Definitions

NEURODIVERSITY

Neurodiversity represents the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many ways. There is no 'one way' or 'correct way' and these differences are to be embraced and encouraged. 

Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist, coined the term 'neurodiversity' and said:

'Why not propose that just as biodiversity is essential to ecosystem, so neurodiversity may be essential for cultural stability'.

The neurodiversity movement began in the 1990s, aiming to increase acceptance and inclusion of all people while embracing neurological differences. One of the main goals of the neurodiversity movement was to shine a spotlight on the benefits of this diversity. 

Being neurodivergent does not correlate with low intelligence, many neurodivergent individuals are highly intelligent.

LEARNING DISABILITY

A learning disability can be defined as:

A reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with every day activities, for example household tasks, socialising or managing money, which affects someone for their whole life. People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people (Mencap 2022).

A learning disability is not the same as a learning difficulty. A learning disability affects learning and intelligence across all areas of life. A learning difficulty constitutes a condition which creates an obstacle to a specific form of learning.