New Name Accurately Tells Who We Are, What We Do
After months of research and deliberation, the leadership at the National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities at the University of Northern Colorado has decided to change the center’s name to the National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities.
Although most special educators and parents of school children with severe and sensory disabilities are familiar with the term “low-incidence disabilities,” many other people, including potential financial contributors and opinion leaders are not. When they see or hear “low-incidence disabilities,” they think “disabilities that don’t occur frequently” and “low-priority disabilities.” All too often, that translates into their financial support and political capital going to a cause that will help those with disabilities that have a high rate of prevalence.
The National Center relies on grants and contributions to fund much of its work, and the loss of potential funding because of confusion about the center’s name is unacceptable. So, we heeded conventional marketing wisdom that our name should be clear and simple, and more importantly, that it communicates exactly who we are and what we do.
We know that our change to the National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities will position us to continue in our role as the nation’s premier resource center for information, training and technical support for families and educators of more than 1 million school children who have sensory impairments or severe disabilities.
On behalf of the center’s leadership and the administrators at the University of Northern Colorado, I want all of our collaborators and supporters to rest assured that the change in our name will only enhance our mission and our passion for pursuing it.
Thank you.
Kay Alicyn Ferrell, Ph.D.
Executive Director
The National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities
The University of Northern Colorado