I think there are two things that we all can do as educators, if that’s the lens that we come at this with, as, you know, moms and dads, caregivers, as allies. One, challenge that deficit model. It runs so deep, you know? And it’s so institutionalized in our processes and procedures. 

Let me give you a good example of how systematized that deficit orientation is. You know, when I was growing up, I had something called an IEP, individualized education plan. 

You know, the research is clear, whether it be an IEP, whether it be a 504 plan, whether it be a psych eval., whether it be a response to intervention plan, and everything in-between, for every one strength that’s mentioned, there’s upwards of 25 weaknesses.

It’s an institutionalized, systematized deficit model. And you know, it doesn’t cost any money to challenge that out, you know? There are educators around the country, and I’m so inspired by them, who are doing strength-based IEP planning, a document that acknowledges the area of growth as it pertains to academic skills, but also identifies the strengths as areas of growth as well. 

So, an entire student’s education is not just about what’s wrong but about what’s right. That’s a revolution in our system. It’s a revolution for folks with neurodiversities, of course, but so many young people who don’t identify as neurodiverse are surrounded by deficit-based education. So, that’s a place for us to start.

The second thing I would say is we got to move away from the “make the square peg fit the round hole,” remediation model which is all about, not just identifying the deficits, but remediating the deficits to an accommodation model. Look, I didn’t learn to read until I was 12. I spell at a 3rd grade level. I got the attention span of a gnat. [laughs] 

I went to Brown University where I got a 4.0 studying English literature. Did I fix what was wrong with me? Uh-uh. I accommodated my challenges and scaled my strengths. Accommodation should be the foundational principle that we design learning and working environments around. But, ultimately, what we should be doing is we should be moving away from accommodations for some people - because when we only give the books in a digital format or the time extensions to quote unquote “those kids” it stigmatizes those kids. 

We should move away from accommodations for some to an accommodations for all approach by embracing universal design of instruction. Because the reality is the only normal learner is a normal – is a learner you don’t know that well. The moment you get to know any learner, everyone’s on a continuum of difference whether they’re diagnosed or not. So, when we move to an accommodations for all. Hey, you don’t need that $5,000 test to get the book read to you.

That’s your right as a learner to have an individualized education. Now we’ve reimagined the system. We’ve reimagined the system not just for some people, but ultimately, we’ve reimagined it to benefit all learners.

For more information about learning disabilities, please visit LDOnLine.org. This video was made possible by a partnership between the National Education Association and WETA.