What is the People First Language equivalent for 'She's non-verbal'?

What is the People First Language equivalent for 'She's non-verbal'?

• A. She communicates with her eyes, a device, or other methods.
• B. She cannot speak.
• C. She is non-speaking.
• D. She talks using sign language.

Answer: (A)

This focuses on People First Language for describing how a person communicates instead of labeling them by a disability. When someone doesn’t use spoken language, the emphasis should be on the communication methods they use. Saying “She communicates with her eyes, a device, or other methods” centers the person and acknowledges the supports that enable communication, rather than defining her by the limitation. It recognizes that multiple ways of communicating may be used, including eye gaze, assistive technology, gestures, writing, or sign language. The other phrasings define the person by what they cannot do or assume a single method. “She cannot speak” and “She is non-speaking” label the person by a limitation, which reduces the individual to a disability. “She talks using sign language” might be true for some, but it implies sign language is the only or primary method and doesn’t account for other ways she may communicate.

This focuses on People First Language for describing how a person communicates instead of labeling them by a disability. When someone doesn’t use spoken language, the emphasis should be on the communication methods they use. Saying “She communicates with her eyes, a device, or other methods” centers the person and acknowledges the supports that enable communication, rather than defining her by the limitation. It recognizes that multiple ways of communicating may be used, including eye gaze, assistive technology, gestures, writing, or sign language.

The other phrasings define the person by what they cannot do or assume a single method. “She cannot speak” and “She is non-speaking” label the person by a limitation, which reduces the individual to a disability. “She talks using sign language” might be true for some, but it implies sign language is the only or primary method and doesn’t account for other ways she may communicate.