Toto, I have a feeling > Why Do I Need A Label?
Parents and students are often understandably sensitive about the use of labels. None of us wish to be described or defined by what is wrong with us, or by what our problems might be. Students may have been consistently compared against normal expectations, and understandably felt embarrassed or even ashamed of their disabilities. Your student may feel that they want to be considered normal now that they are out of high school and going to college.
Our vision at DSS (see Expect Access) is that disability is a natural part of life. People with disabilities have always been around and we always will be. And we have every right to be here!
Further, students with disabilities have every bit as much to contribute to the University and to society as any other group of individuals. Thus, it is important to change attitudes about disabilities. Rather than thinking of ourselves as abnormal, we acknowledge who we are as people with disabilities and insist that it is normal for us to attend The University of Montana-Missoula.
With that in mind, remember that DSS has the responsibility to verify a student's disability. Part of that process is to identify the functional limitations of the mental or physical condition. Once established, a student with a disability may receive accommodations. Most important, this process of verification makes it clear to all that this student has civil rights which are protected by the ADA and Section 504. If the student doesn't have a disability, their civil rights are not protected. If students do not make their disability known, they may not be able to enjoy the level playing field promised them as their civil right.
So, does your student have to have a label? The answer, as you may have surmised, is twofold: No, they don't. But neither should they be embarrassed nor try to hide who they are.
