Disabled People’sAssociation’s

Dictionary of DisabilityTerminology

First EditionISBN: 981-04-9391-6

David BlocksidgeEditor & Project Co-ordinator

Ron Chandran-Dudley, P.B.M.Honorar y Editor ial ConsultantPresident, Disabled People’s AssociationFirst Chairperson, Disabled Peoples’International.

Published by Disabled People’sAssociation (DPA), Singapore.

This publication is another publiceducation project supported by theMinistry of Community Developmentand Sports, Republic of Singapore.

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Copyright 2003 Disabled People’sAssociation, Singapore

All rights reserved. Except for briefquotations for legitimate purposes ofreview, no part of this book may bereproduced, stored in or introduced intoa retrieval system, or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording orotherwise, without prior permission ofDPA, the copyright owner and publisher.

Extract from Humanity: A Moral Historyof the Twentieth Century by JonathanGlover published by Jonathan Cape.Used by kind permission of The RandomHouse Group Limited.

Set in 16/17pt Plantin, a standard large-print size and font selected to make thecontents accessible to many people withlow vision.

Designed by Jean Loh with assistancefrom Sheryl Yeo. Printed by PremerzMedia Pr ivate Ltd, Singapore.

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Foreword“It is in the context of a particular cultureand language that our created identity isvalidated by the recognition bestowed byothers. So any lack of respect for our cultureand language in turn devalues our personalself-respect. In recent times, awareness of thecentrality of this has increasingly shaped theway people show respect for the dignity ofothers. The desire not to use disparagingterms for other groups can have its comicside, and is often dismissed as a product of‘political correctness’. But the concern behindit is part of the growth of one of our centralmoral resources.” - Jonathan Glover,Humanity: A Moral History of theTwentieth Century

These wise words seem to sum up ouraims with this slender book. Words arecritical in shaping ideas, perceptions andattitudes. They can be used to reinforceexisting prejudices or to liberate peoplefrom stereotypes, prejudices andmisconceptions.

If anyone doubts the value of our missionIII

or the potential for relatively rapidchange, consider the distaste with whichwe all now view the word “nigger”. Noneof us would dream of using it. Yet onlya generation or two ago it was aninternationally acceptable and widelyused term for the individual people ofan entire ethnic group in the USA; notjust in use orally, it also appeared in booktitles. Closer to home, and more recently,the Australian word “abo” to describean aboriginal or indigenous person isconsidered offensive by most people andis dropping out of use. The moral?Language changes, and we are capableof giving it a nudge in the right direction- even if we run the risk of beingconsidered “politically correct” by somepeople or sometimes require a few extrawords to make our communication.

In the context of disability, negative andpatronising language produces,predictably, negative and patronisingimages and attitudes. Words in popularuse mirror attitudes in society and bychanging the words we can begin tochange those attitudes. Those attitudesare often the most difficult barriers that

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people with disabilities face. Positiveattitudes can be shaped through careful,thoughtful presentation of informationabout people with disabil i t ies.

It is very important for us all to chooseand use the right words, whether we areindividuals talking privately or whetherwe are people like newspaper sub-editorsin a position to influence attitudes insociety. By making a conscious effort touse words that do not have negativeundertones or bias, we can help to breakdown barriers.

General guidelines can be applied. Peoplewith disabilities prefer you to describethe person, not the disability (“someonewith dyslexia” rather than “a dyslexic”);it is polite to refer to an individual’sdisability only if it is relevant; avoidimages that, unwittingly or consciously,evoke pity or guilt (“wheelchair-bound”is one such popular yet misleading term,since a wheelchair is generally seen asliberating or enabling by its user or rider).

It is not only our words that impact thelives of people with disabilities. There is

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a growing awareness of the subleties ofacceptable social etiquette and interactionbetween disabled and non-disabledpeople.

For example, if you wish to assist a blindperson, first make the offer then allowhim or her to hold your elbow as youlead the way. As a courtesy when meetinga blind person, mention where you areand who is with you.

Note also that service animals, of whichguide dogs are the best-known examples,are not pets and should not be touched,fed or spoken to without the user’spermission.

When speaking with someone who ishard of hearing or deaf, speak clearlywithout raising your voice and allowthem to see your lip movements to enablethem to lip-read (but remember that notall people who are hard of hearing ordeaf are able to lip-read).

If a disabled person is accompanied bya caregiver, do not be tempted tocommunicate with the disabled person

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through the caregiver (unless it is clearlyindicated that this is appropriate); addressthe disabled person directly.

Children should be taught not to laugh,stare or point at people with disabilities,nor should they pat disabled people onthe head or make other patronisinggestures. Parents should refrain fromtelling their children how lucky they arecompared with the disabled person. If itis relevant, a clear, simple and briefexplanation of the disability to youngpeople may help them understand.

Guidelines should be followed regardingpeople in wheelchairs. First, ask how youcan help. Talk to a person in a wheelchairat eye level with them. Do inform theperson in the wheelchair of yourintention, e.g. when tilting the wheelchair.Make sure the seat belt (if any) is fastenedbefore moving off. Apply the brakes whenthe wheelchair is stationary, whentransferring and when leaving thewheelchair unattended. Ask the personin the wheelchair if they are comfortable,especially if they have transferred. Alwaysmaintain at least one wheelchair length

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behind another wheelchair rider. Ask forassistance if you cannot overcome anobstacle. Look ahead to avoid suddenchanges in level and other hazards. Lookout for drain gratings and approach in adiagonal manner. If possible, push thewheelchair on the pavement rather thanon the road.

I would like to take this opportunity tothank the people within the Ministry ofCommunity Development and Sports(MCDS) of the Republic of Singapore,who shared our vision for this projectand generously funded the publicationof this first edition. My thanks go alsoto the editor, David Blocksidge, whoseefforts helped to realise my vision forthis book.

It is my fervent hope that everyone whohas occasion to refer to this book seesthe value in it and can apply its principlesin their lives. This is a living book; yourconsidered opinions, suggestions andinputs are always welcome in this and insubsequent editions.

Ron Chandran-Dudley, July 2003VIII

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Editor’s PrefaceThe definitions here are, as in alldictionaries, subjective opinions.However, in forming them we spoke tomany people and consulted many sources(too numerous for mention here), to allof whom I extend my gratitude.

In my capacity on this occasion as alexicographer, I am indebted to the longline of lexicographers stretching backinto antiquity, all of whom made mywork easier. Thanks to their earlierscholarly efforts, I had at my fingertipsa stack half a metre high of dictionaries- English language, medical and others- plus an invaluable thesaurus and anumber of other reference books. Inaddition, I browsed websites in severalcountries, notably the United Kingdom,United States of America and Singapore.Through such sources, some one millionwords became available to me, so it canbe seen that my final shortlist forinclusion in this book has to be somewhatarbitrary!

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I borrowed a phrase here and adapted afew words there, all the while keeping inmind our aim: to change the way peopleuse words when they are speaking orwriting about disabilities and people withthem. What was so striking about thisprocess was that to the best of ourknowledge no existing work (printed orelectronic) adequately, accurately orcomprehensively covers the ground wehave attempted to cover. Indeed, nothingcomes close. Many medical terms, forexample , remain f r us t rat ing lyunacceptable and even downrightoffensive to people with disabilities. Andmany words used by the worldwidecommunity of disabled people, theircaregivers and their advocates remainundefined in conventional dictionaries,at least in the way disabled people wouldunderstand them or like to use them.

