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From: Grant Meredith
Date: 13 Oct 2010
Time: 17:14:30 -0500
Remote Name: 141.132.193.37
Hello Kristin, Thanks for the feedback and questions. I think it is common that you have not connected stuttering with disability before. You are not alone there. I think general society itself also does not make that connection. Again I fail to see how we can be taken seriously without it. But that is another discussion. As for your questions. I can tell you from my study that the early indications are that some students who stutter (SWS) would have indeed asked disability services for assistance if stuttering was made prevalent in supplied literature and promotional materials. Some SWS were totally unaware that a) stuttering could be classed as a disability and b) that disability services could indeed offer them assistance. Some seemed to assume that there simply was no assistance present for their condition at all. For your second question. I think both awareness and stigma are intertwined issues at play here. Awareness that stuttering can be classed as a disability and awareness that help does exist (and this help I can tell you needs a lot of guidance). As for the stigma attached with “disability” I think it is up to us to help to redefine that at all levels in society and government. I think positive embracement of the word is required.