For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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 People First Language 
 
 
"The difference between the right word
and the almost right word is the difference
between lightning and the lightning bug."
                                    ~Mark Twain
 
 
  
What  is People First Language?
 
People First Language is the respectful way to speak about people with disabilities by putting the person before the disability.  The disability is only one part of the whole person.  People First Language allows for the focus to be on the person and their strengths, abilities and potential to realize their dreams.  When we put the disability first, we unfairly, and probably unconsciously, label the individual, and labels contribute to negative stereotypes.  Unless it is significant to the conversation, you don't even need to refer to the disability.  Remember to concentrate on getting to know the person - not the disability.
 
Examples - People First Language
 Say:Instead of:

person with a disability, people with cognitive (or intellectual) disabilities

physically challenged, intellectually challenged, retarded 

person with a disability, people with disabilities

handicapped person, the handicapped, handicapped

person with a physical disability, person who uses a wheelchair

crippled, confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair bound, wheelchair use

person with epilepsy, person with a seizure disorder

epileptic 

person with Down syndrome

mongoloid 

person who is deaf, person who

is nonverbal, person who uses

an alternative communication

deaf and dumb, deaf mute 

person with cerebral palsy

cerebral palsied, spastic 

    -from Guide to Understanding Developmental Disabilities published by the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities   http://www.nc-ddc.org/