There were several criteria for inclusionof a given word or term. The main oneswere that the word needed challengingin its existing usage (“affliction” or “birthdefect”); that it had not been adequatelyor publ ic ly def ined e lsewhere

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(“equalisation of opportunities”); that itwas an offensive word for whichalternatives are clearly needed(“wheelchair-bound”); or that it is acommon word with a new or extendedmeaning (“access” or “advocate”).

Everyone involved in this project trulybelieves that this is new territory, whichwas precisely why the Disabled People’sAssociation felt the need to produce sucha dictionary. If the definitions writtenand the entries selected stir up diverseopinions, that will probably be a goodthing because it means people will bethinking about the words they choose touse. And thought is the beginning ofchange.

There are doubtless words and phraseswe have inadvertently omitted in thisdictionary; please feel free to get in touch(email: dpaadmin@dpa.org.sg) with yoursuggestions for terms for inclusion infuture editions or your comments on thedefinitions. In such a difficult area, it isbest for everyone concerned to remainopen-minded.

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Language grows and changes, and nodictionary can hope to be totallycomprehensive and one hundred percentcorrect. There are some two millionwords in the English language alone, andnew words are being introduced fasterthan old ones drop out of use. It is myhope, however, that the Dictionary ofDisability Terminology serves to establishgood general guidelines in a largelyneglected area of language.

I should be remiss if I did not take thisopportunity to thank the President ofthe Disabled People’s Association, RonChandran-Dudley, for kindly asking meto become involved in such a challengingand worthwhile project, and for gentlyguiding me on many occasions. Thisproject has been an education for me,too. Finally, please note that nothing inthis book is intended to provide specificpersonal medical advice or take the placeof such advice. For this, one shouldalways consult appropriate medicalprofessionals.

David Blocksidge, July 2003

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Acknowledgements

This project has been a fine team effort.The editors wish especially to thankthe following for their enthusiastic helpand support:

The Min i s t r y o f Communi tyDevelopment and Sports (MCDS)of the Republic of Singapore, who sharedour vision for this project and generouslyfunded the publication of this firstedition.

Rena Chandran-Dudley and YanaRicart for their helpful comments andproof-reading.

Jean Loh, the designer at Premerz MediaPrivate Ltd whose endeavours gave thebook such a professional appearance.

The staff at Disabled People’s Associationfor their administrative and liaisonwork behind the scenes, notablyRamaravikumar Ramakrishnan, AnusiahTharmalingam and Regana R.

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A

ABLE-BODIED adjective sometimesused incorrectly as an antonym of“disabled” in phrases such as “Disabledpeople, unlike able-bodied people...”.The preferred antonym for “disabled”is “non-disabled”.

ABNORMALITY noun Although thisterm is used by the medical professionto describe “a malformation, deformityor anomaly”, it is best avoided in anygeneral discussion of disability since touse “abnormality” is stigmatising; peoplewith disabilities do not considerthemselves “abnormal” or to have“abnormalities”. adjective abnormal.(See also normal.)

ACCEPTANCE noun process bywhich non-disabled people includepeople with disabilities in their activities,conversation, etc. (See also inclusion,participation and equalisation;compare non-acceptance.)

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ACCESS noun suitability of a buildingor other structure for use by people withdisabilities. In a broader sense, accessalso includes making forms andinformation accessible to people withvisual or cognitive disabilities; makingalarms and signals accessible to peoplewho are deaf or hard of hearing; andmaking services such as education andtransport accessible to people withdisabilities. adjective accessible.(Compare barrier; see also digitaldivide.)

ACCESS AISLE noun an accessiblepedestrian space between elements, suchas parking spaces, seating and desks, thatprovides clearances appropriate for useof the elements.

ACCESS AUDIT noun detailedexamination of a building or otherstructure, generally by independentexperts, to ascertain its suitability for useby people with disabilities. (See alsoaccess.)

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ACCESSIBILITY noun the degree towhich a building or other structureprovides access for (mainly physically)disabled people. In Singapore this isdetermined primarily by regulation 36(2)of the Building Control Regulations.

ACCESSIBLE ROUTE noun acont inuous unobstructed pathconnecting all accessible elements andspaces of a building or facility. Interioraccessible routes may include corridors,floors, ramps, elevators, lifts, and clearfloor space at fixtures. Exterior accessibleroutes may include parking access aisles,curb ramps, crosswalks at vehicular ways,walks, ramps and lifts.

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVINGnoun in the context of rehabilitation andindependent living by disabled people,these include dressing, making the bed,showering, shaving, combing hair, eating,making drinks and all other activitieswhich will assist in enabling a personwith a disability to function to themaximum of his or her capacity within

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the family and the community.

ADAPTABILITY noun the ability ofcertain building spaces and elements,such as kitchen counters, sinks and grabbars, to be added or altered so as toaccommodate the needs of individualswith or without disabilities or toaccommodate the needs of persons withdifferent types or degrees of disability.

ADVOCACY noun the act of speakingor interceding for and on behalf of peoplewith disabilities. Advocacy activities seekto empower and allocate resources topeople in need of them.

ADVOCATE noun and verb someone,who may or may not themselves bedisabled, who speaks or intercedes forpeople with disabilities; to speak orintercede in such a way.

AFFLICTION noun general term fora disability. Unacceptable because it isdegrading and stigmatising; a disabilityis not an affliction. By extension, phrases

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such as “afflicted with...” are alsounacceptable. Use instead the specificname of the disability. Instead of “afflictedwith...” use “has...”.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE nounprogressive degenerative disease of thebrain that may involve a combination ofsymptoms including delirium, delusions,memory disturbance, depression andbehavioural disturbances. Usuallydeteriorates to profound dementia overfive to ten years. Alzheimer’s disease isone of two main types of dementia, theother being multi-infarct dementia. Whenspeaking generally, it is acceptable torefer to a person with the disease ashaving a mental disability or simply tosay “He/She has Alzheimer’s disease”.(See also dementia; multi-infarctdementia.)

AMBULANT DISABLED PERSONnoun someone who is, either with orwithout personal assistance, and whomay depend on prostheses (artificiallimbs), orthoses (callipers), sticks,

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crutches or walking aids, able to walk onthe level or negotiate suitably gradedsteps provided that convenient handrailsare available.

AMPUTATION noun removal of alimb or other appendage from the body.

AMPUTEE noun someone who hashad one or more limbs amputated.Unless using the term in a medicalcontext, it is preferable to rephrase asentence such as “He/She is an amputee”along the lines of “He/She has a physicaldisability” on the principle that peopleshould not be defined primarily or solelyby their disability. For the same reason,the word amputee should not be usedas a class noun in sentences such as“Amputees often require artificial limbs.”An acceptable way to convey the samemeaning is: “People who have undergoneamputation often require artificial limbs.”

