Writing About People With Disabilities
Writing About People With Disabilities
Editor’s Note: Many of us unknowingly carry prejudices and misconceptions about people with disabilities. Sometimes, these are magnified in the media. This page was developed to put the media in touch with credible sources on people with disabilities and related issues. Most of the resources are contributions of Dr. Clyde Shideler, executive director of CE Disabled Services in San Luis Rey, Calif., and Marcia Carlson and Thomas Link of the University of Wisconsin.
National Center on Disability and Journalism
An independent journalism organization, its mission is “to educate journalists and educators about disability reporting issues in order to produce more accurate, fair and diverse news reporting.” Lists programs, links, mailing lists, etc.
National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
Temple University Institute on Disabilities
ADL: Brief History of the Disability Rights Movement
Disability Rights Timeline
From Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities
Journalist’s Resource: Four Tips for Reporting on People With Disabilities
Amputee-Coalition.org
Includes an OPAC that deals with limb loss, its secondary conditions and causes. A useful source for health reporters.
NY Times: How to Report With Care on Disability
American Foundation for the Blind: Reporter Resources
National Disabled Law Students Association
NDLSA is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to advocating for and empowering disabled law students, recent law school graduates, legal professionals and their allies. NDLSA works to educate the abled word on the challenges experienced by disabled law students and disabled bar exam takers. With over 30 affiliate organizations, NDLSA works to build and strengthen the disabled community within the broader legal field.
The Verge: Tech Journalism’s Accessibility Problem
GIJN: Reporting Guide to Investigating Disability Issues
Data.CMS.gov
A valuable resource if you’re writing about nursing homes.
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
Information about rare diseases.
Special Olympics
Volunteer, coaching information, stories, press releases, etc.
John P. Kennedy Foundation for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Volulunteer, coaching information, stories, press releases, etc.
Media Guide: Your Language Matters When Writing About Mental Illness
A two-page guide to help journalists choose respectful, neutral language when covering mental health issues. From the Mental Health Association of Portland.
National Center on Disability and Journalism Disability Language Style Guide
This guide covers more than 200 disability words and phrases, many not addressed in the AP guide. As far as we are aware it is the most comprehensive guide currently available. Also offered in Spanish.
National Center for Disabilities and Journalism
Institute for Community Inclusion: State Data Online
This Web site generates customized charts of state, national, and individual disability data. Accessible text versions are automatically created by the charting software. The site currently includes data sets from state mental retardation/developmental disabilities agencies, the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
National Rehabilitation Information Center
An abundance of disability and rehabilitation-oriented information organized in a variety of formats designed to make it easy for users to find and use.
Not Dead Yet
Spearheaded by Coleman and Drake, this group organizes people with disabilities nationally to protest assisted suicide.
Center for Research on Women with Disabilities
Focuses on issues related to health, aging, civil rights, abuse, and independent living. Located at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas.
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Representing 92 rape crisis/rape prevention programs and allied members, this association offers resources and staff to answer questions on sexual abuse of persons with disabilities.
The Center for an Accessible Society
This site claims to “help journalists find quality information and sources.”
Little People of America, Inc.
MadNation
A mental health site.
Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation
EDS is a connective tissue disorder that can be severely disabling and, in one form, deadly.
EDS Today
EDS is a connective tissue disorder that can be severely disabling and, in one form, deadly.
Ehlers-Danlos Support Group (UK)
EDS is a connective tissue disorder that can be severely disabling and, in one form, deadly.
ICFJ: How Disinformation and Hate Fuel Online Attacks Against Women Journalists
Key organizations and government agencies
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: National Institute of Health
Civil Rights Data Collection
The Civil Rights Data Collection is a biennial survey required by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights since 1968. It collects data from a universe of all public local educational agencies and schools, including juvenile justice facilities, charter schools, alternative schools and schools serving students with disabilities.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
National Council on Disability
National Federation for the Blind
The American Association on Mental Retardation
National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke
ADA Technical Assistance Program
National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation, Inc.
Equal Opportunity Publications
Employment opportunities, online resume database, magazines, etc.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
Employment opportunities, online resume database, magazines, etc.
San Antonio Disability Handbook
For etiquette, and “people first” language.
Assistive technology and assistance dogs
TalkingSigns.com
“Talking signs” for the blind and others unable to read print.
Web Accessibility Initiative Web Content Guidelines
“Accessible Blog” on Web Design
Bookshare.org Digital Books
Web-based digital library of electronic books.
Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Little People of America, Inc.
National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation, Inc.
Information About Service Horses
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
International Journalists’ Network: Tips to Make Your Visual Journalism More Accessible
Disability research studies
University of Hawaii, Center on Disability Studies
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Legal issues
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Law: Attorney Pete Wright
Findlaw.com: Case Law
Legal assistance for people with disabilities.
Autism/cognitive disabilities
Cognitive Designs Adaptive Technology Software
Attention Control Systems, Inc.
Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT)
Center for the Study of Autism
Learning disabilities
PBS: Misunderstood Minds
This companion site to the documentary “explores the controversial realm of learning disabilities with video, case studies, and tests that demonstrate what it’s like to live with a learning problem.”
Text-to-speech resources
Text to Voice and Conversion to MP3
Mental health and chronic migraines
Center for Mental Health Services
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Cleveland Clinic Research Center for Headaches
Achenet.org: Research on Headaches
Deaf/hard of hearing
HandSpeak.com Sign Language Site
DeafEd.net
Resources for educators teaching students with a hearing.
National Black Deaf Americans
Cultural issues related to deafness and African Americans.
Cochlear Implant Association Inc.
Demystifying Assistive Listening Devices
Deaf Linx
An extensive resource page with info on hearing loss, deaf culture, ASL and more.
Blind/low vision
National Federation for the Blind
American Foundation for the Blind
Library of Congress: National Library Service for Blind and Physically Handicapped
Telecommunication access
Allergy/chemical sensitivity