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The Americans with Disabilities Act, other laws and the efforts of
many disability organizations have made strides in improving accessibility in
buildings, increasing access to education, opening employment opportunities and
developing realistic portrayals of persons with disabilities in television
programming and motion pictures. Where progress is still needed is in
communication and interaction with people with disabilities. Individuals are
sometimes concerned that they will say the wrong thing, so they say nothing at
allthus further segregating people with disabilities. Listed here are
some suggestions on how to relate to and communicate with and about people with
disabilities.
Words
Positive language empowers. When writing or speaking about people
with disabilities, it is important to put the person first. Group designations
such as "the blind," "the retarded" or "the disabled" are inappropriate because
they do not reflect the individuality, equality or dignity of people with
disabilities. Further, words like "normal person" imply that the person with a
disability isn't normal, whereas "person without a disability" is descriptive
but not negative. The accompanying chart shows examples of positive and
negative phrases.
person with an intellectual, cognitive, developmental
disability |
retarded; mentally defective |
person who is blind, person who is visually
impaired |
the blind |
person with a disability |
the disabled; handicapped |
person who is deaf |
the deaf; deaf and dumb |
person who is hard of hearing |
suffers a hearing loss |
person who has multiple sclerosis |
afflicted by MS |
person with cerebral palsy |
CP victim |
person with epilepsy, person with seizure
disorder |
epileptic |
person who uses a wheelchair |
confined or restricted to a wheelchair |
person who has muscular dystrophy |
stricken by MD |
person with a physical disability, physically
disabled |
crippled; lame; deformed |
unable to speak, uses synthetic speech |
dumb; mute |
person with psychiatric disability |
crazy; nuts |
person who is successful, productive |
has overcome his/her disability; is courageous (when it
implies the person has courage because of having a disability) |
Actions
Etiquette considered appropriate when interacting with people with
disabilities is based primarily on respect and courtesy. Outlined below are
tips to help you in communicating with persons with disabilities.
General Tips for Communicating with People with
Disabilities
- When introduced to a person with a disability, it is
appropriate to offer to shake hands. People with limited hand use or who wear
an artificial limb can usually shake hands. (Shaking hands with the left hand
is an acceptable greeting.)
- If you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted. Then
listen to or ask for instructions.
- Treat adults as adults. Address people who have disabilities by
their first names only when extending the same familiarity to all others.
- Relax. Don't be embarrassed if you happen to use common
expressions such as "See you later," or "Did you hear about that?" that seem to
relate to a person's disability.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions when you're unsure of what to
do.
Tips for Communicating with Individuals Who are Blind or
Visually Impaired
- Speak to the individual when you approach him or her.
- State clearly who you are; speak in a normal tone of voice.
- When conversing in a group, remember to identify yourself and
the person to whom you are speaking.
- Never touch or distract a service dog without first asking the
owner.
- Tell the individual when you are leaving.
- Do not attempt to lead the individual without first asking;
allow the person to hold your arm and control her or his own movements.
- Be descriptive when giving directions; verbally give the
person information that is visually obvious to individuals who can see. For
example, if you are approaching steps, mention how many steps.
- If you are offering a seat, gently place the individual's hand
on the back or arm of the chair so that the person can locate the seat.
Tips for Communicating with Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of
Hearing
- Gain the person's attention before starting a conversation
(i.e., tap the person gently on the shoulder or arm).
- Look directly at the individual, face the light, speak
clearly, in a normal tone of voice, and keep your hands away from your face.
Use short, simple sentences. Avoid smoking or chewing gum.
- If the individual uses a sign language interpreter, speak
directly to the person, not the interpreter.
- If you telephone an individual who is hard of hearing, let the
phone ring longer than usual. Speak clearly and be prepared to repeat the
reason for the call and who you are.
- If you do not have a Text Telephone (TTY), dial 711 to reach
the national telecommunications relay service, which facilitates the call
between you and an individual who uses a TTY.
Tips for Communicating with Individuals with Mobility
Impairments
- If possible, put yourself at the wheelchair user's eye level.
- Do not lean on a wheelchair or any other assistive device.
- Never patronize people who use wheelchairs by patting them on
the head or shoulder.
- Do not assume the individual wants to be pushed ask
first.
- Offer assistance if the individual appears to be having
difficulty opening a door.
- If you telephone the individual, allow the phone to ring
longer than usual to allow extra time for the person to reach the telephone.
Tips for Communicating with Individuals with Speech Impairments
- If you do not understand something the individual says, do not
pretend that you do. Ask the individual to repeat what he or she said and then
repeat it back.
- Be patient. Take as much time as necessary.
- Try to ask questions which require only short answers or a nod
of the head.
- Concentrate on what the individual is saying.
- Do not speak for the individual or attempt to finish her or
his sentences.
- If you are having difficulty understanding the individual,
consider writing as an alternative means of communicating, but first ask the
individual if this is acceptable.
Tips for Communicating with Individuals with Cognitive
Disabilities
- If you are in a public area with many distractions, consider
moving to a quiet or private location.
- Be prepared to repeat what you say, orally or in writing.
- Offer assistance completing forms or understanding written
instructions and provide extra time for decision-making. Wait for the
individual to accept the offer of assistance; do not "over-assist" or be
patronizing.
- Be patient, flexible and supportive. Take time to understand
the individual and make sure the individual understands you.
Remember
- Relax.
- Treat the individual with dignity, respect and courtesy.
- Listen to the individual.
- Offer assistance but do not insist or be offended if your
offer is not accepted.
Information for this fact sheet came from the Office of Disability
Employment Policy; the Media Project, Research and Training Center on
Independent Living, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; and the National Center
for Access Unlimited, Chicago, IL.
October 1995 Updated August 2002 |