Glossary

Autism

Autism is a neurological developmental difference that impacts the way an Autistic person sees, experiences, understands and responds to the world. Every person’s lived experience of Autism is different.

Autistic qualities

Personality and behavioural qualities that are commonly viewed as aspects of the diagnostic criteria for autism as per the diagnostic manuals.

Co-design

A design process where community members are treated as equal collaborators to design products, services, systems, policies, laws and research, informed by each other’s expertise.

Co-occurring conditions

Co-occurring conditions refer to a person who has one or more neurotype, disability or medical health conditions at the same time. For example, Autistic people may also have a mental health condition and/or an intellectual disability that requires additional support.

Culturally appropriate

Culturally appropriate refers to practices that are respectful and inclusive of all backgrounds, beliefs, values, customs, knowledge, lifestyles and social behaviours. Supports and services that are culturally appropriate are respectful and tailored to all cultures.

Diversity

Any aspect that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another. It empowers people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different.

Inclusion

The intentional, ongoing effort to ensure that all people can feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued to fully participate in all aspects of life.

Intersectionality

How different aspects of a person’s identify, such as their gender, ethnicity, class, age, sexuality, ability etc. can interact to create experiences of discrimination and marginalisation. Intersectionality helps us to understand how these experiences can overlap and intersect and how they can be challenged and addressed.

Lived experience

The personal knowledge that a person gains from direct, firsthand involvement.

Neurodivergent and neurodivergence

Neurodivergent and neurodivergence is a non-medical term to describe various neurological variations in someone’s neurodevelopment. Neurodivergent is used to described people who may have one or more ways in which their brain functions differently to the ‘typical’ way. Some Autistic people may also use this term to refer to themselves.

Neurodiversity

A term used to describe the natural variation and development in human cognition. It refers to the idea that all human brains are different and function uniquely. There is no one way of thinking, learning or behaving. Rather there is a range of naturally different ways of thinking, learning or behaving.

Neurodiversity-affirming / neuro-affirming

Neurodiversity-affirming practice, or neuro-affirming practice, is a strengths and rights-based approach to supporting individual developmental differences, depending on each person’s needs and context. It responds to a natural variation in humans’ neurology rather than a perception that a deficit needs to be ‘fixed’. Supports, policies and interactions aim to facilitate the inclusion of neurodivergent individuals in ways that enable authentic ways of thinking, learning and behaving.

Sensory

Sensory relates to the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell, and the body’s ability to receive and process information from the environment through our sensory systems. In the context of autism, it can refer to the way an Autistic person processes information from their senses differently. Some may have a range of sensory sensitivities, while others may seek out sensory experiences.

Universal Design

Universal Design (UD) is the design and composition of an environment that can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, disability, size, background or other factors.