Ten tips for communicating with people with disabilities

Madeline Harcourt of the Alliance for Inclusion Advancement-Hawai‘i writes: “Check out our web site under downloads for the handout on The Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities. This handout … tells you how you can order the DVD or VHS for your organization. It lists the ten things to keep in mind when working with people with disabilities. Also, please check out the handout Ten Tips to keep in Mind when Interacting with Adults with Hidden Disabilities in the workplace.  Thanks, Madeline.”

1. Speak directly rather than through a companion or sign language interpreter if one is present.
2. Offer to shake hands when introduced. People with limited hand use or an artificial limb can usually shake hands and offering the left hand is an acceptable greeting.
3. Always identify yourself and others who may be with you when meeting someone with a visual disability. When conversing in a group, remember to identify the person to whom you are speaking. When dining with a friend who has a visual disability, ask if you can describe what is on his or her plate.
4. If you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted. Then listen or ask for instructions.
5. Treat adults as adults. Address people with disabilities by their first names only when extending that same familiarity to all others. Never patronize people in wheelchairs by patting them on the head or shoulder.
6. Do not lean against or hang on someone’s wheelchair. People with disabilities treat their chairs as extensions of their bodies, as do people with guide dogs. Never distract a work animal without the owner’s permission.
7. In conversations with people who have difficulty speaking, listen attentively and wait for them to finish. If necessary, ask short questions that require short answers, or a nod of the head. Never pretend to understand; repeat what you have understood and allow the person to respond.
8. Place yourself at eye level when speaking with someone in a wheelchair or on crutches.
9. Tap a person who has a hearing disability on the shoulder or wave your hand to get his or her attention. To establish if the person can read your lips, look directly at the person and speak clearly, slowly and expressively. Try to face a light source and keep hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth when speaking. If a person wears a hearing aid, don’t assume that are able to understand your speaking voice. Never shout; speak in a normal tone of voice.
10. Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you happen to use common expressions such as “See you later” or “Did you hear about this?”