How Shifting Our Language Makes Support More Accessible for Everyone
If you’ve spent any time in autism spaces, you’ve probably heard someone described as “Level 1,” “Level 2,” or “Level 3” autistic.
These levels were introduced as part of the DSM-5 in 2013 and were intended to help communicate the amount of support an autistic person may need. In theory, that sounds useful.
In practice, many autistic people, families, educators, and professionals have discovered that the level system often creates more confusion than clarity.
A growing number of people are moving away from level-based descriptions and toward conversations about support needs. Why? Because support needs tell us what someone actually requires to thrive. Levels often don’t.
The Problem with Autism Levels
The autism level system categorizes people into three groups:
- Level 1: Requiring support
- Level 2: Requiring substantial support
- Level 3: Requiring very substantial support
At first glance, this seems straightforward. But human beings aren’t straightforward.
Autistic people do not experience their support needs equally across all areas of life. Someone may:
- Hold a full-time job but be unable to manage daily meals independently.
- Speak fluently but struggle significantly with sensory processing.
- Need extensive support with communication while living independently.
- Require assistance during periods of burnout but very little support at other times.
A single number cannot capture this complexity.
The “High Functioning” and “Low Functioning” Problem
Many people use levels as shorthand for older terms like “high functioning” and “low functioning.” These labels create their own problems.
When someone is labeled “high functioning,” their challenges are often minimized. Others may assume they don’t need accommodations, support, understanding, or flexibility.
When someone is labeled “low functioning,” their strengths, intelligence, autonomy, and potential are often overlooked.
In both cases, the label becomes more important than the individual. The result is that people frequently receive either too little support or the wrong support.
Support Needs Change
Another challenge with autism levels is that they are often treated as permanent. But support needs are dynamic. An autistic person may need:
- More support during burnout
- Less support after gaining new skills
- Different support in different environments
- Additional support during major life transitions
Support needs can vary from day to day, month to month, and year to year. A label assigned during a single evaluation may not accurately reflect what someone needs today.
What Does “Support Needs” Mean?
When we talk about support needs, we focus on the specific supports a person requires to participate fully in life.
Instead of asking: “What level are they?”
We ask: “What helps them succeed?”
That shift changes everything. Support needs might include:
- Communication supports
- Sensory accommodations
- Executive functioning assistance
- Personal care support
- Transportation assistance
- Academic accommodations
- Workplace modifications
- Emotional support
- Community access supports
- Assistive technology
This language focuses on practical solutions instead of broad categories.
The Same Person Can Have Different Support Needs
Consider two autistic people. Both may have received a Level 2 diagnosis.
One may:
- Communicate primarily through AAC
- Need support with daily living tasks
- Thrive in social settings
The other may:
- Speak fluently
- Live independently
- Require extensive sensory accommodations and workplace supports
The same label tells us very little about either person’s actual needs. Support-needs language gives us a clearer picture.
Support Needs Are Not a Measure of Worth
One reason many autistic advocates prefer support-needs language is that it separates support from value.
Needing more support does not make someone less capable, less intelligent, less important, or less deserving of respect. Likewise, needing less support does not mean someone is struggling less or has fewer challenges.
Support needs simply describe the resources and accommodations a person requires to participate in daily life. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Why This Shift Matters
Language shapes how we think. When we focus on levels, conversations often become comparisons.
- Who is “more autistic”?
- Who has it “worse”?
- Who qualifies as disabled enough?
These conversations rarely help anyone. When we focus on support needs, the conversation becomes:
- What barriers exist?
- What accommodations are needed?
- What resources are missing?
- How can we increase access?
Those questions lead to solutions.
Making Support More Accessible for Everyone
Support-needs language benefits everyone.
- It helps educators understand what students need in the classroom.
- It helps employers provide meaningful accommodations.
- It helps healthcare providers deliver individualized care.
- It helps families advocate more effectively.
Most importantly, it helps autistic people receive supports based on their actual needs rather than assumptions attached to a label.
A Better Question
Instead of asking: “What level is your child?”
Consider asking: “What supports help your child thrive?”
Instead of asking: “How severe is their autism?”
Try asking: “What barriers are they experiencing right now?”
These questions lead to more meaningful conversations and better outcomes.
Moving Toward a More Inclusive Future
The goal of autism-related language should not be to sort people into categories. It should be to help people access the supports, accommodations, and understanding they need.
Autistic people are complex. Their strengths are complex. Their challenges are complex. Their support needs are complex. A single number can never fully capture that reality.
By shifting our language from levels to support needs, we move away from labels and toward solutions. We create space for individualized support, greater understanding, and a more inclusive community where people are recognized not for where they fall on a scale, but for who they are and what they need to thrive.
At Little Village Schoolhouse, we believe every person deserves supports that are individualized, respectful, and responsive to their unique needs. Because when we focus on support rather than labels, everyone benefits. Contact our advocates to learn how we can support your loved one’s needs.
