Which option correctly describes wheelchair accessibility designation in People First Language?

Which option correctly describes wheelchair accessibility designation in People First Language?

• A. Nora cannot walk.
• B. Nora uses a wheelchair or mobility chair.
• C. Nora is wheelchair bound.
• D. Nora is confined to a wheelchair.

Answer: (B)

People First Language puts the person before the disability and treats assistive devices as tools, not defining labels. Saying Nora uses a wheelchair or mobility chair acknowledges that the wheelchair is something Nora uses to help her move, while still recognizing Nora as a person with her own abilities and needs. It avoids reducing Nora to her disability or implying she is permanently limited. The other phrasings describe Nora by her impairment or cast her as restricted or dependent, which can feel demeaning or inaccurate. “Cannot walk” states a condition but still focuses on the limitation rather than the person and their use of an aid; “wheelchair bound” and “confined to a wheelchair” imply permanence and lessen Nora’s personhood. So the phrase that centers Nora as a person who uses a wheelchair is the most respectful and accurate People First Language.

People First Language puts the person before the disability and treats assistive devices as tools, not defining labels. Saying Nora uses a wheelchair or mobility chair acknowledges that the wheelchair is something Nora uses to help her move, while still recognizing Nora as a person with her own abilities and needs. It avoids reducing Nora to her disability or implying she is permanently limited.

The other phrasings describe Nora by her impairment or cast her as restricted or dependent, which can feel demeaning or inaccurate. “Cannot walk” states a condition but still focuses on the limitation rather than the person and their use of an aid; “wheelchair bound” and “confined to a wheelchair” imply permanence and lessen Nora’s personhood.

So the phrase that centers Nora as a person who uses a wheelchair is the most respectful and accurate People First Language.