http://LDBlog.com/2006/06/16/even-in-the-uk/ News, commentary, and resources about Learning Disabilities Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:32:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 http://LDBlog.com/2006/06/16/even-in-the-uk/#comment-4055 LDblog » Another not-LD Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:24:58 +0000 http://johnl.edschool.virginia.edu/blogs/LDBlog/2006/06/16/even-in-the-uk/#comment-4055 [...] Emma, who blogs as “WheelchairPrincess,” weighed in on the hot topic about the child named Ashley whose parents elected to have growth attenuation treatments to keep her (Ashley) physically undeveloped. Like other entries on WheelchairPrincess, this particular entry is a thoughtful and personal observation on the issues involved in the Ashley story. But, it includes a choice of words that perpetuates the idea that Learning Disabilities is a generic term, not the specific disability identified in US (and other countries’) laws. WheelchairPrincess wrote, “The short version is that Ashley X is 9 years old and has profound physical and learning disabilities.” Now, it appears to me that WheelchairPrincess is writing from the perspective of someone in the United Kingdom (UK), so this issue gets another round of spin on it. As discussed over on I Speak of Dreams, in the UK “learning disabilities” refers to what is known in the US as “mental retardation.” (In an earlier post here on LD Blog, I noted that “learning disabilities” can be misused even in the context of someone writing in the UK. I’ve also commented on this at caelesti’s Roots, Leaves and Threads.) So, we have to cut WheelchairPrincess some slack in her use of the term. [...] [...] Emma, who blogs as “WheelchairPrincess,” weighed in on the hot topic about the child named Ashley whose parents elected to have growth attenuation treatments to keep her (Ashley) physically undeveloped. Like other entries on WheelchairPrincess, this particular entry is a thoughtful and personal observation on the issues involved in the Ashley story. But, it includes a choice of words that perpetuates the idea that Learning Disabilities is a generic term, not the specific disability identified in US (and other countries’) laws. WheelchairPrincess wrote, “The short version is that Ashley X is 9 years old and has profound physical and learning disabilities.” Now, it appears to me that WheelchairPrincess is writing from the perspective of someone in the United Kingdom (UK), so this issue gets another round of spin on it. As discussed over on I Speak of Dreams, in the UK “learning disabilities” refers to what is known in the US as “mental retardation.” (In an earlier post here on LD Blog, I noted that “learning disabilities” can be misused even in the context of someone writing in the UK. I’ve also commented on this at caelesti’s Roots, Leaves and Threads.) So, we have to cut WheelchairPrincess some slack in her use of the term. [...]

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