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Disability Awareness

It’s about inclusion. Open your mind. Equality for all.

Testimonial

by Mighty Crazy, Calypsonian and Entertainer

Testimonial

by Deryck Murray, Former West Indies Cricketer

Testimonial

by Denyse Plummer, Calypsonian and Entertainer

ETIQUETTE: COMMUNICATING WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Please observe these basic principles when meeting and greeting persons with disabilities so as to avoid embarrassing mistakes and assumptions which may offend and reinforce discrimination against people with disabilities.

GUIDELINES

Practice some Do’s and Don’ts
See below for full guidelines

LANGUAGE

Using appropriate language is polite and promotes equality; using inappropriate language causes offence. Language should emphasise the person first and the disability second.

Tip 1

Use words which stress equality, dignity and active participation

Tip 2

Use terms such as persons with disabilities or differently-abled persons rather than the disabled”

Tip 3

Use terms such as person using a wheelchair, rather than wheelchair bound or confined to a wheelchair

Tip 4

Use terms which do not refer to the person as his/her condition. Medical terms, such as dyslexic, do not reflect a person’s abilities. If a person’s condition must be referred to, identify the person first and the condition after e.g. a person with dyslexia.

Tip 9

Use little person rather than midget

Tip 5

User person without a disability rather than normal, healthy or able-bodied; Condition rather than disease or defect

Tip 6

Visually impaired rather than blind if a person is not completely blind

Tip 7

Instead of saying someone is crippled with, suffering from or afflicted with say, for example: John has epilepsy rather than John is suffering from epilepsy

Tip 8

Use congenital disability rather than birth defect

No No

DO NOT USE WORDS LIKE:

Victim, cripple, deformed, invalid

Dumb, deaf, mute, blind as a bat, pitiful

Poor, moron, feeble-minded

MEETING AND GREETING

Do's

  • Shake a person's hand
  • Offer assistance but wait until it is accepted and provide help in the way the person requested - don't be offended by a refusal.
  • Treat people as individuals and treat adults as adults.
  • As far as possible, speak to persons with disabilities directly and not via their assistants.
  • Ask how a person wants to communicate e.g. if they may want to lip-read, speak slowly and clearly; emphasise with gestures and facial expressions; face the light and don't cover your mouth.
  • When speaking with persons who are blind and visually impaired, introduce yourself and other people who are present and indicate their location.
  • When assisting persons who are blind and visually impaired, identify the physical outlay of the environment.
  • Remember you can use common expressions such as "see you tomorrow" or "good to see you" with persons who are visually impaired.

Don'ts

  • Lean on a person's wheelchair.
  • Make assumptions about how someone wishes to be treated.
  • Ask personal or medical questions.
  • Talk down - try to get at the wheelchair user's eye level.
  • Shout at people who are deaf or hearing impaired but position yourself in their vision and attract their attention with a light touch or wave.
  • Grab a person who is blind or visually impaired to guide them; let them take your arm; warn them about steps, doors and other obstacles.

OVERALL ATTITUDES AND APPROACHES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

You may sometimes find that you are apprehensive about how you should behave towards a person with a disability. Always remember that every person is different and some may find it easier to interact with some as opposed to others. Always remember that a person with a disability is a person. He or she is like anyone else, except for the challenges that his or her disability presents.

HOW TO HELP

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Introduce yourself and offer assistance.

Treat people as you would like to be treated

Be courteous but not condescending.
Do not show pity for persons with disabilities. It is demoralising.
Assist persons with disabilities when necessary or requested but do not discourage their active participation.
Persons with disabilities are NOT a homogenous group and have a wide variety of skills and personalities. We are all individuals.
Respect a person’s dignity by allowing him or her to do what he or she wants to do for him or herself.
Persons with disabilities are not sick, incompetent, dependent, unintelligent or contagious.

A little help goes a long way!

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