Intellectual disability is when someone has trouble with thinking and learning.
This means they find it tricky to learn things and do everyday tasks.
Everyday tasks include things like talking with others, remembering things, and taking care of themselves.
Some people think that if someone has intellectual disability, they can’t learn anything new.
But that’s not true.
People with intellectual disability can learn new things, it just might take them more time.
They might need things explained in a different way.
People with intellectual disability have the same rights, feelings, and goals as everyone else.
Language of Intellectual Disability
It is important that we treat people with respect and use words they like for themselves.
For people with disabilities there is two ways that we can talk about them.
These are called person first language and identity first language.
Person first language is when you talk about a person before their disability.
You could say “a person with disability”.
Identity first language is when you talk about disability before the person.
You could say “a disabled person”.
Both are ok and it depends on what someone prefers.
If you don’t know what someone prefers you can ask them.
You can also just use their name.
Social Model of Disability
The social model of disability says that people are disabled by the way society treats them.
It means society can make things harder for people with disabilities.
But it’s not the person’s fault.
We should change things so everyone can be part of the community.
People with intellectual disabilities have the same rights as everyone else.
The United Nations made a law to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
Australia agreed to follow this law by signing it.