ARTHRITIS noun inflammation ofjoints; the form of rheumatism confinedto the joints. There are many types of

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arthritis and the condition, which maybe acute or chronic, ranges from mildlypainful to severely disabling. adjectivearthritic. It is considered unaceptableto use the word as a noun to describesomeone as “arthritic” in a sentence suchas “He/She is an arthritic.” People shouldnot be defined primarily or solely bytheir disability. An acceptable alternativeis “He/She has arthritis.” However, usingthe plain adjective is often acceptable ina sentence such as “He/She is arthritic”.(Compare rheumatism.)

ASPERGER’S SYNDROME noundevelopmental disorder characterised bysevere impairment of social interactionsand restricted interest and behaviour.When speaking generally, it is acceptableto refer to a person with the conditionas having a developmental disability, orsay specifically “He/She has Asperger’ssyndrome”.

ASSISTIVE DEVICE noun item ofequipment made specifically to helpovercome a disability through the

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promotion of independence, in particularin the home or at work. Examples areteletypewriter, telephone amplifier,wooden block (to raise desk for awheelchair user), Braille printer.(Compare mobility aid.)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY nounapplied technology developed to assistpeople with disabilities. An example isvoice screen-reading software forcomputers.

ATAXIA noun failure of muscle co-ordination or irregularity of muscleaction.

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDERnoun a syndrome, occurring mostly inboys, characterised by behavioural andlearning problems.

AUDITORY adjective relating to thesense of hearing or organs involved inhearing.

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AURAL adjective of, relating to, orreceived by the ear.

AUTISM noun developmental disordertypically appearing in the first three yearsof life, and characterised by severelyreduced social interactions, languageskills, cognitive function and self-helpskills. adjective autistic. Do not use“autistic” as a class noun as in phrasessuch as “The autistic are...” or as a nounin sentences such as “He/She is anautistic.” Use instead terms like “Autisticpeople” if saving space, for example whenwriting for a newspaper, or preferably“People with autism”, and whendescribing an individual, say simply“He/She has autism.” The principle isthat people should not be definedprimarily or solely by their disability.However, using the plain adjective isoften acceptable in a sentence such as“He/She is autistic”.

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B

BARRIER noun obstacle preventing aperson with a disability from livingindependently, working, travelling and/orhaving access to buildings, services, formsand information. (See also environmentalbarrier; compare access.)

BIRTH DEFECT noun congenitalcondition. The term “birth defect”,although still used by some medicalprofessionals, is unacceptable to peoplewith disabilities because of the negativeconnotations of the word “defect”. Useinstead a neutral term such as “congenitalcondition” or rephrase the sentence usingwords like “disabled since birth” or “bornwith...”. (See congenital condition,defect.)

BLINDNESS noun total inability tosee. adjective blind totally unable tosee. Do not use “blind” as a class nounas in phrases such as “The blind are...”.Use instead terms like “Blind people” ifsaving space, for example when writing

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for a newspaper, or preferably “Peoplewho are blind” or “People who arevisually handicapped”. The principle isthat people should not be definedprimarily or solely by their disability.(See also glaucoma, low vision, visualimpairment; compare sighted.)

BORN WITH See discussion underbirth defect.

BRAILLE noun and verb system ofprinting/writing for people who are blindin which the characters are series ofraised dots; to print or transcribe inBraille characters.

BRITTLE BONE noun lay term forthe condition of osteoporosis, whichinvolves a reduction in bone mass andis most frequently diagnosed inpostmenopausal women and elderly men.It often leads to disabling bone fractures.

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C

CAREGIVER noun a person, generallya professional, a friend or a relative, wholooks after someone with a disability.Also known as a carer.

CEREBRAL PALSY noun motordisorder generally characterised by spasticparalysis, mental disability, seizures andfailure of muscular co-ordination. Thedegree of disability varies from havingone or more conditions like extremetightness or looseness of the muscles ofthe body, improper head, shoulder orhip control to slight speech impairment.Cerebral palsy is not curable. Its onsetcan occur before or during birth or dueto illness or injury of the child early inlife. If it is necessary to refer to a personwith the condition, say specifically“He/She has cerebral palsy”. (See alsospastic paraplegia ; spastic . )

CHALLENGED adjective This wordgained popularity during the 1980s interms such as “physically challenged”,

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which was intended to replace “physicallyhandicapped” and similar termsunacceptable to some people withdisabilities. However, the word has beenused so widely by satirists (“verticallychallenged” meaning short, for example)it has lost any useful serious meaning formost people with disabilities.

CLEAR FLOOR SPACE noun theminimum unobstructed floor or groundspace required to accommodate a single,stationary wheelchair and occupant.

COCHLEAR IMPLANT nounmedical device implanted within the earto restore hearing.

CONGENITAL CONDITION nouncondition present at birth. Examples areDown syndrome, cerebral palsy and cleftpalate. (See also discussion under birthdefect.)

CONSULTATION noun processwhereby people with disabilities areconsulted about their own lives, or about

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decisions to be made affecting them.

COUNSELLOR noun person whoprovides counselling as a therapy. Specialterms include vocational rehabilitationcounsellor.

CRIPPLE noun a person with amobility disability. The word “cripple”and derivatives such as crippled areoffensive. Use instead specific terms inneutral, inoffensive language (“He/Shehas severe arthritis, which makes itdifficult for her to walk.”) and avoidlabelling the person primarily or solelyby their disability. (See lameness, limp,mobility disability.)

CROSS-DISABILITY noun (of acharity, NGO or other body) existing toserve people of differing disabilities. e.g.,cross-disability movement.

CRUTCH noun wood or metal itemmade to reach from the armpit or elbowto the ground as an aid to walking in theevent of a broken leg or similar injury.

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D

DEAF AND DUMB adjective thisterm to describe a person who is unableto hear and speak is not acceptable sincethe word “dumb” has negativeconnotations. Use instead a phrase suchas “deaf and speech-disabled” or, if thehearing loss is partial, “hard of hearingand speech-disabled”. “Mute” is similarlyunacceptable.

DEAF-AND-DUMB LANGUAGEnoun term (no longer acceptable) forthe system of manual signs forcommunication with and among peoplewho are deaf or hard of hearing.“Signing” or “sign language” are goodalternatives. (See signing.)

DEAF-MUTE noun a person who isunable to hear and speak. The term isoffensive; use instead specific terms inneutral, inoffensive language to describetheir condition, but avoid labelling theperson primarily or solely by theirdisability. (See deaf and dumb.)

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DEAFNESS noun total inability tohear. adjective deaf. Do not use “deaf”as a class noun as in phrases such as“The deaf are...”. Use instead terms like“Deaf people” if saving space, forexample when writing for a newspaper,or preferably “People who are deaf”. Theprinciple is that people should not bedefined primarily or solely by theirdisability. Note too that the terms “deaf”and “deafness” should be used only ofpeople having a total inability to hear;other terms such as “hard of hearing”cover partial loss of hearing. (See alsoh a r d o f h e a r i n g ; h e a r i n gimpairment; compare hearing.)

DEFECT noun Although this termcontinues to be used by the medicalprofession, it is generally unacceptableto people with disabilities, for examplein phrases such as “speech defect”,because it perpetuates negativeassociations. Use instead specific termsfor their conditions in neutral, inoffensivelanguage. adjective defective. (See alsodiscussion under birth defect.)

