Is it Learning Disability, Difference or Disadvantage.

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Which term do you use? I don't think there is a wrong answer, just personal opinion. I grew up with the term "Learning Disability", and never really had a problem with it. I take issue with Learning Difference. I find the term condensending. Not as much as I'm used to though. Now my problem with the term is, that if I learn differently than most do. Why am I being taught the same way? I think because I learn diffrently and there is no real sign that schools will ever do any thing more than dumb down s**t. I will be at a disadvantage. I'm also ok with Learning Disadvantage.

As a teacher, I see them as differences. I don't really get why you feel that's more condescending than a disability. Disability means (if you break the word down into its components) that you are "not able" to do something. A blind person is "not able" to see, a paraplegic person is "not able" to walk, but a child with what is commonly categorized as a learning disability is clearly able to learn, just in a different manner that what we refer to as typical. There are gifted kids with learning disabilities. Teachers need to learn to work with the differences, so that not only the typical learners get an education...and seeing the kid as somehow unable, and as someone who should be held to lower standards, is doing that child a great disservice.

When writing a scientifically rapport (in educational science) I use the official name of learning disabilities. When writing personal essays I'm more likely to use learning differences.

I think it is different for different people as in some people is a disability where some people is just a difference or disadvantage. It does not have to be just one thing.

I don't follow your logic. If teachers won't do anything to "help" other than dumb down unnecessarily, then surely, that's their fault for putting you at a disadvantage. I don't see what's condescending about the term "learning difference". It seems like the most accurate description of the direct effects of a person's Autism. I'd rather not perpetuate a negative stigma about my own kind, which is why I take issue with the other two terms.

If teachers would actually attempt to understand the way each individual learns, we wouldn't be so disadvantaged, and when describing a mental condition, I only ever go by the direct effects of said condition.



Good point.