preparation & Hygiene: Environment & Readiness.
Wash hands with soap and
water for 20 seconds, dry with a clean towel, and clear a clean workspace on
the counter.
2.Gather Equipment & Ingredients:
Organization & Materials.
Retrieve a microwave-safe
bowl, measuring cup, spoon, instant oat packet/oats, water or milk, and
toppings from the cupboard/fridge.3.Measure & Combine Ingredients:
Functional Measurement & Literacy.
Open the oat packet (or
use a 1/2 cup scoop) and pour oats into the bowl. Measure 1 cup of liquid and
pour it over the oats.
4. Stir the Ingredients: Executive Function & Mixing.
Use the spoon to mix the
oats and liquid until fully blended and evenly distributed. 5. Microwave Setup & Cooking: Safety & Tech Operation.
Open the microwave door,
place the bowl centred on the glass turntable, close the door, and set the
time for 1 minute and 30 seconds before pressing Start.6.Remove & Cool:
Thermal Safety.
Wait for the timer beep, carefully remove the
bowl using oven mitts or holding the cooler upper rim, and place it on a
heat-safe mat on the counter.7.
Add Toppings & Serve:
Choice-Making & Fine Motor.
Stir in chosen toppings
(e.g., banana slices, berries, honey, or cinnamon) and let cool for 1–2 minutes
before eating.8.Clean Up: Practical Maintenance.
Rinse the measuring cup
and spoon, return remaining ingredients to the cupboard/fridge, and wipe down
the counter workspace.
Instructional Strategy & Accommodations
Matrix
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ INSTRUCTIONAL PHASES │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1.
MODELING ("I Do") │
│
• Instructor demonstrates the sequence while thinking │
│
aloud (e.g., "I check the bowl to ensure it is │
│
microwave-safe"). │
│
│
│ 2.
GUIDED PRACTICE ("We Do") │
│
• Systematic Prompt Hierarchy: │
│
Visual Card ──► Verbal Prompt ──► Model ──► Physical │
│
│
│ 3.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ("You Do") │
│
• Learner completes steps; instructor tracks data on │
│
prompt levels needed per step. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Layering Support &
Assistive Technology by Support Need Support Level Assistive Technology &
Environmental Accommodations Intermittent / Limited• Visual Recipe Schedule:
Laminated step-by-step picture card with visual checkboxes.
• Preset Buttons:
Colour-coded stickers on the microwave panel (e.g., green dot on the "+30
Sec" button).Extensive• Adaptive Utensils & Equipment: Easy-grip
adaptive measuring cup with tactile line indicators; pre-portioned ingredient
containers.
• AAC Integration:
Audio-prompting app or AAC device providing voice cues for each step.
Pervasive•
High-Tech & Co-Creation: Talking microwave
interface; active hand-over-hand physical assistance to mix and place
ingredients, focusing on choice-making (e.g., choosing fruit toppings via AAC
eye-gaze or switch).Part 2: Standardised Adaptive Behaviour Assessments. Standardised assessment tools measure what a person actually does in their
daily environment rather than what they are theoretically capable of doing in a
testing room.
The two gold-standard standardised
adaptive instruments are the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (Vineland-3) and
the Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System (ABAS-3).1
Vineland Adaptive Behaviour
Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3).
The Vineland-3 evaluates adaptive performance
across the lifespan (birth to age 90+) using semi-structured interviews or
rating forms completed by primary caregivers, parents, or educators.
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ Vineland-3 Adaptive Behavior │
│ Composite (ABC) │
└────────────────┬────────────────┘
│
┌─────────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐
│ Communication │ │ Daily Living │ │ Socialization │
├───────────────┤ ├───────────────┤ ├───────────────┤
│ • Receptive │ │ • Personal │ │ • Interpersonal│
│ • Expressive │ │ • Domestic │ │ • Play/Leisure│
│ • Written │ │ • Community │ │ • Coping │
└───────────────┘ └───────────────┘ └───────────────┘
Communication Domain:
Receptive: How well the individual understands spoken/visual language.
Expressive: Spoken words,
gestures, AAC usage, and sentence structure.
Written: Reading and
writing skills applied in daily life.
