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30-Second Training:

ACCESS SERIES

How should you refer to a customer with adisability when talking to a colleague?

By their name, or if I don’t know their name by using “People

First” language.

As “the learning disabled kid who wants to be a _______”

(fill in the blank: “CNA”, “Over-the-Road-Trucker”, etc…)

As “that nice wheelchair guy who always brings in muffins”.

Wheelchair guy? Really?

If he’s nice enough to bring in muffins,

the least you can do is find a better way

to describe him.

Hint: If you asked him to describe

himself, do you think he would call

himself “Muffin Guy”? Probably not,

and even if he did, that is his

prerogative – not yours!

This isn’t the correct answer to the question.

Please try again…

Wrong…

“The learning disabled kid…” is

probably not how his mother or

friends would describe him. To them,

he is more than his disability, and

they probably don’t consider that to

be his most defining characteristic.

You can do better…

Please try again!

That’s not right…

Positive language empowers. When writing or speaking about people with

disabilities, it is important to put the person first. Group designations such as

"the blind," "the retarded“ or "the disabled" are inappropriate because they do

not reflect the individuality, equality or dignity of people with disabilities.

Further, words like "normal person" imply that the person with a disability isn't

normal, whereas "person without a disability" is descriptive but not negative.

Individuals are sometimes concerned that they will say the wrong thing, so they

say nothing at all—thus further segregating people with disabilities.

Check out this chart to see examples of

positive and negative phrases.

CORRECT!

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