The Access Centre

Words with Dignity

Language matters. Help contribute to a community of respect:

• Instead of "Access Centre student(s)", use "student(s) registered with the Access Centre or Access Centre registrant(s)".
• Instead of "(the) disabled", use "people/persons with disabilities".
• Instead of "learning disabled or learning difficulty", use "person with a learning disability".
• Instead of "mentally ill", use "person with a mental illness".
• Instead of "crippled by, afflicted with, or suffers from...", use "person who has… or person with…".
• Instead of "physically challenged, invalid, crippled, victim, or sufferer", use "person with a disability".
• Instead of "lame or mobility impaired", use "person who has mobility impairment".
• Instead of "confined, bound, restricted or dependent on a wheelchair", use "person who uses a wheelchair".
• Instead of "normal", use "able-bodied or non-disabled".
• Instead of "deaf and dumb, deaf mute or hearing impaired", use "person who is hard of hearing or deaf".
• Instead of "visually impaired", use "person with a visual impairment, blind or partially sighted".
• Instead of "disabled sport", use "sport for athletes with disabilities".
• Instead of "disabled community", use "disability community".