Daily Living Skills Domain: Personal: Eating,
dressing, personal hygiene, and health care.
Domestic: Performing
household tasks, cooking, and chores.
Community: Money
management, time awareness, transit, and safety rules.
Socialization
Domain: Interpersonal Relationships:
Interacting appropriately with peers and caregivers.
Play and Leisure: Engaging
in recreation and group activities.
Coping Skills: Emotional
regulation, managing frustration, and social manners.
Motor Skills Domain (Optional for ages 0–9 or
individuals with physical disabilities): Fine and gross motor coordination.2.
Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3).
The ABAS-3 evaluates
adaptive skills (birth through age 89) specifically organised under the three
DSM-5 / AAIDD core adaptive domains:
┌────────────────────────┐
│ ABAS-3 General │
│ Adaptive Composite │
└───────────┬────────────┘
│
┌─────────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐
│ Conceptual
│ │ Social
│ │ Practical
│
├───────────────┤ ├───────────────┤ ├───────────────┤
│ • Comm. │ │ • Social │ │ • Self-Care │
│ • Academics │ │ • Leisure │ │ • Home/School │
│ • Self-Direct │ │ │ │ • Community │
│ │ │ │ │ • Health/Work │
└───────────────┘ └───────────────┘ └───────────────┘
Key Skill Areas Assessed
by ABAS-3 Domains: Conceptual Domain: Communication: Speaking, listening, and
conversational skills.
Functional Academics:
Practical reading, writing, telling time, and basic math calculations.
Self-Direction: Initiating tasks, making
plans, managing time, and solving problems independently.
Social Domain: Social
Skills: Getting along with others, expressing emotions appropriately, making
friends, and showing empathy.
Leisure: Participating in
hobbies, sports, and community recreational activities.
Practical Domain:
Self-Care: Eating, dressing, grooming, hygiene, and toileting.
Home / School Living:
Cleaning, organising, performing chores, and handling physical environment tasks.
Community Use: Navigating
stores, public facilities, and neighborhood travel safely.
Health and Safety:
Avoiding hazards, adhering to medication schedules, and requesting emergency help.
Work: Maintaining basic
job responsibilities, punctuality, and workplace compliance (for older
adolescents/adults).
3. How Scoring Influences
Diagnosis & Service Planning Standard Scores: Both tools yield standardized
composite scores with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15 (similar to
IQ scale distribution).
Diagnostic Threshold: For an intellectual disability
diagnosis, an individual typically scores two or more standard deviations below
the population mean (a standard score of approximately 70 or below) in at least
one core adaptive domain (Conceptual, Social, or Practical) or on the overall
composite score.
Service & IEP
Planning: Rather than just serving as a pass/fail diagnostic test, item-level
responses identify specific skill deficits (e.g., "needs prompt to check
hot stove surface").
Teachers and clinicians directly translate
those low-scoring items into target goals for Task Analysis, Explicit
Instruction, and Assistive Technology planning.
This text outlines the
fundamental principles of person-first, non-stigmatising language and
dignity-centred communication in health, social care, and education
settings. The primary message is that language directly shapes how individuals
with intellectual disabilities are perceived, valued, and supported. Using
imprecise, patronising, or medicalised labels reduces individuals to a
diagnosis and creates barriers to inclusion.
Here is a quick reference
guide framing these 6 rules into practice:6 Principles of Inclusive Communication
Rule / Concept What to Avoid (and Why)What to Use Instead.
1. Avoid Homogenization: “The
intellectually disabled," "the disabled"(Treats a diverse group
as a monolith and objects rather than unique individuals.
2. "People with
intellectual disabilities," "individuals with IDD," or simply
their names.
2. Avoid "Inspiration
Porn "Calling someone "brave," "courageous," or
"heroic" simply for living with a disability.(Sets people apart as
unusual and patronizingly lowers expectations of ordinary life.
Recognise
achievements based on actual merit, skill, or effort—just as you would for
anyone else.3. Avoid Pity & Condescension
“What a shame," "How awful," or
"It’s so unfair that your son has to live with that."(Frames
disability purely as a tragedy or family burden.)Neutral, supportive, and
matter-of-fact language focused on human potential, rights, and support needs.