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DEFORMITY noun Although thisterm (like the one above) continues tobe used by the medical profession, it isunacceptable to people with physicaldisabilities as a description of theirconditions because it perpetuates negativeassociations. Use instead specific termsfor the conditions in neutral, inoffensivelanguage. adjective deformed.

DEMENTIA noun a general loss ofcognitive abilities characterised bymemory loss and one or more of severalother symptoms including severespeak ing d i f f i cu l t i e s , reducedorganisational and planning abilities, andproblems recognising the significance ofsights, sounds and other sensory stimuli.The medical profession acknowledgesmany forms of dementia; examples areboxer’s dementia, post-traumaticdementia, presenile and senile dementia,and vascular dementia. Two main typesof dementia are Alzheimer’s disease andmulti-infarct dementia. It is importantto note that dementia is an illness andnot normal ageing. In referring to

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someone with dementia, it is acceptableto say “A person with dementia” or “Aperson with a mental illness”, or namethe specific dementia in question. Avoidthe word “demented” as it has beenwidely used as a term of abuse. (See alsoAlzheimer’s disease; multi-infarctdementia.)

DETECTABLE WARNING noun astandardised surface feature built in orapplied to walking surfaces or otherelements to warn visually handicappedpeople of hazards on a circulation path.

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITYnoun general term for a number ofconditions involving mental and/orphysical disabilities arising before theage of 18 year s. Also ca l leddevelopmental disorder. Specificconditions in this category includeautism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy andintellectual disability. adjectivedevelopmentally disabled.

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DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERnoun See above.

DIAGNOSIS noun the determinationof the nature of someone’s disease orcondition.

DIGITAL DIVIDE noun the gaps inaccess to information & communicationstechnology (ICT) between individuals,groups, countries and areas. The digitaldivide affects disabled people more thanany other group, since they face intrinsicproblems of accessibility ranging from afundamental lack of training in ICT, tophysical barriers, the lack of assistivecomputer technology and inaccessiblemultimedia design. (See also access.)

DISABILITY noun a condition causedby an accident, trauma, genetics ordisease that may limit a person’s mobility,hearing, vision, speech or cognitivefunction. Incapacity recognised by lawas limiting or preventing, for example,mobility (thus creating a right to useparking spaces reserved for disabled

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people, for instance), the ability to drive(“legally blind” people may not drive),or to work (the US Federal Governmentdefines disability for its purposes as“inability to engage in any substantialgainful activity by reason of any medicallydeterminable physical or mentalimpairment which can be expected tolast or has lasted for a continuous periodof not less than 12 months”). The WorldHealth Organisation defines disability as“any restriction or lack (resulting froman impairment) of ability to perform anactivity in the manner of or within therange considered normal for a humanbeing”. The cross-disability, grassroots-based advocacy organisations DisabledPeoples’ International and DisabledPeople’s Association define disability as“the functional limitation within theindividual caused by physical, mental orsensory impairment”.

DISABLED adjective Do not use“disabled” as a class noun as in phrasessuch as “The disabled are...”. Use insteadterms like “Disabled people” if saving

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space, for example when writing for anewspaper, or preferably “People whoare disabled”. The principle is that peopleshould not be defined primarily or solelyby their disability. Its antonym is non-disabled and not able-bodied. (Comparehandicap.)

DISABLED SINCE BIRTH Seediscussion under birth defect.

DISCRIMINATE verb the act makingan unjust distinction against a personwith a disability compared to the way anon-disabled person would be treatedin the same circumstances.

DISCRIMINATION noun unjustdistinction against a person with adisability compared to the way a non-disabled person would be treated in thesame circumstances. Examples (drawnfrom recent case histories) are: a womanwith one hand who was initially refusedentrance to a university to study for adegree in nursing; a man who was refusedadmittance to a night club because of a

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genetic disorder, epidermolysis bullosa,which gives him blisters on his hands,feet and neck; a disabled woman whowas refused admittance to a swimmingpool despite being accompanied by acaregiver. adjective discriminatory.Multiple discrimination the unjusttreatment of a person (relative to howothers are treated in the same situation)because of more than one of these orother factors: their gender, disability,race, sexual orientation, age or religion.Positive discrimination the practiceof favouring people with disabilities andothers perceived to be disadvantaged,especially in terms of resources andopportunities; also known as reversediscrimination.

DIVERSITY noun recognising andvaluing differences between individualsand groups of people. (This is animportant concept in terms of theintegration of people with disabilitiesinto society.)

DOWN SYNDROME noun a

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congenital (and usually chromosomal)disorder characterised by a flattenedfacial profile, moderate to severe mentaldisability, and short stature. Also calledDown’s syndrome. Formerly calledmongolism, a term which is no longeracceptable. Mongolism, mongol,mongoloid and related terms areoffensive. When speaking generally, it isacceptable to refer to a person with thecondition as having an intellectualdisability, or simply say “He/She hasDown syndrome”.

DUMBNESS noun inability to speak.The term is not acceptable because ofits negative connotations; use insteadneutral, inoffensive words such as “speechdisability”. adjective dumb. (see alsodeaf and dumb, deaf-mute, mute,mutism.)

DWARF noun (plural dwarves)person who is unusually short. Somepeople with the medical condition ofdwarfism find the word “dwarf ”acceptable while others dislike it and

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prefer the term “little person”; there iscurrently no concensus. (See also littleperson.)

DWARFISM noun medical term forany of several conditions characterisedby underdevelopment of the body. (Seealso infantilism.)

DYSARTHRIA noun a speech disorderinvolv ing unclear ar t iculat ion.

DYSLEXIA noun an organising orlearning difficulty affecting language,fine co-ordination skills and workingmemory skills. It is independent of overallability and conventional teaching. Whenuntreated, there are significant limitationsin the development of certain aspects ofspeech, reading, spelling, writing andsometimes numeracy - which may leadto secondary behavioural problems -although other areas of ability areunaffected. adjective dyslexic. Do notuse “dyslexic” as a class noun as inphrases such as “Dyslexics are...” or asa noun in sentences such as “He/She is

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a dyslexic.” Use instead terms like“Dyslexic people” if saving space, forexample when writing for a newspaper,or preferably “People with dyslexia”, andwhen describing an individual, say simply“He/She has dyslexia.” The principle isthat people should not be definedprimarily or solely by their disability.

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E

EARLY DETECTION noundiscovery or diagnosis of a disability inthe womb, shortly after birth or throughscreening in school.

EARLY INTERVENTION nountreatment of a disability at an early stagein its progress.

EGRESS, MEANS OF noun acontinuous and unobstructed way of exittravel from any point in a building orfacility to a public way. A means of egresscomprises vertical and horizontal traveland may include intervening roomspaces, doorways, hallways, corridors,passageways, balconies, ramps, stairs,enclosures, lobbies, horizontal exits,courts and yards. An accessible meansof egress is one that complies withguidelines for use by people withdisabilities and does not include stairs,steps or escalators. Areas of rescueassistance or evacuation elevators may

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be included as part of accessible meansof egress.

EMOTIONAL DISABILITY nounmental illness. The terms “emotionaldisability”, “mental disability”, “mentalillness” and “psychiatric disability” areacceptable whereas “emotional disorder”,“emotional disturbance” and “mentaldisorder” are considered to have negativeassociations, except in a medical context,and should be avoided. Terms such as“crazy” and “mad” are offensive andshould not be used. adjectiveemotionally disabled. (See mentaldisability and mental illness.)

