October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement.
Language, perceptions, and social norms change rapidly, so it’s becoming increasingly difficult for professional communicators to figure out how to refer to people with disabilities. Even the term “disability” is not universally accepted.
The National Center on Disability and Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication has created a style guide, updated in the summer of 2021, which covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability.
Here are a few basic guidelines from the resource:
Refer to a disability only when it’s relevant to the story and, when possible, confirm the diagnosis with a reputable source, such as a medical professional or other licensed professional.
When possible, ask sources how they would like to be described. If the source is not available or unable to communicate, ask a trusted family member, advocate, medical professional or relevant organization that represents people with disabilities.
Avoid made-up words like “diversability” and “handicapable” unless using them in direct quotes or to refer to a movement or organization.
Be sensitive when using words like “disorder,” “impairment,” “abnormality” and “special” to describe the nature of a disability. The word “condition” is often a good substitute that avoids judgment. But note that there is no universal agreement on the use of these terms — not even close. “Disorder” is ubiquitous when it comes to medical references; and the same is true for “special” when used in “special education,” so there may be times when it’s appropriate to use them. But proceed with caution.
Similarly, there is not really a good way to describe the nature of a condition. As you’ll see below, “high functioning” and “low functioning” are considered offensive. “Severe” implies judgment; “significant” might be better. Again, proceed with caution.
You can download the entire style guide, which covers specific terms and phrases, here as a PDF.
And as a note of interest, Connecticut will virtually host its 9th Annual Disability Employment Resource Fair on October 22.