ABSTRACT
Research undertaken in the 1950s confirmed that some disabilities are easier for society to accept than others and that it is possible to construct a hierarchy of disability. People who are perceived as 'slow' or who behave 'inappropriately' are often labelled and stigmatised. Many of us can remember the effects of being called 'thick', 'stupid', 'an idiot' or 'hopeless' at some point in our lives, but to be perpetually referred to in this way is a constant reminder of personal inadequacy, which reinforces feelings of failure and rejection in an adult or a child. The stereotypical images and labels that are a form of public degradation are hard to eradicate, and there is an obligation on the part of every member of society to press for access to an inclusive society in order that all people, including those with learning difficulties, can be included.
