Glossary

Search results

Autistic Joy

A concept articulated by Elliot Wassell and widely discussed in autistic communities describing the intense, absorbing pleasure autistic people can experience in special interests, sensory engagement, deep focus, and preferred modes of working. Autistic joy is typically framed…

Bicultural Identity(also: Biculturalism)

An identity characterised by active participation in and identification with two distinct cultural communities — in the Deaf context, navigating both Deaf culture (sign-language based, with its own norms, humour, and social practices) and the surrounding hearing culture.…

Deaf and Hard of Hearing(also: DHH, D/HH)

An inclusive term encompassing people with varying degrees of hearing loss, from mild to profound. "Deaf" with a capital D often refers to individuals who identify as members of the Deaf community and culture, using sign language as their primary language. "deaf" with a…

Disability Aesthetics

A discourse related to reclaiming the visibility of disability in mainstream art, particularly visual and performance arts, through the depiction of disabled bodies as both beautiful and inspiring. Unlike disability art, disability aesthetics does not necessarily carry a social…

Disability Art(also: Disability Arts)

Artistic work created by disabled artists that is specifically informed by their experience of disability, often rooted in the social dynamics of identity, disability culture, and the struggle for disability justice and equality. Disability art is distinct from art therapy…

Disability Disclosure(also: Disclosure)

The act of revealing information about one's disability to others, whether voluntarily or through necessity. Disclosure decisions are complex, involving considerations of privacy, safety, accommodation needs, social acceptance, and legal protections. People with invisible…

Disability Language(also: Disability Terminology, Disability Nomenclature)

The words and phrases used to refer to disabled people and disability, which carry significant social, political, and cultural implications. Disability language encompasses identity-first language (e.g., "disabled person"), person-first language (e.g., "person with a…

Disability Signifier(also: DS, Disability Marker)

A visual or auditory feature incorporated into a digital avatar or virtual representation that indicates a disability, such as a virtual wheelchair, walking cane, prosthetic limb, or hearing aid. Disability signifiers allow people with disabilities to express their disability…

Limb Difference(also: Limb Deficiency, Upper-Limb Difference)

Limb difference is a term used to describe the absence or malformation of one or more limbs or parts of limbs. It can be congenital (present from birth) or acquired through amputation due to injury, disease, or surgery. The term "limb difference" is increasingly preferred over…

People Who Stutter(also: PWS, Person Who Stutters, Adults Who Stutter)

An identity-first and community-preferred term for people who experience stuttering, a neurodevelopmental condition involving involuntary speech disfluencies such as blocks, prolongations, and repetitions. PWS affects roughly 1% of the global population. Community usage (PWS,…

Person-First Language(also: People-First Language, PFL)

Person-first language is a linguistic convention that places the person before the disability or condition, such as "person with a disability" or "person with autism," with the intent of emphasizing personhood over diagnosis. While widely adopted in professional and medical…

Post-SCI Identity(also: Post-Injury Identity)

The ongoing process of reconstructing self-concept and personal identity following a spinal cord injury. Rather than a one-time adjustment, identity recreation after SCI is a continuous, non-linear process significantly influenced by periodic changes in motor functionality, such…

Self-Representation(also: Digital Self-Representation, Avatar Self-Representation)

The way individuals choose to present themselves in digital or virtual environments, particularly through customizable avatars. For people with disabilities, self-representation involves decisions about whether and how to disclose disability status in spaces where appearance is…

Social Marking(also: Stigma Marking, Social Visibility of Disability)

In accessibility contexts, social marking refers to the way assistive technologies or accommodations can draw unwanted attention to a person's disability, making their impairment visible in social situations where they might otherwise go unnoticed. Research has shown that users…

Unmasking(also: Autistic Unmasking)

The process of reducing or stopping the suppression of autistic behaviors and traits that occurs during masking. Unmasking involves allowing oneself to express authentic autistic characteristics—such as stimming, direct communication styles, or atypical emotional…

15 results.