58 NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Nova Southeastern University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, most recently updated in 2010. According to the act, qualified individuals with disabilities shall not be excluded from participation in; be denied the benefits of; or be subjected to discrimination in any activity, service, or program of the university, solely by reason of their disability. According to the ADA, a person with a disability is someone who • has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, • has a history or record of such an impairment (such as cancer that is in remission), or • is perceived by others as having such an impairment (such as a person who has scars from a severe burn). Some examples of disabilities include cancer, diabetes, post-traumatic stress disorder, HIV, autism, cerebral palsy, deafness or hearing loss, blindness or low vision, epilepsy, mobility disabilities (e.g., requiring the use of a wheelchair, walker, or cane), intellectual disabilities, major depressive disorder, or traumatic brain injury. The ADA covers many other disabilities not listed here. For more information, visit ada.gov or scan the QR code here. WRITING, FORMATTING, AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) The ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities. This includes how you format your publications and websites, as well as the language you use. Avoiding Inappropriate Language Writing about disability is complicated and requires sensitivity. If you are in doubt about how to refer to a person, ask the person. When possible, refer to a person’s specific condition. Disabled is a general term for a physical, mental, developmental, or intellectual disability. Avoid describing someone as handicapped. Some other tips to help keep your writing inclusive are below. • Refer to a person’s disability only when it’s relevant to the story you are telling. • Avoid language that implies pity, such as afflicted with or suffers from. • Avoid using normal to refer to someone who does not have a disability. Typical is a better choice. This can be used with abilities (typically abled), or with ways the brain works (neurotypical, which is aligned with neurodiversity, including people with autism, bipolar disorder, intellectual or cognitive disabilities, and dyslexia). • Avoid confusing diseases or injuries (something you contract from the environment) with genetic conditions (something you are born with). • Avoid made-up words like diversability and handicapable, unless using them in direct quotes or to refer to a movement or organization. • Be sensitive when using words like disorder, impairment, abnormality, and special to describe the nature of a disability. Condition may be a good substitute that avoids judgment.
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