Universal Design

People First Language on the Web

When discussing Universal website Design, we have to rethink the way we speak about users. The Arc, an organization that advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, discusses a great way to respectfully speak about people with disabilities. People First Language is a major step forward in communication about people with disabilities as well as all other groups of people. You should focus on respectfully speaking about users, no matter their age, ability, or web literacy. Using People First Language is one way you can get rid of negative stereotypes and move users toward a more inclusive web experience.

New Ways of Speaking

This table shows some ways to reword phrases and sayings to emphasize people, not disabilities. Using this sort of wording on websites will show people that the designer is aware of these issues and is working towards a better future, one word at a time. Here are some examples Kathie Snow of Disability is Natural gives for how to use People First Language.