Disability Etiquette 101

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Disability Etiquette 101

• Presented by
• Statewide Disability Coordinator for Emergency
  Management
• Florida Division of Emergency Managtement
• 850-413-9969

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Approximately 2.5 million people in the
  United States are legally blind meaning that
  even with corrective lenses, they have less than
  20/200 visual acuity or that their visual field
  is 20 degrees or less, regardless of acuity. Many
  of them have some residual vision. Less than 10
  of blind people use Braille for reading many
  people who are legally blind are able to read
  large print.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Many have low vision. Many have eyesight that
  is better than 20/200 or a visual field that is
  greater than 20 degrees, but they have some
  significant impairment that substantially limits
  their ability to see well under different
  circumstances.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Visual impairment does not necessarily mean an
  individual is legally blind or totally blind. It
  could mean a dependency on glasses, contact
  lenses, etc.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Many people who are blind or who have low vision
  wear very thick glasses or very dark sunglasses.
  Others carry white canes. Still others use
  service animals such as guide dogs.
• Some walk with another person who serves as a
  sighted guide. Some who are legally blind or who
  have low vision do not use a cane or a guide dog
  or wear glasses of any kind.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Visual Impairments
• How do survivors arrive at your site?
• How do survivors move about your facility?
• How do you communicate with visually impaired
  survivors?
• How do survivors register for services ?

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Using Appropriate Language.
• Use disability-sensitive language and etiquette.
  Using words such as blind, visually impaired,
  seeing, looking or watching television are
  acceptable words in conversation.
• Similarly, using descriptive language, including
  references to color, patterns, and the like, is
  appropriate.
• When referring to survivors with disabilities,
  refer to the person first, then the disability.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• Forms and Documents. Upon request, staff should
  read fully, and provide assistance in completing
  registration forms and other documents based on
  requirements of law. You may find it more helpful
  to your survivors to provide frequently used
  documents including registration instructions
  in Braille and large print. Many people who are
  legally blind or who have low vision are able to
  read documents printed in 18 or 20 point type in
  a sans serif font such as Arial. Personnel can
  offer to assist in completing the form.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Visual Impairments

• You may simply place a cardboard edge
  horizontally below a signature line or orient the
  opening of a signature template wherever a
  signature is required.

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Disability Etiquette 101Visual Impairments

• Orientation to a Room or Service Area.
• Staff should always inform survivors as to the
  location of the nearest fire exit, using specific
  language such as, In case of a fire or other
  emergency, exit the room to your left. Someone
  will be there to assist you.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Physical Impairments

• Do not lean on the wheelchair unless you have
  permission to do so. A wheelchair is part of an
  individuals personal space.
• Do not assume a person using a wheelchair needs
  assistance. Always ask before providing
  assistance. If your offer of assistance is
  accepted, ask for instructions and follow the
  instructions given.

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Disability Etiquette 101Physical Impairments

• When talking to a person who uses a wheelchair,
  look at and speak directly to that person, rather
  than through a companion.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Physical Impairments

• Relax and speak naturally. Do not be embarrassed
  if you happen to use accepted common expressions
  such as "got to be running along" that seem to
  relate to the person's disability.

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Disability Etiquette 101Physical Impairments

• When talking with a person in a wheelchair for
  more than a few minutes, use a chair, whenever
  possible. This can facilitate conversation.

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Disability Etiquette 101 Physical Impairments

• When greeting a person who uses a wheelchair, it
  is appropriate to offer to shake hands with that
  person even if he/she has upper extremity
  limitations.

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Disability Etiquette 101Physical Impairments

• Use proper terminology when referring to a person
  who uses a wheelchair. Terms such as "wheelchair
  bound" or "confined to a wheelchair" are
  inappropriate. Using a wheelchair does not mean
  confinement.
• Do not assume that all people who use wheelchairs
  have the same limitations. People use wheelchairs
  for a variety of reasons and have different
  limitations and abilities.

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Disability Etiquette 101Physical Impairments

• When giving directions to a person with a
  mobility impairment, consider distance, weather
  conditions, and physical obstacles such as
  stairs, curbs, and steep hills.

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Disability Etiquette 101Physical Impairments

• If a person uses a service animal, do not pet,
  feed or try to play with it. A service animal is
  working and should not be interrupted.

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Disability Etiquette 101Hearing Impairments

• Address questions, comments, or concerns directly
  to the individual, not to a person in their
  presence.
• Shouting or exaggerating one's speech does not
  help communication.
• To get a person's attention, call his/her name.
  If there is no response, lightly touch him/her on
  the arm or shoulder.
• If you do not understand what is being said, do
  not pretend to understand. ASK again !!!

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Disability Etiquette 101Hearing Impairments

• Make direct eye contact. Natural facial
  expressions and gestures will provide important
  information to your conversation.
• Do not allow your face and mouth to be obscured
  by your hands, hair, or food.
• When speaking to a person who lip-reads, speak
  clearly without over-articulating.
• If you experience extreme difficulty in
  communicating orally, ask if writing is all
  right. Two people can share a keyboard and the
  view of a computer screen or just use a note pad.
  

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Disability Etiquette 101Cognitive Impairment

• Dont assume the person is not listening just
  because you are getting no verbal or visual
  feedback. Ask them whether they understand or
  agree. Dont assume you have to explain
  everything to people with learning disabilities.
  They do not necessarily have a problem with
  general comprehension. Offer to read written
  material aloud, when necessary.

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Disability Etiquette 101Speech Impairments

• Listen patiently and carefully. Dont complete
  sentences for the person unless they indicate
  they need help. Dont pretend you understand what
  a person with a speech disability says just to be
  polite. Ask the person to repeat if you dont
  understand. Ask the person to write down a word
  if youre not sure what they are saying.