Please Say
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Instead Of / Do Not Use
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People with disabilities
Person with a disability
Person with mobility impairment
Person with a physical disability
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A disabled person
A cripple
Handicapped / has a handicap
Has a special need / special needs
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Refer to the person first, such as:
Kumar has multiple sclerosis.
Costos has cerebral palsy.
Jannine has muscular dystrophy.
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He / she is crippled by
Suffers from, afflicted by, victim, invalid, stricken with, spastic patient (OK to use if undergoing treatment)
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Or, describe the person’s needs, and omit the diagnosis.
Blake uses a power chair
Jose writes on a computer
Aletha needs behaviour supports
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Blake is a paraplegic
Jose can’t use a pen
Aletha has behaviour problems
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Persons with disabilities are part of the community. They live, work, raise children, pay bills, shop, go to restaurants, drive, and enjoy sports and recreation where they live, not in a “special community” somewhere else.
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Those people
People like that
Those poor people
The disabled community
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Children without disabilities
Able-bodied children
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Normal, whole, healthy, typical kids (implies that a child with a disability is not normal or healthy)
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Able-bodied
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Normal, average (acceptable only for statistics)
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A wheelchair enables mobility.
For the person who uses a wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility aid, it facilitates independence, freedom, and speed.
He uses a wheelchair.
She walks with crutches, a walker, or canes
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She’s confined to a wheelchair
He’s restricted to a wheelchair
I would hate to be wheelchair bound
He has to use a wheelchair
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Accessible parking space...
Hotel is accessible...
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Handicapped zone...
Hotel rooms are for handicapped...
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She needs...
He uses...
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She has a problem with...
He has special needs...
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