1. Have you ever heard the term, "mental retardation"? What did that mean to you?

It has taken us until the 21st century to change our words to be more positive to everyone. It took a young girl in elementary school and her parents to advocate for a change in word descriptions of children with intellectual challenges. In this case, it was a young girl named Rosa, who did not like being called names due to her intellectual disability. She became her own advocate and with her parents' help contacted their representatives in Congress. The term was officially changed in 2010.

1. With the signing of this law, mental retardation is no longer a term used in descriptions of children or adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Why do you think it took so long for this change to come?
2. How do you think the schools responded to this mandate?