How we define disability
CDSN welcomes anyone who identifies as disabled, Deaf, neurodivergent, or chronically ill, as well as anyone who is considered by society to have a disability. Disabilities can be visible or invisible, physical or psychological, and can affect mobility, communication, learning, and more. Some disabilities are constant while others are temporary or episodic. Some disabled people need accommodations because buildings or processes exclude us. Others of us do not need formal accommodations. Regardless of your diagnoses or lack thereof, if you identify with our message and our work, please join us.
Terminology
Some people use the language of “disabled students,” others prefer “students with disabilities,” and still others prefer not to use the word “disability” at all. At CDSN, we tend to use the phrase “disabled students” to signify that disability is an integral part of our identities and that we are proud of who we are. But there is a wide array of opinions and preferences about this, and we fully respect the right of each person to choose how they identify.