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Supporting the ambitions of those with dyslexia Charity number: 1161856
The Westminster AchieveAbility Commission for Dyslexia and Neurodivergence Twitter.com//AchieveAbility
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Neurodiverse voices:
Opening Doors to Employment The Westminster AchieveAbility Commission for Dyslexia and Neurodivergence Twitter.com//AchieveAbility
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iii | The Westminster AchieveAbility Commission
Neurodiverse voices: Opening Doors to Employment | 1
Acknowledgements
Terminology
This report has been written by:
Identity-First Language
What do we mean by Neurodiversity?
Editor: Ross Cooper
As neurodivergence is about neurocognitive function, we are using identity-first language in this report. This is preferred by most user-led organisations. This is because our neurocognitive functioning is an intrinsic part of who we are, and we would not be the same person without it. We are therefore neurodivergent, (i.e. dyslexics, dyspraxics, autistics, etc.) or neurodivergent people, rather than people with neurodivergence (dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, etc.) as if this was somehow added to who we are.
Like the equivalent term ‘biodiversity’, which refers to the whole biosphere, neurodiversity refers to the whole human race, and the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning that has evolved within our species (with thanks to Nick Walker http://neurocosmopolitanism.com/ neurodiversity-some-basic-terms-definitions).
Authors: Katherine Hewlett, Ross Cooper and Melanie Jameson Research and Analysis: Ross Cooper and Katherine Hewlett The work was produced with the help of Commission Members. The report design is by Kendall Bickford (KB Graphics Ltd). Illustrations by Fernando Lois Rey. Survey designs are by Craig Kennady and Ross Cooper. Glossary input Richard Todd. Thanks are due to AchieveAbility Board members for sponsoring and funding 2000 printed reports (www.achieveability.org.uk/main/networkcontacts/achieveability-board-members). A special note of appreciation goes to Barry Sheerman MP, who chaired and championed this commission and to Lord Addington for his expert advice at all stages of the work.
Many neurodivergent people are ready and willing to work but find themselves faced by insurmountable barriers: this is the focus of our report.
Neurodivergent Sometimes abbreviated as ND, neurodivergent means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that diverges significantly from the dominant societal standards of ‘normal’. (Nick Walker). Neurodivergent people include dyslexics, dyspraxics, AD(H)D, autistics (including those with Asperger’s), dyscalculics, OCD, dysgraphics, tourettes, etc. (Nick Walker) Neurotypical Sometimes abbreviated as NT, neurotypical means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of ‘normal’. (Nick Walker) Neurodiverse Sometimes abbreviated as ND, a group of people is neurodiverse if one or more members of the group differ substantially from other members, in terms of their neurocognitive functioning. (Nick Walker) Reasonable Adjustments ‘Equality law recognises that bringing about equality for disabled people may mean changing the way in which services are delivered, providing extra equipment and/or the removal of physical barriers…..
‘The duty to make reasonable adjustments aims to make sure that a disabled person can use a service as close as it is reasonably possible to get to the standard usually offered to nondisabled people. When the duty arises, a service provider is under a positive and proactive duty to take steps to remove or prevent these obstacles.’ Equality and Human Rights Commission. Equality Act 2010: Summary Guidance on Services, Public Functions and Associations. www.equalityhumanrights.com 2 Last revised 09-2014 Statistical significance This is the likelihood that a relationship between two or more variables is caused by something other than random chance. Statistical significance is usually considered to be achieved when the random chance of the occurrence happening is less than 5% (or less than 1 in 20 occasions). Chi Squared test A chi square statistic is a measurement of how expectations compare to results. The data used in calculating a chi square statistic must be random, raw, mutually exclusive, drawn from independent variables and drawn from a large enough sample. p-Value Is calculated to give a measure of the statistical significance, and takes account of group sizes. For example p
