¶ … hear the word 'disability' is someone in a wheelchair or someone whose mobility is otherwise restricted because of his or her physical condition. Upon further reflection, I would also consider someone who is blind or hard of hearing to be 'disabled.' Of course, not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye. For example, someone who is epileptic can be said to have a disability, even though when he or she is not having a seizure he or she seems normal. People who are autistic, particularly those who are high-functioning, might not seem to be disabled at all, until intimate relationships develop with the person and their social deficits become evident. Of course, the term 'disability' is itself problematic, given that it has been taken to mean 'inferior' rather than simply 'different from most abled persons.'...

Unfortunately, the use of the word 'retarded' in such a manner reinforces the conception that developmentally challenged individuals are somehow inferior, given that the implication is that it is 'bad' to be referred to as retarded. Even people who have developmental disabilities often have great strengths, such as their interpersonal qualities, devotion to a particular subject matter,…