This page serves as an introduction to Disability, Neurodiversity and Accessibility. To find more information and research tips explore these guides:
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), defines disability as: any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult to do certain activities and interact with the world.
The World Health Organization's (WHO) disability overview emphasizes environmental and societal barriers:
"Disability results from the interaction between individuals with a health condition, such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and depression, with personal and environmental factors including negative attitudes, inaccessible transportation and public buildings, and limited social support."
Some definitions may be more appropriate in certain contexts. To explore the impact of defining disability further, investigate different models of disability.
Neurodiversity positions individuals with differences in brain function and behavioral traits as part of normal human variation. The Neurodiversity movement aims to uncover the strengths of neurodivergent people. (Stanford's Neurodiversity Project).
According to the Harvard Health blog, neurodiversity "is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities" (Baumer & Frueh, 2021).
Accessibility refers to the intentional inclusion of people experiencing a disability. Accessibility refers to places, experiences, and things. "Accessibility means that people can do what they need to do in a similar amount of time and effort as someone that does not have a disability." (Duggin, "What we mean when we talk about accessibility").
Accessibility professionals often focus on creation, design or planning. Accessibility is intentional.
"Ableism is a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities and often rests on the assumption that disabled people need to be ‘fixed’". (Leah Smith, Center for Disability Rights.) Ableism can be found in systems and policies, as well as in interactions between people.
Originally coined by Humphries as "The notion that one is superior based on one’s ability to hear or behave in the manner of one who hears."
These tabs offer a small selection of resources on disability and neurodiversity. To view more recommendations see this list of more resources or explore the Snell Library website.
The Neurodiverse Classroom
by
With specific learning difficulties more prevalent than ever in mainstream schools, this is the essential guide for teachers wishing to create inclusive and successful learning environments in diverse classrooms. Focusing on promoting acceptance and self-esteem of each child rather than on labelling their difficulties, it shows how to make good use of simple resources and meet a wide range of needs, including children with ADHD, autism, OCD, dyslexia and special speech and language needs. The practical advice and strategies in this book enable schools to become more accepting places for all pupils, and embrace neurodiversity as the new 'normal' in education today.
Academic Ableism
by
Academic Ableism brings together disability studies and institutional critique to recognize the ways that disability is composed in and by higher education, and rewrites the spaces, times, and economies of disability in higher education to place disability front and center. For too long, argues Jay Timothy Dolmage, disability has been constructed as the antithesis of higher education, often positioned as a distraction, a drain, a problem to be solved. The ethic of higher education encourages students and teachers alike to accentuate ability, valorize perfection, and stigmatize anything that hints at intellectual, mental, or physical weakness, even as we gesture toward the value of diversity and innovation. Examining everything from campus accommodation processes, to architecture, to popular films about college life, Dolmage argues that disability is central to higher education, and that building more inclusive schools allows better education for all.
College for Students with Disabilities
by
Sharing the personal stories of individuals with disabilities who describe both the challenges and successes of their time in higher education, and with a major section on the findings of broad ranging research into the experiences of such students, the book explores the current situation, what works, and how things can be improved. "You are not college material" or "you don't belong in college" are comments frequently heard by students with disabilities. Despite this, college education is now an expected part of the transition to adulthood for many individuals with disabilities. The book includes practical advice to encourage self-advocacy in students with disabilities, and to support the professionals who are facing the challenges alongside them. Covering cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and much more, this is vital reading for parents, individuals with disabilities, school teachers, college professors, and professionals working with adults with disabilities.
Explore these databases to find articles and other resources:
Consider one of these:
A summary of a research article that appears at the beginning of the document. Reading the abstract may help you decide if you want to read the full article.
A note, comment, or explanation. Can be added to citations to create annotated bibliographies.
A geographic information system (GIS) software developed by Esri. ArcGIS enables you to analyze, visualize, and interpret spatial data for better decision-making.
Written content on a narrow subject and published in a periodical or website. In some contexts, academics may use article as a shortened form of journal article.
A detailed list of resources cited in an article, book, or other publication. Also called a List of References.
A group of libraries in New England that work together to share resources with students, faculty, and staff of member libraries. Northeastern University is a member of this group. Requesting a consortium library card is free to Northeastern students.
A free library available to people who work, live or attend school in Massachusetts. Boston Public Library's collection includes physical and digital access to books, journals, and films.
A label of letters and/or numbers that tell you where the resource can be found in the library. Call numbers are displayed on print books and physical resources and correspond with a topic or subject area.
A list of all the items in a library's physical collection. Modern catalogs are searchable databases. Catalogs include information about the item's:
Also called a catalogue, OPAC. Historically a card catalog.
Software that can help you collect, organize, and cite sources. The library provides training on five specific citation managers: BibTeX, EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks, and Zotero. Also called citation management software, citation management tool or reference manager.
Physical materials assigned by an instructor and held at the library. These materials are generally restricted to in-building use for a limited period. At faculty discretion, some materials may be checked out overnight or for a few days.
A searchable collection of similar items. Library databases include resources for research. Examples include: a newspaper database, such as Access World News, or a humanities scholarly journal database, such as JSTOR.