EMOTIONAL DISORDER noun Seeemotional disability , mentaldisability and mental illness.

EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCEnoun See emotional disability, mentaldisability and mental illness.

EMPOWERMENT noun process bywhich individuals or groups of people

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gain the ability to make decisions andgain control over their lives, therebytransforming feelings of powerlessness,helplessness and hopelessness intopositive feelings of mastery, control andhope. verb empower; adjectiveempowered. (Compare advocacy.)

ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIERnoun obstacle preventing a person witha disability from travelling and/or havingaccess to buildings. An example is abuilding with steps as the sole means ofentry, which would prevent people inwheelchairs from visiting that building.(See also barrier; compare access.)

EQUALISATION noun the processwhereby people with disabilities taketheir rightful place in society alongsidenon-disabled people, brought aboutthrough many means includinglegislation, promotion of barrier-freeenvironments, community-basedrehabilitation services, education andtraining and employment.

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E Q U A L I S A T I O N O FOPPORTUNITIES noun (as definedin 1982 by the United Nations WorldProgramme of Action concerningDisabled Persons) the process throughwhich the various systems of society andthe environment, such as services,a c t i v i t i e s , i n f o r m a t i o n a n ddocumentation, are made available toall, particularly to persons withdisabilities.

EXCLUSION noun conscious orsubconscious process by which peoplewith disabilities are left out of activitiessuch as conversation, social life, politics,community activities, work and leisurepursuits open to non-disabled people.verb exclude; adjective exclusive. (Seealso non-acceptance ; compareinclusion and non-participation.)

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F

FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY noundisability that precludes an acceptablelevel of participation in the activities ofdaily living. (See activities of dailyliving.)

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G

GAIT noun manner of walking. This isboth a general term and a medical termand has no negative connotations; thusit may be useful when alluding to walkingor mobility disabilities.

GLAUCOMA noun disease in whichthe optic nerve is damaged, leading toproblems with vision; glaucoma is a majorcause of bl indness worldwide.

GRAB BAR noun a bar used to givestabilising assistance to a person engagedin a particular function.

GUIDE DOG noun trained dog usedby a blind person to help them haveindependence of mobility. (See SeeingEye dog; service animal.)

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H

HANDICAP noun and verb a physicalor attitudinal constraint imposed upon aperson, regardless of whether that personhas a disability; to constrain in such amanner. An example is a wheelchair-riderwho faces the handicaps of stairs, narrowdoorways and kerbs. The World HealthOrganisation definition of a handicap is“a disadvantage, for a given individual,resulting from an impairment or adisability, that limits or prevents thefulfilment of a role that is normal(depending on age, sex and social andcultural factors) for that individual”. Theadvocacy organisations Disabled Peoples’International and Disabled People’sAssociation define handicap as “the lossor limitation of opportunities to take partin the normal life of the community onan equal level with others due to physicalor social barriers”. Some medicalprofessionals continue to use the word“handicap” virtually interchangeably with“disability”, a usage which is unacceptableto most disabled people.

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HANDICAPPED adjective Do notsay “handicapped people” if you mean“disabled people” or better still, “peoplewith disabilities”. However, terms suchas “visually handicapped people” areused as social descriptions.

HANDRAIL noun a rail used incirculation areas such as corridors,ramps, stairways and passages to assistin continuous movement.

HARD OF HEARING adjectivedescribes a person with some hearingloss who is able to communicate throughspeaking, and who usually has listeningand hearing abilities adequate forordinary telephone communication;many people who are hard of hearinguse a hearing-aid. (See also deaf,hearing-impaired; compare hearing.)

HEALTHY adjective Never use thisword to contrast with disabled peoplein sentences like “Disabled people,unlike healthy people...”. Disabledpeople can be just as healthy as non-

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disabled people. (See non-disabled.)

HEARING adjective having the abilityto hear. Use “hearing people” as theantonym for “deaf people”, as in thesentence “Few hearing people can lip-read in the way that many deaf peopleare able to.” (See also hard of hearing;hearing impairment; compare deaf.)

HEARING IMPAIRMENT nounnon-preferred, medical term for partialloss of hearing within a range from slightto severe. adjective hearing-impaired.(See hard of hearing; see also discussionunder impairment; compare deaf.)

HOUSEBOUND adjective unable toleave one’s house due to illness ordisability. However, the term isconsidered to have negative connotationsand a neutral alternative such as “unableto leave the house” should be used.

HUMPBACK noun See below.

HUNCHBACK noun a hunched or

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protuberant back. It may be preferableto use the medical term, kyphosis, whenreferring to this condition sincehunchback has connotations of deformityand ugliness. When speaking generally,it is acceptable to refer to it simply as aphysical disabil i ty. Also cal ledhumpback. Never refer to a person as“a hunchback”; people should not bedefined primarily or solely by theirdisability. adjective hunchbacked. (Seekyphosis.)

HYPERACTIVITY noun excessiveincreased muscular activity. Synonymfor attention deficit disorder (ADD)orsyndrome. (See attention deficitdisorder.)

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I

IDIOCY noun obsolete, offensivemedical and psychological term for severemental disability and lower intelligencequotient (IQ). Idiot, the medical termto describe the person with the disability,is equally obsolete and offensive exceptfor the specific usage below. (See alsoimbecility.)

IDIOT SAVANT noun medical termfor a person with severe mental disabilityand lower intelligence quotient (IQ), yetwho has a particular faculty, such asmusic, memory or mathematics,developed to an exceptionally highdegree.

IMBECILITY noun obsolete, offensivemedical and psychological term formoderate mental disability. Imbecile, themedical term to describe the person withthe disability, is equally obsolete andoffensive. (See also idiocy.)

IMPAIRMENT noun injury, disability,

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functional loss or weakened state. Dueto its negative connotations, it is best toavoid this controversial word and itsderivatives, although there is noagreement about the word even amongdisabled people and associationsrepresenting them, and it is still inwidespread use among the medicalprofession. For example, the WorldHealth Organisation defines impairmentas “any loss or abnormality ofpsychological, physiological or anatomicalstructure or functions”. The OxfordEnglish Dictionary defines the transitiveverb “impair” as “Make less effective orweaker; devalue; damage, injure.”adjective impaired. Uses include theterms hearing-impaired, speech-impairedand vision-impaired, all of which maybe found in a medical context but arenot accepted by many people withdisabilities because they are perceived asdevaluing.

INCAPACITATED adject ivesometimes used euphemistically (andinaccurately) to mean “disabled”, this

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word should be avoided. Use insteadspecific terms in neutral, inoffensivelanguage.

INCLUSION noun the admittance ofpeople with disabilities to activities suchas conversation, social life, work andleisure pursuits open to non-disabledpeople. verb include; adjectiveinclusive. (See also acceptance;compare exclusion and participation.)

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION noun theeducation of children with disabilitiesside-by-side with non-disabled children,rather than in segregated educationinstitutions such as special schools. Thereis a growing preference for inclusiveeducation. (Compare special school.)

I N D E P E N D E N T a d j e c t i v eable to function without depending onanother person. (See activities of dailyliving.)

