Words Matter Using Language to Guide a Social

Words Matter: Using Language to Guide a Social Justice Approach ADAM MEYER STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

What This Session Is Not and Is IS NOT • Focus on history of disability language • Explore the oppressive impact of common words used today, such as “crazy” • Deep dive into identity-first language vs. people-first language IS • Create awareness of office language commonly used • Offer introductory guidance for using a social justice language • Get you thinking about the power and influence words have

What is your vision for your campus relative to your disability work?

How often do you intentionally think about the collective language you use in your daily work and toward your vision?

We can cast spells over the world by spelling words into existence and we can change the way people think, feel, and act. That’s our ability as writers, speakers, and storytellers, that’s our gift — to influence others, to create the unexpected, to change the way people see and understand the world, to put on a show. Consider the power of one word alone. A single magical word can not only change something’s meaning, it can convince someone to change how they think. --James Dowd

Language gives us the ability to communicate more. And not just in quantity, in quality as well. We can express our ideas and transmit information using it. We can be creative with it, to tweak it to suit our needs more. --Andrean Romanky

Some Purposes of Language Include… • Information sharing: Simply conveying to others • Means of expression: Feelings, attitudes and ideas • Cognitive purposes: To evoke a response, such as laughter, happiness, sadness, anger, etc. • Poetic and artistic purposes **Communication**

Purpose of Language in Our DS Work Information Sharing ◦ Explain processes to connect with the office; ◦ Accommodation letter language; ◦ Explanation of accommodations; ◦ Office brochure; ◦ Test scheduling practices; ◦ Policies and procedures for course substitution, requesting a notetaker, securing alternative media, etc.

But how could and should we use language as a means of expression or to evoke a response?

The way we communicate about things can create a shift in how we see things and in how we behave. --Stephen MR Covey Communication See Behave Three dimensions are interdependent and change in any one impacts the others.

Remember that speaking is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Where your words lead, your mind and body will follow, so speak and think only that which you choose to have come into reality – now and continuously. Cat Thompson

DS Mission in 20 words or less

Exclusive and Inclusive Language

Exclusive Language • Labels, depersonalizes and stereotypes • Places people into different categories • Creates an “us and them” mindset • May suggest steps to allow “them to be us” • Devalues, offends, insults, discourages and/or make people feel inferior • Limits our perceptions of reality and distorts the truth

Disability and Exclusive Language Suggests: • Students with disabilities and “other students” • The problem exists within the person • The need to be comforted or pitied • Helplessness • Focus on what the person cannot do • Focus on how the individual needs to be developed (to be “normal”) • Need to be cared for by the professional • Special needs (Why special if all take for granted? ) • Courageous and inspirational; overcoming disability (in spite of) **NEGATIVE**

Examples of Exclusive Words in DS Service Intake Eligibility Qualified Support Registered (with DS) Approved Needs Special Empower (act of) Help Functional Limitations Assistance Any language that suggests the disability advisor is THE professional with the answers Anything that suggests disabled students and “everyone else” is a “them/us” relationship

Exclusive Mission Statement? ? (University) is dedicated to ensuring equal access and does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs, or employment processes. (University), in accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008, recognizes the need to provide an environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities. The (Office) was created to specifically answer the needs of our students with disabilities so they can be members of our community.

Exclusive Accommodation Letter? The student identified above has provided documentation verifying the existence of a disability and has been appropriately registered with our office. The student has received specific approval for the following accommodations by our office: Additional accommodations not indicated above must be reviewed and approved by the disability office prior to implementation. We need to determine if these extra accommodations would be appropriate for your course. Instructors should not dilute curriculum or reduce course requirements for students with disabilities. Work with the students as with anyone else in the class.

Exclusive Syllabus Statement? Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. If you have a disability and may need accommodations to participate in this class, please visit the disability service office. Note that all accommodations MUST be approved through the disability service office. When you contact the disability office, we will discuss reasonable and appropriate accommodations and assess whether or not you meet our ADA eligibility requirements.

Inclusive Language: • Communicates general equality, fairness and respect • Free from words and tones that reflect prejudiced, stereotyped or discriminatory views • Reflects respect for inherent human worth and dignity • Encourages and enhances feelings associated with being valued and appreciated

Disability and Inclusive Language Suggests: • Disability is just one characteristic and is one aspect of diversity. • People are disabled by the environment and its barriers. • Physical, Electronic/Digital, Procedural/Process, and Attitudinal among others. • The environment determines the degree of the accessible or inaccessible experience. • Disabled people need access. • Anyone can: • Create access; • Impact the environment; • Remove barriers through better design and awareness.

