Having attended a lecture by a lecturer who has a disability his ability to make us see that it is society that disables people and not the disability. I came away with a fresh attitude and view on this whole area.the lack of effort put into building design street design and public transport design is more disables my than any disability an individual has. As Lon as we can manage and are alright it doesn't matter about others. Spending 3 hours in one of his workshops on disability is an eye opener the time flew and despite suffering from cerebral palsy the man had an intellect and wit which any student blessed to have a workshop with him would walk away a wiser more discerning individual who rather than looking at what the disabled person could not do looks at how the environment and surrounding area are actual more disabling for the person than their condition. He allowed us through games and icebreakers to observe how society disables people by putting restrictions in their way or dictating what they can or cannot do. If Peter had listened to all the restrictions in his journey the college in Sligo would have been the poorer. A brilliant genius who's 3 hour workshop only felt like a one hour session. I could have spent all day lusteni g and learning from him as he advocated for disabled peoples rights to access buildings transport and education the same as every other individual in society can

Having attended a lecture by a lecturer who has a disability his ability to make us see that it is society that disables people and not the disability. I came away with a fresh attitude and view on this whole area.the lack of effort put into building design street design and public transport design is more disables my than any disability an individual has. As Lon as we can manage and are alright it doesn't matter about others. Spending 3 hours in one of his workshops on disability is an eye opener the time flew and despite suffering from cerebral palsy the man had an intellect and wit which any student blessed to have a workshop with him would walk away a wiser more discerning individual who rather than looking at what the disabled person could not do looks at how the environment and surrounding area are actual more disabling for the person than their condition. He allowed us through games and icebreakers to observe how society disables people by putting restrictions in their way or dictating what they can or cannot do. If Peter had listened to all the restrictions in his journey the college in Sligo would have been the poorer. A brilliant genius who's 3 hour workshop only felt like a one hour session. I could have spent all day lusteni g and learning from him as he advocated for disabled peoples rights to access buildings transport and education the same as every other individual in society can

Dear Deborah, My graduate student recently completed her MA on the history of Canadian physical activity guidelines for individuals living with a spinal cord injury. I agree with the previous commentator, it is not a change in terminology that will shift our mindset, attitude and perceptions. In her thesis, she explored the limits of creating PA programs based on a medical model of rehabilitation and rehabilitating bodies to be closer to performance expectations for those without a spinal cord injury. Through the lens of a critical disability studies framework, the goal is to provide sufficent access, resources, opportunities to participate in the types of PA programs we know are most successful long-term: when individuals enjoy the experience, love or have passion for the sport/exercise or with the people they share this exercise/sport experience, 

Dear All.

As members of RG, it is good to know that we are researchers since this is how RG presents its members. But being researchers is really about the extent to which we reflect on the issues bearing on our invidual communities. That is, we must be the pioneering reformers of misconceived mindsets they wear. The backdrop of seeing physically incapacitated persons as DISABLED is a reflection of the ignorance in our society. A person physically incapacitated is still CAPABLE in the Emotional Self, Memory Self, Mental Self and in the Spirit Self. But concerning ourselves with just the Physical Self, a person is still capable as long as the person has not become a vegetable. We are all witnesses to the extent of advancements in the field of technology for physically impaired persons. I use Microsoft Lumia 535 Wundows Phone device. I can configure it to talk to me or receive verbal instructions from me. The Adobe  Reader program can read to the listening of a person any loaded document.

The whole of this is all about CONSCOIUSNESS or AWARENESS. The term DISABLED is derogatory, but being seen as DIFFERENTLY-ABLED is more HUMAN. Back in 2006, on a bus ride from Ojuelegba to Ikeja in Lagos, I sat beside a blind young lady not even realizing that she was blind. It was the probing questions from the bewilded lady sitting on her left wondering at how she manages through the congested city of Lagos that drew my attention. From this blind lady, she was still going to Agege from Ikeja and she had been to Okomaiko, then to Marina in Lagos before coming down to Ojuelegba, with no walking stick and no guide. This lady has BLUNTLY REFUSED to be referred to as DISABLED.

At this juncture, let me add another classical case documented in a 2002 TV Movie called "Door To Door". Attached is the TV Movie caption as seen on IMDb website.

The Laws of Polarity and Affinity underlies the fact that as researchers, if we are more interested in solutions, then ideas will flow into our subjective world. But if we are more critical in our views, then ideas will keep their distances. So, it is important to embrace innovations, thoughts, views and programs that will help the differently-abled be more self-reliant.

Thanks All.

Dear deborah

In Indonesia  the term "differently-abled" can not  replaced "disabled". To be honest

For me  the use of a terminology of term "differently-abled is referring someone who is able to do one thing and other can do different thing. I mean Joko can write,  Yaya can read. also can be given one thing, Joko can write well, Yaya can write. these are all can be "said "differently-abled

but disabled Amir can sing a song, Mina can not sing a song. I can say mina is disable

thank you

Differently-abled

Many learners also have cognitive impairments, and have to learn in a different manner. While these challenges are real, with Assistive Technology it is possible to provide avenues of immersive learning for learners who deal with these challenges every day.

http://www.gc-solutions.net/blog/assistive-technology-creating-new-possibilities-for-differently-abled-learners/

Implications for Instruction and Assessment

Although large gaps still exist in performance between special education students and their peers without disabilities, there is now a better understanding about these students, their opportunities to learn, and what can be expected of them. Much has also been learned about what needs to change in their instruction, access to the curriculum, and in assessments in order to first see their achievement increase dramatically, and then to capture that achievement on inclusive assessments.

http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/onlinepubs/Martha_Thurlow-Meeting_the_Needs_of_Special_Education_Students.pdf

There has been many debates on this issue of whether it is Person with disability or differntly abled. One blog post which provides an interesting read on this is

How "Differently Abled" Marginalizes Disabled People

https://www.autistichoya.com/2013/08/differently-abled.html

My own view is that I would like to be called as PwD rather than a DA. Even the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities use the term PwDs. In India the term DA is more in use, or rather the term Specially Abled, but in the last few years I am seeing some changes as many instituttions have started to use the word Persons with Disabilities.

As coming out from some earlier answers also, I think the biggest issue is people's awareness. they feel that Disability means absaence of ability while the right word in such a case, in my view is 'Inability'. The better word as antonym of 'Disable' would be 'Enable' which is in sync with the social model of disability.

Pour ma part, je fais mien cette terminologie (en français: « personne autrement capable »), car elle oriente l'attention vers les capacités des personnes (et non pas leurs incapacités). Ce choix terminologique n'annule pas la pertinence de l'approche micro-écologique des handicaps, contruite à partir du concept de « situation (in)capacitante ».