A searchable online storage space for video files, images, and documents. Specialized digital repositories collect materials related to a theme or institution.
Northeastern University Library manages the Digital Repository Service (DRS). The DRS collects digital material related to Northeastern University's history and academic work.
The conversion of print or analog material to a digital format. Examples of digitization include:
A paper written to fulfill requirements for a degree containing original research on a narrow topic. Also called a thesis.
A unique number assigned to some digital content. DOIs do not change even if the online location or ownership of the resource changes.
A digital version of a thesis or dissertation produced by a master's or Ph.D. student. Most theses and dissertations written by Northeastern University students are ETDs. Interested researchers can find Northeastern ETDs in the Digital Repository Service. Theses and dissertations written before 2007 are only available in print format in the Northeastern University Archives.
A broad category of research in which existing research is reviewed to clarify what is known. Evidence synthesis uses explicit and reproducible methods. Common types of evidence synthesis include systematic reviews, scoping reviews, integrative reviews, and umbrella reviews.
A computer-based means of storing, analyzing, and displaying geographic data. Researchers use Geographic Information Systems to create maps and charts.
A way of examining and interpreting data about geographic locations, or spatial data. Geospatial analysis examines spatial data to gain insights and identify patterns or trends. Also called geospacial analysis.
A government document shared to inform and start discussion about proposed policy.
Research or reports circulated outside of a traditional publication process. Types of grey literature include:
Also called gray literature.
The system Northeastern’s library uses for interlibrary loan requests. The first time you request materials, you’ll need to set up your account.
A library service that allows you to request resources your library does not have. At Northeastern University, this service is free. Materials are delivered electronically when possible.
A unique number used to identify books. Many databases and search engines allow you to search for a book using an ISBN.
An ongoing publication focused on current developments in a field. Journal issues are released on a regular schedule.
A unit of Northeastern’s library with responsibility for services or systems. Some departments are referred to by their acronyms:
A search setting that removes search results based on source attributes. Limiters vary by database but often include publication date, material type, and language. Also called: filter or facet.
Notes, comments, annotations, sketches, added to the margins of a text. These can be typed or hand-written. Marginalia can include headers, footnotes, and sidenotes. In some cases, marginalia are written by the author of a text, but is often notes made by a reader.
Information associated with a resource, usually organized in a specific way. The word metadata means "data about data".
Metadata varies but often includes title, creator, and format. Descriptive metadata makes it possible to find and identify resources in a collection. When the metadata in a collection is standardized, the predefined structure is called a metadata schema.
Research or data available for free. Open access resources are sometimes labeled with an unlocked padlock symbol. These resources often have permissive licenses that support re-use and sharing.
What is Open Access?
Words used to connect multiple search terms to bring back targeted results. Operators can be used to reduce or expand the number of search results. Operators include:
Also called: Boolean Operator.
Well-regarded review process used by some academic journals. Relevant experts review articles for quality and originality before publication. Articles reviewed using this process are called peer reviewed articles. Less often, these articles are called refereed articles.
A newspaper, magazine or journal that is published on a regular schedule.
A free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) application. This tool set enables you to capture, analyze, visualize, and share geographic data. QGIS is a Mac-friendly alternative to ArcGIS.
Data defined by a grid of equally sized cells, akin to pixels.
To transfer information from one format to another. Example: Scanning a paper newspaper to create an online or PDF version. Reformatting includes digitization.
A webpage or pages created by librarians to guide your research in a field or course. Research guides include links to resources, tutorials, and other information.
The removal of a published article from a journal. A journal’s editors or editorial board can decide to retract an article when it has serious errors. Errors that can result in retraction include:
A book or article written by academic researchers and published by an academic press or journal. Scholarly sources contain original research and commentary.
Common filetype (.shp) for points, lines, or polygons. This filetype is widely used in Geographic Information Systems, specifically ArcGIS. Various free shapefiles are available online.
A library database that searches a broad range of resources. Material in Scholar OneSearch includes:
Scholar OneSearch also includes information about material held at Northeastern’s libraries. Researchers can use ScholarOne Search to organize their research and manage borrowed items. To best serve Northeastern University's widespread community, ScholarOne Search has different views:
Appropriate views for each global campus are included on their Global Campus Portal.
Information tied to specific geographic locations or positions on the Earth's surface. Also known as “geospatial data”, GeoData, or spacial data.
Library staff who have expertise in an academic subject. A subject librarian can offer advice on:
Subject librarians are available to work with individuals and small groups. They create guides and tutorials and teach workshops.
A source focused on sharing news and information of interest to an industry. Trade publications are often published by industry associations. Periodicals related to an industry are called trade journals.
An unrepeated string of numbers and letters used to recognize and differentiate material. Also called an identification number. Examples include American citizen's’ social security numbers or published books' ISBNs. A persistent identifier (PID) is a long-lasting type of unique identifier. Persistent identifiers allow you to locate a resource with a URL. Examples include electronic articles' Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) and digital materials' handles.
The precise address for a webpage. URL stands for the words uniform resource locator.
A spatial model using coordinates for representing points, lines, and polygons.
A concise, researched report about a complex issue. Readers should gain enough understanding to solve a related problem or make a choice.
An article or conference proposal draft shared to invite feedback.
