The Convergence of Disability Law and Policy: Core Concepts, Ethical Communities, and the Notion of Dignity

Rud Turnbull: Hello. My name is Rud Turnbull. I'm a Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas and the co-founder and co-director of the Beach Center on Disabilities. The co means, of course, that I did it with my wife Ann.

Let me talk a little bit about the three parts of what I've been doing since I really became involved, as an advocate on the field of developmental disabilities. I should say at the beginning that my son, Jay Turnbull, who died in 2009, had a developmental disability. It was an intellectual disability. He also had some autism and he had rapid cycling bipolar condition. And he was the cause of my being involved in this field.

I was an accidental advocate. I didn't really become intentionally involved with this until I had Jay and until I had an experience at the Western Carolina Center in North Carolina involving aversive therapy. I was also a officer of the Orange County North Carolina Association for Retarded Children, as it was known at that time.