Use "People First" Language
Refer to the individual first, then to his or her disability, when it is relevant and appropriate. Say "person with a disability" rather than "disabled person".
The following terms should be avoided in a disability context because they have negative meanings:
| Labels Not to Use | People First Language |
| The handicapped or the disabled | People with disabilities |
| The mentally retarded or he is retarted | People with mental retardation or he has a cognitive impairment |
| The autistic child | The child has autism |
| She is Down's; she is mongoloid | She has Down Syndrome |
| Birth defect | Has a congenital disability |
| Epileptic | A person with epilepsy |
| Wheelchair-bound or confined to a wheelchair | Uses a wheelchair or mobility chair, or is a wheelchair user |
| She is developmentally delayed | She has a developmental delay |
| He is crippled or lame | He has a physical disability |
| She is a dwarf or midget | She has short stature, she is a little person |
| Mute | Communicates with her eyes/device, etc. |
| Is learning disabled | Has a learning disability |
| Normal and/or healthy | A person without a disability |
| Quadriplegic, paraplegic, etc. | He has quadriplegia, paraplegia, etc. |
| She is in Special Ed | She receives Special Ed services |
| Handicapped parking, hotel room, etc. | Accessible parking, hotel room, etc. |
| Client, consumer, recipient, etc. (e.g., when a person is making a purchase at a store) | Customer |
| Afflicted with, suffers from, a victim of | A person who has... |
| She is emotionally disturbed; she is crazy | She has an emotional disability |