INFANTILISM noun medical term forany of several conditions involving

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persistence of the characteristics ofchildhood into adult life; intellectualdisability is a feature, and some of theconditions also involve dwarfism. (Seealso dwarfism.)

INFIRMITY noun sometimes usedeuphemistically (and inaccurately) tomean “disability”, this word should beavoided. Use instead specific terms inneutral, inoffensive language. adjectiveinfirm.

INFLICTION See above.

INSTITUTION noun a healthcarefacility, often dedicated to the treatmentof patients with psychiatric illness. Alsoknown as institute.

INTEGRATION noun the inclusion,participation and acceptance of peoplewith disabilities in society at large.

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITYnoun general term for developmentaldisability or learning disability. A person

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with intellectual disability has intellectualfunctioning significantly below average.In addition, he or she has limitations inadaptive behaviour which affects his orher self-help, living or social skills.Intellectual disability is not an illness buta condition occurring before, during orafter birth but before 18 years of age.(See mental illness, mental disability.)

INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT nouna number arrived at by intelligence testsintended as a measure of intelligence.Usually abbreviated to IQ.

INVALID noun an infirm or sicklyperson. This term is sometimes usedincorrectly to describe disabled people;illness can make invalids of non-disabledpeople and disabled people alike. (It doesnot help that terms such as “invalid car”continue to be used in some countrieswhen alternatives are available.) Alsosometimes used literally translated fromFrench or Spanish, and still unacceptable.The preferred term to replace invalid is“a person with a disability”.

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K

KERB RAMP noun a short rampcutting through a kerb or built up to it.

KYPHOSIS noun medical term forgreatly increased convex curvature of thespine; hunchback. It may be preferableto use the medical term when referringto this condition since hunchback hasclear connotations, reinforced throughfilms and other media, of deformity andugliness. In general terms, “A personwith a spinal disability” is an acceptableway to refer to someone with such acondition. adjective kyphotic. (See alsohunchback.)

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L

LAMENESS noun medical termconsidered by people with disabilities tohave negative connotations; mobilitydisability or physical disability are betterterms. adjective lame. (See also cripple,limp, mobility disability.)

LANDAU-KLEFFNER SYNDROMEnoun an epileptic syndrome of childhoodcharacterised by partial or generalisedseizures and other symptoms. Also calledacquired epileptic aphasia.

LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT nounalthough this term is often used to replacethe common but offensive term “speechdefect”, preferred terms are “speechdisability” and “speech handicap”.adjective language-impaired. (Seespeech disability; see also discussionunder impairment.)

LEARNING DISABILITY noungeneral term for any one of a group ofconditions that includes, for example,

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autism and dyslexia. adjective learning-disabled.

LIMP noun and verb gait that avoidsweight-bearing on one leg; walking insuch a manner. (See also cripple,lameness, mobility disability.)

LIP-READING noun the ability tounderstand someone’s speech byobserving their lip movements. Alsoknown as visual hearing. Both termsare acceptable.

LITTLE PERSON noun person whois unusually short. Some people with themedical condition of dwarfism find theword “dwarf” acceptable while othersprefer the term “little person”; there iscurrently no concensus. (See also dwarf.)

LOW VISION noun impairment ofvision causing significant visual handicap,yet leaving significant usable residualvision. (See glaucoma, visualimpairment; compare sighted; see alsodiscussion under impairment.)

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M

MAIMED adjective sometimes usedeuphemistically (and inaccurately) tomean “disabled”, this offensive wordshould be avoided as it is degrading andstigmatising. Use instead specific termsin neutral, inoffensive language.

MENTAL DISABILITY noun anyillness of the mind, such as alteredperceptions, memory, emotional balance,thought or behaviour. The cause may begenetic, congenital, or as a result ofphysical, psychological, chemical,environmental or social factors. Theterms “emotional disability”, “mentaldisability”, “mental illness” and“psychiatric disability” are acceptablewhereas “emotional disorder”, “mentallysick”, “emotional disturbance” and“mental disorder” are considered to havenegative associations and should beavoided except in their medical context.adjective mentally disabled .

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MENTAL HANDICAP noun termoften used interchangeably but in theview of many disabled people erroneouslyto mean “mental i l lness”. (Seeemotional disability, handicap andmental disability.)

MILD MENTAL RETARDATIONnoun term used to describe people withIQ in the range of 50-70 with varyingdegrees of skills in communications, dailyliving skills and so forth. Many arephysically indistinguishable from non-disabled people, although some showthe features characteristic of certainconditions, e.g. Down syndrome.

MOBILITY AID noun item ofequipment made specifically to helpovercome a disability through thepromotion of independence of mobility.Examples are crutches, walking framesand wheelchairs. (See also assistivedevice.)

MOBILITY DISABILITY nounpreferred general term to replace limp

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or lameness. If the specific disability(arthritis, for example) is known, it isprobably easier to use that instead of thegeneral term. adjective mobility-disabled. (See also cripple, lameness,limp.)

MONGOL noun S ee Downsyndrome.

MONGOLISM noun See above.

MOTOR NEURON DISEASE nounprogressive disease involving loss ofmuscle mass and increasing paralysis.When speaking generally, it is acceptableto refer to a person with the conditionas having a physical disability, or saysimply “He/She has motor neurondisease”.

MULTI-INFARCT DEMENTIAnoun one of the two main types ofdementia (the other being Alzheimer’sdisease). Multi-infarct dementia resultsfrom a series of strokes in the brain. (Seealso Alzheimer’s disease; dementia.)

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MULTIPLE DISABILITY noun (ofa person) having two or more disabilities,for example being both blind and deafsimultaneously. The term “multiplyhandicapped” may be used to describesuch a person.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) nounprogressive disease of the nerve fibres inthe brain and spinal cord; symptomsinclude weakness, incoordination,emotional instability, and problems withspeech, walking and vision. MS oftenaffects young adults. When speakinggenerally, it is acceptable to refer to aperson with the condition as having amental and physical disability, or saysimply “He/She has multiple sclerosis”.

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY nounhereditary, progressive disease of themuscle system involving weakness andloss of skeletal muscles. When speakinggenerally, it is acceptable to refer to aperson with the condition as having aphysical disability, or say simply “He/Shehas muscular dystrophy”.

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MUTE noun a person who is unable tospeak due to a speech disability. Theterm, which is still in use among themedical profession, is offensive; useinstead specific terms in neutral,inoffensive language to describe theircondition, but avoid labelling any personprimarily or solely by their disability.(See deaf and dumb, deaf-mute.)

MUTISM noun medical term for thecondition of being unable to speak.

MULTIPLE DISCRIMINATIONnoun See discrimination.

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N

NON-ACCEPTANCE noun resistanceor reluctance on the part of non-disabledpeople to include people with disabilitiesin their activities, conversation and soforth. (See also exclusion; compareacceptance and non-participation.)

NON-DISABLED adjective preferredantonym for disabled.

NON-HANDICAPPING adjectiveimposing no physical or attitudinalconstraint upon a person, as for examplea “non-handicapping environment”.

NON-IMPAIRED adjective This termis best avoided except in a medicalcontext. (See discussion underimpairment.)