Examples of Inclusive Words in DS Barriers (environment) Sustainable Design (impact of) Access Connected Resources Welcome Meeting Proactive Initial Meeting Seamless Consultation Collaboration Intentional Facilitation Access and reasonable accommodations is a collaborative process Anyone/everyone can contribute to inclusion through awareness of attitudes and intentionality of design

Inclusive Mission Statement? We collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to make [university] accessible to everyone. Our expertise is at the intersection of disability and design, and so we work with the campus community to ensure that physical, curricular and web environments are designed to be barrier-free to the extent possible. Some barriers to access can’t be removed in a timely manner, and so that’s when we work one-on-one with students to determine accommodations. This is a collaborative process between the [office] and the student, and when needed, with faculty.

Inclusive Syllabus Statement? Access and Accommodations: It is the policy and practice of the university to create inclusive learning environments. If there aspects of the instruction or design of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or to accurate assessment of achievement—such as time-limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos—please notify the instructor as soon as possible. Disabled students are also welcome to contact the disability resource office.

Inclusive Accommodation Letter? Academic accommodations make educational experiences accessible for students with disabilities when the chosen design of the course poses barriers to access. As designers of the learning environment, faculty are responsible for making courses accessible to their students. Modifying the course design is the first recommendation to address the barriers to access. When not feasible, possible academic accommodations, such as the ones below, should be incorporated: Ideas for access are not limited to the above accommodations. Other ideas may be possible. Please explore possibilities with the student or contact the disability office to brainstorm.

Access or Accommodations?

Is the goal access or accommodations? Review your language to explore what overall message you are communicating… • Do we do this work to ensure access or to ensure accommodations? • Is your office more know for its mission to access or to accommodations?

How Might this be Said Differently?

The Disability Office is a welcoming, engaging, and supportive environment which offers dynamic educational support services for students who experience disabilities so they can be successfully accommodated and included in the rich diversity of university life. The office offers a wide variety of accommodations and supports to students based on their individual needs so they will have equal access to the university environment. The office also works collaboratively with partners across campus to ensure that all aspects of campus are inclusive in nature.

To accomplish its mission, the disability office: • Provides institution-wide advisement, consultation, and training on disabilityrelated topics, including legal and regulatory compliance, universal design, and disability scholarship; • Provides individual services and facilitate accommodations to students with disabilities; • Collaborates with partners to identify and remove barriers to foster an allinclusive campus that is physically, programmatically, and attitudinally accessible to all students with disabilities; and • Engages and supports the campus community in progressive system change to promote an accessible and inclusive climate for all students with disabilities.

Disabled Student

We work with students with documented disabilities

We act as advocates for students with disabilities

How does your disability impact you in the classroom? What is your biggest problem when doing/taking X?

Accommodations available to fit your individual needs include…

We educate faculty and staff on the needs of students with disabilities and best practices when working with them.

We promote self-awareness, self-determination and self-advocacy by providing education to students with disabilities about their rights and responsibilities.

Our goal is to help students manage their disabilities.

If a student’s disability interferes with one’s ability to take effective notes for class, a note-taker may be requested.

Our testing center resource is designed to support students with disabilities so they get the accommodations the need.

DS Mission in 20 words or less

So Much to Consider

Ways to “Cast Spells” • What do you call an initial meeting with students? • Website language • How user-friendly or burdensome is the process to access accommodations? How user-friendly or burdensome do you make it sound through language? • Language used in conversations with faculty • Do you focus on student limitations or environmental barriers in your communication, presentations, brochures, etc. ? EVERYTHING you communicate (written word and spoken language) is an opportunity to reshape thinking around disability

The Language Process is a Journey • Sharpen and know your vision and mission. • Inclusive language takes time and intentionality to do well. • The concept is still evolving in our field. • Work to get the entire team/office moving in the same direction • Identify key terms that everyone should use • Identify terms to stop using • Procedures may have to be written as such. • Have fun with thinking about how to tell the “story” of your office. • What sounds good today may be nails on a chalkboard one year from now.

Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little. Tom Stoppard Go Nudge the World!!