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Posted by Larry
I actually have a lot of notes about normalisation.
It is defined as "The use as much as possible of culturally valued means to
enable, establish, or maintain valued social roles" Wolfensbureger and
Tullman 1982
It is about providing services in culturally appropriate settings, the
avoidance of stigmatisation through "special" services and institutions,
about providing services wherever possible in the mainstream
It says for instance people should not travel in buses marked
special education or whatever
My notes are poor photocopies so could not be scanned and OCR'd
unfortunately
I think one of the main criticisms of SRV is that it assumes the hegemony of
society is desirable, in that it does not really challenge the faults
prevalent in society or the status quo.
.
For instance it might mean, that if I want a job, I should dress
appropriatly and generally conform to accepted an valued behavior patterns,
I would anser this in the words of Moondog, one time itinerant street
musician, who said, I do not dress as I do to attract attention, I attract
attention because I dress as I do.
In other words a shift of the balance toward society being wrong in its
failure to value and accept divergence, more in line with the social model
of disability.
As a person with Asperger's syndrome, who fails to understand much of social
behavior, I have two ways I can go. I can rote lern what is generally
acceptable and pretend to be normal or I can confront what I regard as non
sequiturs and be myslef even at the risk of attracting negative attention.
in the hope of persuading other people that it is Ok to be different.
If I want to rock, I rock, if I want to flap my hands, I flap my hands. If I
find these behaviors comforting, why should I not pursue them as they do no
harm to anybody besides looking odd, however in terms of absolute behavior
are they any odder than the amish holding to 17th century lifestyle, or
rastafarians who wear dreadlocks.
Actually I can see people having a go at me, by saying that it is alright
for me, I obviosly have the intelligence to appreciate my position and make
the choice.
That is part of the whole dilemma. as it says in the proverbial exam
question "discuss...."
--
Larry