NON-PARTICIPATION noun choiceby disabled person (based on their ownassessment of their abilities or limitations)not to take part in activities such asconversation, social life, politics,

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community activities, work and leisurepursuits with non-disabled people.(Compare non-acceptance, exclusionand participation.)

NON-VISUALLY DISABLEDadjective acceptable antonym for blindor visually disabled or visuallyhandicapped. (Compare blind; see alsosighted.)

NON-VISUALLY HANDICAPPEDSee above

NORMAL adjective This word isoffensive when used in a contextcomparing “disabled people” with“normal people” since it implies thatdisabled people are abnormal. Theantonym for disabled is non-disabled.

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O

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY nountherapeutic use of activities designed toimprove quality of life and independencefor the participant.

ORTHOSIS noun (plural orthoses)an appliance or apparatus used to supportor improve the functioning of movableparts of the body. Orthotics is thespecialty concerned with supplying andfitting such appliances.

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P

PARALYMPIC GAMES noun theworld’s major event for athletes withdisabilities, in particular spinal cordinjuries. The games were begun at theNational Wheelchair Sports Centre inStoke Mandeville, U.K., home of theBritish Wheelchair Sports Foundation.

PARALYSIS noun condition involvingloss of sensation or of muscle function.adjective paralytic. It is consideredunacceptable to describe someone as“paralytic” in a sentence such as “He/Sheis a paralytic” since people should notbe defined primarily or solely by theirdisability. Acceptable alternatives are“He/She is paralysed” or less specifically“He/She has a physical disability”.However, using the plain adjective isoften acceptable in a sentence such as“He/She is paralytic”. (See alsoparaplegia and quadriplegia.)

PARAPLEGIA noun paralysis of thelower limbs. adjective paraplegic. As

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with paralytic (above), it is consideredunacceptable to describe someone as“paraplegic” in a sentence such as“He/She is a paraplegic” since peopleshould not be defined primarily or solelyby their disability. Acceptable alternativesare “He/She is paralysed from the waistdown” (assuming you know the extentof the paralysis) or simply “He/She hasparaplegia” or less specifically “He/Shehas a physical disability”. However, usingthe plain adjective is often acceptable ina sentence such as “He/She isparaplegic”. (See also paralysis andquadriplegia.)

PARKINSON’S DISEASE nounprogressive neurological disorderinvolving tremor, shuffling gait, stoopedposture, emotional instability in somecases, and other symptoms. Whenspeaking generally, it is acceptable torefer to a person with the condition ashaving a physical (and, if applicable,mental) disability, or say simply “He/Shehas Parkinson’s disease”.

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PARTICIPATION noun choice bydisabled person (based on their ownassessment of their abilities or limitations)to take part in activities such asconversation, social life, politics,community activities, work and leisurepursuits with non-disabled people. Anearly use of the word “participation” inthis context occurred in the phrase “FullParticipation and Equality” which wasa slogan adopted during the UnitedNations-declared International Year ofDisabled Persons in 1981. The phrasehas become something of a rallying callin the years since; it was extended andused for example to mark theInternational Day of Disabled Persons(December 3) for 2001. (Compareacceptance, inclusion and non-participation.)

PATIENT noun Disabled people ingeneral are not “patients” in theireveryday lives, any more than non-disabled people are. Patients are clientsof doctors or people undergoingtreatment in hospitals.

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PERSON noun This word is acceptablein many different contexts and avoidspossibly offensive terminology. Examplesinclude: “A person who has [name ofdisability]”; “A person who is paralysed”(replacing “A paralytic”); “A person withextensive brain injury” (replacing “Avegetable”) and so forth. The pluralshould be people rather than persons, asfor example in the phrase “People withdisabilities...”.

PHYSICAL DISABILITY nounPreferred general term that covers a widerange of conditions including arthritis,muscular dystrophy and paralysis.

PHYSIOTHERAPY noun physicaltreatment (as distinct from drug or othertreatment).

POLIO noun Common abbreviationfor poliomyelitis, an acute, infectious,viral disease that sometimes results inparalysis.

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POSITIVE DISCRIMINATIONn o u n S e e p h r a s e s u n d e rdiscrimination.

PROSTHESIS noun (pluralprostheses) an artificial substitute fora body part; the term extends beyondlimbs to include hearing aids, implantedpacemakers and so forth. Note that“Artificial leg” is preferable to “Falseleg” and similar terms. Prosthetics is thespecialty concerned with supplying andfitting such appliances.

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Q

QUADRIPLEGIA noun paralysis ofthe four limbs and part of the trunk.adjective quadriplegic. It is consideredunacceptable to describe someone as“quadriplegic” in a sentence such as“He/She is a quadriplegic” since peopleshould not be defined primarily or solelyby their disability. An acceptablealternative is simply “He/She hasquadriplegia” or less specifically “He/Shehas a physical disability”. However, usingthe plain adjective is often acceptable ina sentence such as “He/She isquadr ip leg ic” . Also known astetraplegia. (See also paralysis andparaplegia.)

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R

RAMP noun a walking surface whichhas a running slope greater than 1:20(i.e., rising one metre in every 20metres of length).

REHABILITATION noun plannedprocess with defined goals, timeframesand means in which professions and/orservices co-operate in assisting theefforts of the client to achieve bestpossible functioning and copingcapabil i t ies, thereby promotingindependence and participation insociety.

RESPITE noun a period of time takenby a caregiver away from the recipientof their care, in order that the caregivercan rest or take part in other activitiesthat help sustain them and avoidcaregiver burn-out.

RETARDED adjective Most peopleregard this word as of fensive.Acceptable alternatives include

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“ i n t e l l e c t u a l l y d i s a b l e d ” o r“intellectually handicapped”. The noun“ re ta rd” i s equa l l y o f fens ive .

R E T T S Y N D R O M E n o u nprogressive developmental disorder ofthe brain occurring exclusively infemales, characterised by autisticbehaviour, ataxia, dementia, seizuresand other symptoms. Also calledcerebroatrophic hyperammonemia.

REVERSE DISCRIMINATIONn o u n S e e p h r a s e s u n d e rdiscrimination.

RHEUMATISM noun inflammationand degeneration of joints and relatedstructures such as muscles. There aremany types of rheumatism and thecondition, which may be acute orchronic, ranges from mildly painful toseve re l y d i s ab l ing . adjec t iverheumat ic . I t i s cons ide redunacceptable to describe someone as“rheumatic” in a sentence such as“He/She is a rheumatic.” An acceptable

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alternative is “He/She has rheumatism.”However, using the plain adjective isoften acceptable in a sentence such as“He/She is rheumatic”. (Comparearthritis.)

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S

SCHIZOPHRENIA noun any of agroup of mental illnesses marked bymajor distortions of reality, withdrawalfrom social contact, and disturbances ofthought, language, perception andemotional response. adjectivesch izophren ic . Do no t u s e“schizophrenic” as a class noun as inphrases such as “Schizophrenics are...”or as a noun in sentences such as “He/Sheis a schizophrenic”. Use instead termslike “People with schizophrenia” andwhen describing an individual, say simply“He/She has schizophrenia”. Theprinciple is that people should not bedefined primarily or solely by theirillness/disability. However, using the plainadjective is often acceptable in a sentencesuch as “He/She is schizophrenic”.

SEEING EYE DOG noun guide dog(US proprietary name). (See guide dog;service animal.)