4. Avoid Euphemisms &
Vague Terms: “Differently abled," "special needs,"
"developmentally challenged.
"(Obscures real diagnostic clarity and
can feel evasive or overly polite.)Clear, direct terms: "Intellectual
disability," "adaptive support needs," or "learning
disability" (UK).5. Avoid Suffering & Victim Language “Suffers
from," "afflicted with," "a victim of Down
syndrome/ID."(Reinforces a medicalised deficit model that views the person
as inherently broken.)
"Has a diagnosis
of...", "a person with...", or "lives with...".6.
Avoid Othering ("Normal" vs. "Abnormal"): Referring to people
without disabilities as "normal" or "healthy."(Implies that
people with disabilities are "abnormal," lesser, or do not
belong.)"People without disabilities," "neurotypical," or
"non-disabled peers. “Practical Takeaways for Educators & Support Professionals: Lead with Person-First Language: Place the individual ahead of the diagnosis
("A student who uses an AAC device" rather than "An AAC
student").
Focus on Support Needs,
Not Limitations: Describe what environment, tool, or instruction enables the
person to succeed rather than framing them as "unable”. “Respect
Individual Preference: While person-first language is standard in intellectual
disability policy, always ask the individual or their family how they prefer to
describe themselves (e.g., some neurodivergent or autistic self-advocates
prefer identity-first language).
This second set of
guidelines shifts the focus from what to avoid to active, proactive practices
for respectful communication.
It emphasises dignity, personal autonomy,
age-appropriateness, and self-advocacy preferences—particularly highlighting
self-advocacy terminology such as that used by People First movement members in
Great Britain ("people with learning difficulties").
Here is a practical
breakdown and training guide that synthesises these 5 positive action
principles.5 Positive Principles of Dignity-Centered Practice Core Principle
Practical Application in Support Settings Examples in Action
1. Communicate Value &
Respect: Speak with warmth, professional respect, and authentic care. Avoid
patronising tones (e.g., "baby talk" or overly simplified adult
speech).
Talk with adults using
natural adult tones, clear phrasing, and open posture.
2. Age & Cultural Respect: Observe standard social courtesies and professional boundaries. Never assume
familiarity or drop formal titles simply because a person has a disability.
“Good morning, Mr Jones.
May I call you Arthur?" instead of
automatically using a first name or nickname on first meeting.
3. Respect Preferred Terminology
Honor self-advocacy choices and local cultural norms. In the UK, self-advocates
(like People First) often prefer "people with learning difficulties"
over medicalized terms.
Ask the individual or
group how they wish to be described and mirror their preferred language in
daily conversations and documentation.
4. Talk WITH, Not ABOUT
Include the person directly in conversations about their care, support plans,
or choices.
Avoid talking over them to family members,
carers, or colleagues.
Address questions directly
to the person first, giving them processing time or using their communication
tool before looking to a support worker for confirmation.
5. Person-First &
Minimal LabelingRecognize the person's humanity before any diagnosis. Reserve
diagnostic terms strictly for formal clinical, legal, or administrative
documentation.
Use the person's name
("Sara's support plan"). Mention a diagnosis only when strictly
required for medical safety or specific funding access.
Combining Both Frameworks:
A Summary Checklist for Care & Support By merging the two sets of
rules—what to avoid (avoiding pity, inspiration porn, suffering language, and
"normal" comparisons) with what to actively do (using preferred
terms, age-appropriate respect, and direct inclusion)—support workers,
educators, and healthcare professionals can follow a simple 4-part
checklist:┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ THE RESPECTFUL PRACTICE
CHECKLIST │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. NAME FIRST │ Use the individual's preferred name;
drop │
│ │ diagnostic labels in daily
conversation. │
│ │ │
│ 2. DIRECT FOCUS │ Speak directly to the person, not over
or │
│ │ around them to support
staff or family. │
│ │ │
│ 3. AGE-MATCHED │ Match your greeting, tone, and courtesy
to │
│ │ the person's chronological
age. │
│ │ │
│ 4. SELF-CHOSEN │ Honor individual and self-advocate
choices │
│ │ (e.g., "learning
difficulties" in the UK). │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
