I agree with Susan.  In my experience, it is generally the people who do not
have a disability who are most interested in making the term for it
"positive."

- Jackie McCraw


-----Original Message-----
From: SUSAN ALCORN MACKAY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2000 9:03 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: People with learning differences


I do understand your feelings about the word disabled. however, most of the
population have 'learning differences" which don't begin to quantify the
intense difficulty that some people have with certain processes that leave
them 'disabled' in our world of reading and writing. Legislation refers to
'disability' in order to indicate the depth of the problem and to indicate
that extraordinary measures are required to level the playing field. I don't
think we will get anywhere by watering down the terminology.
Just one opinion...

>>> [log in to unmask] 08/01/00 10:45 AM >>>
Dear List members:

May I make a plea to refer to the subject of the current thread
as software for PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES.

There's no point in looking FOR ANYTHING for people who are
"disabled" who by dictionary definition = can't do, inoperable,
non-functioning, incapacitated, a/k/a as good as dead.

If WE don't say it right=POSITIVELY, who will?

Positive Sells.  Positive Wins. EVERY TIME.

Ellen Perlow
Chair, ALA ASCLA Century Scholarship Committee
"Celebrating a New Century that Celebrates Diversity"
http://www.ala.org/ascla/centuryscholarship.html
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