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SELF-HELP ORGANISATIONnoun an organisation run by a group ofpeople, including people with disabilities,to promote their own interests andbenefits and to help empower others withsimilar disabilities or situations topromote common interests and toachieve similar declared objectives.

S E L F - R E L I A N T a d j e c t i v eeconomically self-sufficient, self-confidenta n d i n d e p e n d e n t . ( S e e a l s oindependent.)

SENSORILY DISABLED adjectivedescribes collectively those people whoare visually handicapped, deaf or hardof hearing or who have some otherdisability due to the loss of a sense.

SERVICE ANIMAL noun any animaltrained to provide assistance or performtasks for the benefit of a person with aphysical or mental disability. Guide dogsare the best-known examples of serviceanimal or companion dog. These latterterms are used extensively in North

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America and Europe but less so in Asia-Pacific and other regions of the world.(See guide dog, Seeing Eye dog.)

SIGHTED adjective preferredantonym for blind or visually disabledor visually handicapped. Example:“Visual ly d isabled or v isual lyhandicapped people, unlike sightedpeople...”. Other acceptable antonymsare non-visually disabled or non-visuallyhandicapped. (Compare blind; see alsonon-visually disabled and non-visually handicapped.)

SIGNING noun the system of manualsigns for communication with and amongpeople who are deaf or hard of hearingand deaf-blind people. verb sign. (Seed e a f - a n d - d u m b l a n g u a g e . )

SIGN LANGUAGE noun See above.

SOCIAL WORKER noun trainedperson who provides professionalassistance of various kinds to families orindividuals in need because of poverty,

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handicap, disablement etc., as well asbeing an advocate and/or agent of changefrom negative attitudes against his or herclients to positive ones; sometimesinfluences agencies and national socialand health service policies.

SPASTIC adjective medical termdescribing spasms or sudden involuntarymovements. Note that the word shouldnot be used as a noun to label a personas it is offensive.

SPASTIC PARAPLEGIA nouncondi t ion , ma in ly hered i ta r y,characterised by spasticity (spasms) ofthe paralysed part of the body. Whenspeaking generally, it is acceptable torefer to a person with the condition ashaving a physical disability, or say simply“He/She has spastic paraplegia”. (Seeabove; see also cerebral palsy.)

SPECIAL NEEDS noun term used torefer to the specific needs of people withdevelopmental and similar disabilitiesand people with lower-than-average levels

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of intellectual functioning. Special needsalso addresses approaches adopted inteaching and training.

SPECIAL SCHOOL noun schoolcatering for children with special needs,generally sensorily, physically and/ormentally disabled children. (Compareinclusive education.)

SPEECH DELAY noun inability toproduce normal or age-appropriatespeech due to a disability, such as mildhearing loss, that may be corrected. Aspeech delay is not necessarily classifiedas a speech disorder.

SPEECH DISABILITY noun generalterm for any condition materiallyaffecting the action or faculty of speaking.(See stammering.)

SPEECH DISORDER noun problemwith language-processing due to cerebralpalsy, a tumour or another condition ordisability.

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SPEECH IMPAIRMENT nounspeech disability. adjective speech-impaired. (See above; see also discussionunder impairment.)

SPINA BIFIDA noun developmentalphysical disability involving the spine.

STAMMERING noun speech disabilityin which the speaker frequently repeatswords or parts of words, a conditionsometimes exacerbated by the reactionof impatient listeners. Also known asstuttering. (See speech disability.)

STIGMATISE verb pass an adversevalue judgement on a person who differsfrom us, or attach an adverse judgementon oneself because of a perceiveddeficiency. noun stigma perceiveddeficiency due to actual physicaldifferences, character blemishes orprejudice. Note that people withdisabilities are especially likely to bestigmatised and/or stereotyped;eradicating this will require changing theattitudes from negative to positive of

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society at large, of medical professionals,and of individuals, whether disabled ornon-disabled.

S T U T T E R I N G n o u n S e estammering.

SUFFER verb Do not use this word torefer to a person with a disability in asentence such as “He/She suffers fromDown syndrome”. Most disabled peopledo not think of themselves as “suffering”from their disability.

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T

TACTILE adjective describes an objectthat can be perceived using the sense oftouch.

T E T R A P L E G I A n o u n S e equadriplegia.

TEXT TELEPHONE noun machineryor equipment that employs interactivegraphic (i.e., typed) communicationsthrough the transmission of coded signalsacross the standard telephone network.Text telephones can include, for example,d e v i c e s k n o w n a s T D D s(telecommunication display devices ortelecommunication devices for deafpersons) or computers.

THERAPIST noun someone skilled inthe treatment of disease or disability,especially in a particular area. Examplesinc lude speech therap i s t andphysiotherapist.

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THERAPY noun any treatment of adisease or condition.

TOURETTE’S SYNDROME nouna syndrome involving motor and vocaltics. People with Tourette’s are sometimesprone to stigmatisation by society dueto their compulsive utterance ofvulgarities on occasion. Sometimesknown as Gilles de la Tourette’ssyndrome or disease.

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V

VICTIM noun It is inappropriate torefer to people with disabilities as“victims”, as in “He/She is a poliovictim”. People with disabilities do notlike to be perceived as victims for therest of their lives, long after any possiblevictimisation may have occurred.

VISUAL DISABILITY noun Seevisual impairment.

VISUAL HANDICAP noun Seevisual impairment.

VISUAL HEARING noun the abilityto understand someone’s speech byobserving their lip movements. Alsoknown as lip-reading. Both terms areacceptable. (See l ip-reading .)

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT nounmedical term for the condition of havinglow vision. Visual handicap is anacceptable (social) term to avoid thenegative connotations of “impairment”.

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adjective visually impaired. (Seeglaucoma, low vision, visuallyhandicapped; compare sighted; seealso discussion under impairment.)

VISUALLY HANDICAPPEDadjective describes a person with lowvision and can also refer to a blind person.However, do not use “visuallyhandicapped” as a class noun as inphrases such as “The VH or the visuallyhandicapped are...”. Use instead termslike “Visually handicapped people” ifsaving space, for example when writingfor a newspaper, or preferably “Peoplewho are visually handicapped”. Theprinciple is that people should not bedefined primarily or solely by theirdisability. However, it has relevance inphrases such as “Visually handicappeddancer”. (See also glaucoma, lowvision, visual impairment; comparesighted.)

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W

WHEELCHAIR noun mobility aidused by people with physical disabilitiesthat make walking difficult or impossible.Avoid phrases such as “Confined to awheelchair” or “wheelchair-bound”, sincewheelchair users (also sometimes knownas wheelchair r iders) view theirwheelchairs as liberating or enablingrather than confining. The word“wheelchair” or its derivatives occurs interms such as “wheelchair dancer” todescribe a performing artiste and“marathon wheeler” or “wheelchairmarathoner” to describe a marathonparticipant.

WHITE CANE noun white walking-stick carried by a blind person to locateobstacles in their path. It is occasionallyreferred to as a white stick.

WILLIAMS SYNDROME noungenetic disorder characterised by mildmental retardation, distinctive facialappearance, problems with calcium

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balance and blood vessel disease. Alsok n ow n a s Wi l l i a m s - B e u r e nsyndrome.