TechDis Assistive Technology Boxes

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TechDis Assistive Technology Boxes

• The Etiquette of Disability

John Sewell
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Specialist Colleges

• They are different.
• They tend to have grown from a different root
• They tend to be based on charitable foundations.
• They tend to have grown from disability specific
  beginnings.
• There are a high proportion of residential
  places.
• They tend to be small and highly focussed on
  individual students.
• They often have a national perspective.
• They have been isolated.

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What About the Students?

• The students tend to
• Have had a disjointed education.
• To have spiky profiles.
• Be surrounded by equipment some of it
  dangerous.
• They can make you feel embarrassed, inadequate or
  uncomfortable.

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Disability?

• This is about your disability!
• NOT theirs.

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What Disability?

• People find strange or unfamiliar situations
  unsettling.
• We all do.
• We worry we are not doing the right thing.
• We feel out of place.
• We can sometimes over compensate.

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This is about how you can

• Understand about other people.
• Cope with communicating.
• Feel confident.

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Issues Galore

• Main areas where difficulties arise are
• Physical.
• Communication.

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Physical

• Involuntary movement
• No surprises especially for CP.
• Watch out for unfamiliar movements.
• Unfamiliar behaviour
• Grimacing, spontaneous movements spontaneous
  sounds.
• Over familiar or inappropriate behaviour.
• Wheelchairs
• Not just hand chairs.
• Heavy powerful fast.

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Communication

• It can be hard.
• Remember these tips and that most people have a
  lot of experience of dealing with your inability
  to understand them.
• If its not going well, ask.

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Deafness Speaking

• Lip-reading is three quarters guess work. So
• Speak clearly at a reasonable pace.
• Make sure your face is visible.
• Use expression to augment your words.
• Remove distractions.
• Gain the listeners attention.

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Be A More Effective Listener

• When you find someone's speech difficult
• Look at the speakers face so that you can see
  their lips.
• Try to engage in small talk at first to help you
  to tune in.
• Dont be afraid - say you find them hard to
  understand but that you are prepared to listen.
• If you understand only part of what someone says,
  repeat what you have understood so they dont
  have to repeat the entire sentence.
• Should you finish off their sentences? Ask them -
  some people like you to do this, others hate it.

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Be A More Effective Listener

• Be aware that they have had this problem for a
  long time. Speaking is hard work but they are
  used to it. Dont be afraid to ask them to
  repeat.
• Dont pretend to understand, they will catch you
  out!

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Blindness

• Word of mouth is the most important method of
  communication.
• With little or no eye contact or body language
  conversation can be difficult.
• Be careful to initiate conversations and
  introduce yourself to make sure the person knows
  you intend to say something.
• Makes sure you say when you are going to leave
  talking to an empty space is embarrassing.

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Communicators?
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Augmentative and Alternative Communication

• Make time to talk to AAC users.
• Allow plenty of time for people to construct a
  message.

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication

• Remember
• Its the meaning and speed of communication which
  are more important.
• Dont move on to a different subject before the
  AAC user has spoken their message.

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Conquer Your FearsTemper Your Enthusiasm

• Special Students can affect your emotions!
• Try to be aware of this and steer a sensible
  course.
• Dont be tempted to run away.
• Nor to hug the first student you meet.

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Enjoy Your Visit

• Specialist Colleges are some of the best and most
  rewarding places in the world to work.

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Keep Staring