Emphasizing abilities over limitations promotes which approach?

• A. Emphasize abilities over limitations
• B. Focus on limitations
• C. Describe disabilities first
• D. Use complex jargon

Answer: (A)

Emphasizing abilities over limitations reflects a strengths-based, person-centered way of thinking. By focusing on what a person can do—skills, talents, and potential—you foster empowerment, motivation, and engagement. This framing helps set goals around expanding capabilities and designing supports that build on those strengths, which supports participation and inclusion in education, work, and daily life. In contrast, fixating on limitations or describing disabilities first can create a deficit mindset that undermines confidence and can hinder participation. Using jargon or unnecessary complexity doesn’t address how people function day to day and can create barriers rather than clarity.