Disability

Disability
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Giselle M. Cancio
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Editor & Writer

Giselle M. Cancio is an editor for BestColleges, where she focuses on a variety of topics including subject-specific content, DEI, and career-related content. She previously worked in higher education, managing social media and digital communications...
Updated on December 20, 2023
Reviewed by
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Michelle N. Wolf
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Reviewer & Writer

Michelle Wolf uses her 10 years of higher education experience to ensure students have the information they need to make decisions about their future. She has had the privilege of providing real-time captioning services to students at many prestigiou...
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Why It’s Important

When discussing disability and addressing people with disabilities, it’s important to use language that is as respectful, accurate, and neutral as possible.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,1 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, which equates to roughly 1 in 4 adults. Disability is more common in adults ages 65 and older, women, and non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows 19% of undergraduates in 2015-2016 reported having a disability.2 Disability inclusion involves understanding the relationship between the way people function and how they participate in society.3

Disability Terminology

When communicating about disability, keep the following general tips in mind:

  • Avoid the term “special needs” because it’s considered an ineffective euphemism4 and perceived more negatively than the word “disabled.”
  • Ask if an individual is willing to disclose their disability. Do not assume.
  • Emphasize abilities, not limitations.
  • Ask individuals what their preferred identifiers or labels may be, and avoid using recently coined words such as “diversability” and “handicapable” unless the most affected individuals request that you do. There is no universal agreement on the use of terms — proceed with caution.
  • Only use “patient” if the person is actively receiving medical treatment. A disability is not an illness, and people with disabilities are not necessarily patients.
  • Use language that emphasizes the need for accessibility, rather than the presence of a disability.
    • Example: “an accessible restroom” vs. “a disabled restroom.”

Also be sure to completely avoid the following terminology:

  • Don’t use offensive terms such as “freak,” “r*tard (or any construction with “t*rd” in it),” “spaz,” “lame,” “imbecile,” “vegetable,” “crazy,” “insane,” or “psycho” — these words often reflect imprecision about something negative or derogatory unrelated to mental health.
  • Avoid using the terms “cripple” or “crippled” unless describing the crip movement or if used in a direct quote.
  • Avoid using “homebound/housebound” unless it’s used in a direct quote.
  • Don’t use “nonspeaking” or “nonverbal” without first asking the person or someone who knows them how they would like to be described.
  • Do not use “mongoloid” to refer to someone with Down syndrome. This applies even to direct quotes.
  • Avoid the term “burden” when referring to helping or caring for a person with a disability.

Don't Use

Do Use

suffers from

has, is managing

afflicted with, stricken with, victim of

living with

handicapped, handicapable, or differently abled person

disabled person, person with a disability

handicap

disability

is wheelchair-bound, is confined to a wheelchair

uses a wheelchair

abnormality, defect, impairment

condition

severe

significant

demented person, dementing, dements, senile person, senility

person with dementia, person living with dementia; when possible, be specific about the disease, such as someone with Huntington's disease

normal, healthy, whole

people without disabilities, nondisabled

hunchbacked

person with a spinal curvature

deformed person, person with defects, defective person

person who has a physical disability

Do Use

has, is managing

living with

disabled person, person with a disability

disability

uses a wheelchair

condition

significant

person with dementia, person living with dementia; when possible, be specific about the disease, such as someone with Huntington's disease

people without disabilities, nondisabled

person with a spinal curvature

person who has a physical disability

People-First Language vs. Identity-First Language

People-first language avoids defining people in terms of their disability. For example, “a person living with a disability” instead of “a disabled person.” Identity-first language means the disability is mentioned first. For example, “a blind person” instead of “a person who is blind.”

The National Center on Disability and Journalism recommends5 asking the person with a disability how they prefer to be described. If that is not possible, consider asking a spokesperson for the organization representing the relevant disability for preferred terminology.

While it’s always best to confirm directly what type of language a person or community prefers,6 we recommend the following usage when direct confirmation isn’t possible.

Condition / Identifying Characteristic Generally Preferred Language Example Note
autism identity-first autistic person Avoid using the phrases "high-functioning" and "low-functioning" to describe autistic people.
deafness identity-first Deaf students "Deaf" is capitalized when referring to Deaf culture. The word is lowercased when referring to the audiological condition of total or major hearing loss.
blindness, visual impairment identity-first blind student (if legally blind), visually impaired student (in other instances) Unless the person refers to themself as legally blind, the terms "low vision," "limited vision," or "visually impaired" should be used.
dwarfism identity-first dwarf student Do not use "vertically challenged" or "midget."
ADHD people-first students with ADHD Only identify a person with ADHD if it's medically diagnosed.
dyslexia people-first student with dyslexia Only identify a person with dyslexia if it's medically diagnosed.
paraplegic people-first person with paraplegia Sometimes people with paraplegia refer to themselves as a "para." In those cases, use the word in quotes.
psychosis people-first person experiencing psychosis, person experiencing a psychotic episode Avoid using "psychotic" as an adjective to describe a person.

Neurodiversity

Merriam-Webster defines neurodiversity7 as “individual differences in brain functioning regarded as normal variations within the human population.”

Because neurodiversity is a new term, consider including the definition when using it, and remember that not everyone prefers the term.

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Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 15). Disability impacts all of us.
  2. National Center for Education Statistics. (Retrieved 2023, October 23). Students with disabilities.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 16). Disability inclusion.
  4. Gernsbacher, M. A., Raimond, A. R., Balinghasay, M. T., Boston, J. S. (2016, December 19). "Special needs" is an ineffective euphemism. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications.
  5. National Center on Disability and Journalism. (2021, August). Disability language style guide.
  6. ADA Knowledge Translation Center. (Retrieved on 2023, October 23). Guidelines for writing about people with disabilities.
  7. Merriam-Webster. (Retrieved on 2023, October 23). Neurodiversity.