disabled

1 unable to use a part of your body completely or easily because of a physical condition, illness, injury, etc.; unable to learn easily: physically / mentally disabled * severely disabled * He was born disabled. * facilities for disabled people * Does the theatre have disabled access? 2 (the disabled) noun [pl.] people who are disabled: caring for the sick, elderly and disabled ______________________________ WHICHWORD? disabled / handicapped Disabled is the most generally accepted term to refer to people with a permanent illness or injury that makes it difficult for them to use part of their body completely or easily. Handicapped is slightly old-fashioned and many people now think it is offensive. People also now prefer to use the word disability rather than handicap. The expression disabled people is often preferred to the disabled because it sounds more personal. Disabled and disability can be used with other words to talk about a mental condition: mentally disabled * learning disabilities. If somebody's ability to hear, speak or see has been damaged but not destroyed completely, they have impaired hearing/speech/sight (or vision). They can be described as visually/hearing impaired or partially sighted: The museum has special facilities for blind and partially sighted visitors. ______________________________