Communicating about disability

When thinking about style guides I’d say the majority of people think “ah yes, that will tell me whether to capitalise ‘the Department’ and the correct shade of blue for the title font.” And they will, but that's only one type of style guide. In essence, style guides are tools to shape consistent and clear communication. This particular style guide is designed to shape communication about disability.

It is imperative in my work as a researcher/designer (and in general as a human being) to be respectful when working with and representing the experiences of people with disability. Writing about disability is complex and needs to be done with sensitivity.

“If you are in doubt about how to refer to a person, ask the person. And if you can’t ask the person, don’t avoid writing about disability. Use this guide. Do your best.”
— Amy Silverman, National Center on Disability and Journalism

Some elements are specific to the US, but most of it is universal, based on principles like ‘Refer to a disability only when it’s relevant to the story’ and ‘use people-first language where possible’. Read the full guide here.