The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Council would like to highlight that March is Developmental Disability (DD) Awareness Month in hopes to promote inclusion of individuals with DD in all aspects of life.
Did you know that a Developmental Disability is not a specific diagnosis, but rather an umbrella term for an array of diagnoses? Some of these include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, and Down Syndrome, among others.
While said diagnoses may impact an individual and their development, with proper support, individuals with a DD can lead meaningful and impactful lives. EDI also encourages people to use language that is meaningful to individuals when providing services. For example, does this individual prefer the term disability? Or maybe they prefer the term differing abilities?
Also, check out the brief video below reframing the term, “special needs,” when we think about individuals with DD. Are these needs special? #DDawareness2021
