"Special Needs:" A Consolation Prize

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I, too, have come to dislike the term "special needs," which is a misuse of the term "special." One gets the feeling that the term came into use as a sort of consolation prize: "You may have a disability, but you're still special." The needs of my family member are no more "special" than my needs or anyone else's. Everyone's needs are special, and people with disabilities may have needs that are different from the needs of the "average" person. Buildings, schools, organizations, systems, etc. are not often designed or prepared to deal with different needs, so there's a need for advocacy for those with different needs. Molly Rose, Parent, California NOTE FROM KATHIE: Click here to see my article, "The Case Against 'Special Needs'"