This article proposes that the experience of people categorized as having intellectual disabilities is inadequately represented by disability theory premised on the socially constructed duality between disability and impairment. It argues that representation within the wide world of disability will only be achieved by thinking of disability on a…

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It argues that the term "mental retardation" has become a potent, utterly dismissive invective in the mouths of adults and school children and should be replaced with the term "intellectual disability". (Contains 1…

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It suggests that it is time for a name change, however, the term "mental retardation" should be kept for diagnostic and entitlement purposes until such time as a better term is found and accepted. (Contains references.) (CR)

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It offers some ideas on how society might think about elemental change in terminology so a healthy outcome can be achieved without simply rearranging prejudices. The term "cognitive- adaptive disability" is proposed. (Contains three…

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It reviews the history of professional terminology regarding individuals with mental retardation and stresses the need for the AAMR to change its name using terms that envision and announce a social purpose for the organization. (Contains…

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. The history of the term "mental retardation" is reviewed and it is argued that any new term will take on similar risks. The need to involve self-advocates in any terminology change is stressed. (Contains 5 references.) (CR)

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It argues that the term "mental retardation" should become an historical artifact of the evolution of our thinking about children and adults with developmental disabilities. The plurality of the term "developmental…

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It reviews some of the assumptions, assertions, and dynamics that occur in the current language wars and presents principles for the selection and use of language. The need to use clearly understood terms is stressed. (Contains one reference.)…

This article discusses a court case of an adolescent labeled retarded who was sexually assaulted. It examines implications of being spoken about and of others speaking for the labeled person. It then considers how a disability rights/People First framework could shift public and professional understandings and responses to human abuse. (Contains…

This commentary discusses whether the American Association on Mental Retardation should change its name. It argues that changing the name would not change the stigma, and would harm advocacy efforts by allowing legislators to use a terminology change to narrow eligibility for supports. (Contains one reference.) (CR)