Encyclopedia

Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior.

Internalized Ableism is when a disabled person discriminates against themself and other disabled people by holding the view that disability is something to be ashamed of, or something to be hidden, or by refusing accessibility or support.

Systemic Ableism is a system of institutions, policies, and societal values that disadvantage people based on societal values of intelligence, physical ability, and mental abilities.

Hypersensitivity is an over-responsiveness to a wide range of stimuli.

Hyposensitivity is an under-responsiveness to a wide range of stimuli. Difficulty recognizing sensations like hunger, illness or pain; or attraction to loud noises, bright lights and vibrant colors. 

The Individualized Education Program is a legal document under United States law that is developed for each public school nerodiverse child in the U.S. who needs accommodations. It is created through a team of the child's parents and district personnel.

The perception of sensations from inside the body which includes the perception of physical sensations related to internal organ function such as a heart beat, respiration, satiety, as well as the autonomic nervous system activity related to emotions.

504 plans are formal plans that schools develop to give kids with disabilities the support they need. That covers any condition that limits daily activities in a major way.

Masking is a complex and costly survival strategy for autistic people. It generally involves intentionally learning neurotypical behaviors and mimicking them in social situations. Sometimes masking focuses on hiding behaviors that people feel won't be accepted.

The term 'bias' is typically used to refer to both implicit stereotypes and prejudices and raises serious concerns in healthcare. 

Neurodiversity, or ND, refers to variation in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood and other mental functions in a non-pathological sense. 

Neurotypical is a descriptor that refers to someone who has the brain functions, behaviors, and processing considered standard or typical.

Stimming is repetitive movements or noises. Stimming helps autistic and neurodiverse people manage emotions and cope with overwhelming situations.