Chapter Three: General Terms and Definitions

Before you begin to read this guide, you need to know and understand the correct terms to use when working with people with disabilities.

Visually Impaired

People with visual impairment have a medical condition or impairment that impedes their ability to have aided or unaided vision. They may have one of the following:

• astigmatisms in one or both eyes
• low vision with unaided or aided with corrective lenses
• tunnel vision
• night blindness
• non-peripheral vision

Blind

People who are blind have a medical condition or impairment that completely impedes their ability to have aided or unaided vision. They may have:

• light blindness
• total blindness

Mobility Impaired

People with mobility impairments have a disability or medical condition that impedes their ability to stand aided or unaided without support of an assistive device. The device may be:

• wheelchair (powered or non-powered)
• walker
• cane
• leg braces with crutches
• forearm cuffs (Canadian Cuffs)
• crutches
• electric scooter

Deaf

People who are deaf may have either a medical condition or impairment that impedes their ability to hear. Not all people who are deaf can read lips.

Hard of Hearing

People who are hard of hearing may have been born hard of hearing or have lost their ability to hear later in life. They may use one of the following assistive devices:

• cochlear implant
• hearing aid

However, when they take out these assistive devices they are deaf.