Leading Diversity Disability Etiquette People First Language

1. Leading Diversity Disability Etiquette People First Language John Fuller, Ed.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Diversity and Inclusion

2. What is Person FirstLanguage? Puts the person before the disability, and describes what a person has, not who a person is. Source: A Few Wordsabout Person First Language, Kathy Snow, 2008

3. Words Make A Difference The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. Mark Twain

4. Interacting Top 5 Things to Consider • Ask before you help • People desire to be independent and treated with respect • Be sensitive about physical contact • People depend on their arms for balance, consider equipment part of their personal space • Think before you speak • Speak directly to the person • Don’t make assumptions • People are the best judge of what they can or cannot do • Respond graciously to requests • An accommodation is not a complaint

5. Common Courtesies • Personal Questions – Disability relevance • Presume competence • Patience • Offering Assistance • Meetings & Events

6. Meeting a Person with a Disability • A handshake is NOT a standard greeting for everyone. A smile along with a spoken greeting is always appropriate. • Speak directly to the person with a disability • Don’t mention the person’s disability • Treat adults as adults • Don’t patronize with gratuitous but well meaning praise, i.e., courageous, brave, special, superhuman, overcoming, etc.

7. Meeting a Person with a Disability • Be patient and give your undivided attention, especially with someone who speaks slowly or with great effort. • Never pretend to understand what a person is saying. • It is okay to use common expressions like “see you soon” or “I’d better be running along.” • Relax. We all make mistakes. Offer an apology if you forget some courtesy. • Keep a sense of humor and a willingness to communicate.

8. Communicating with People with Disabilities Say • Person with a disability • Person with a physical disability • Person who is blind • Person who is hard of hearing • or Deaf • Person who communicates differently • Person with a psychiatric disability • Uses a wheelchair Don’t Say • Disabled person • Avoid referencing groups • The blind • Negative or sensational descriptions, i.e., suffers from, afflicted with, a victim of, etc. • Nuts, crazy, mental case • Wheelchair bound

9. Interacting With a Wheelchair User • Personal space – Do not push, lean on, or hold onto a person’s wheelchair unless the person asks you to. • Eye-to-Eye – Try to put yourself at eye level when talking • Clear a path; know building layout • Directions – When giving directions to a person in a wheelchair, consider distance, weather conditions, and physical obstacles (curbs, stairs, steep hills, etc.).

10. Person Who is Blind or a Disability Affecting Vision • Greetings – Identify yourself and introduce others • Departing – Don’t leave the person without excusing yourself first. • Guiding – When asked to guide someone, never push or pull the person. Offer your arm and allow him or her to reach for you, then walk slightly ahead. Point out doors, stairs, and curbs as you approach them. • The landscape – As you guide a person into a room, describe the layout, the location of furniture, and note who else is nearby. • Guide dogs – Don’t pet or distract a guide dog.

12. Service Animals • It takes all kinds – Service animals come in all shapes and sizes. • Detect seizures, enhance therapies, calming • Engaging animal – A service animal is a physical extension of a person with a disability and is there to work.

13. ADA GuidanceService & Therapy Animals • Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. • Individual states may expand categories • The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. • Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals.

14. Communicating with People who are Deaf or Heard of Hearing • Make direct eye contact and use natural facial expressions and gestures • Tap shoulder or arm to gain attention • Interpreters should not be included in the conversation • Explain if there is an interruption Source:Interaction&EtiquetteTips,UnitedCerebralPalsy(National)

15. Someone Who is Deaf or Uses an Assisted Hearing Device • Let the person take the lead in establishing the communication mode. • Talk directly to the person even when a sign language interpreter is present and in your normal voice. • If the person lip-reads, face him or her directly, speak clearly and with a moderate pace. • With some, it may help to simplify your sentences.

16. Assistive Technology Deaf/Hard of Hearing • Interpreting services • Assistive listening devices • Personal amplification devices • TTY phones • Signaling devices • Captioning services • Smart Phones

17. People with Cognitive Disabilities • Assume their life experiences are similar to other adults andspeak with them from that perspective. • Allow the person time to respond, ask questions and clarify your comments. • Focus on the person as he or she responds to you and pay attention to body language. • Repetition. If appropriate, repeat back any messages to confirm mutual understanding. Be patient, flexible and supportive

18. Assistive Technology Cognitive/Communication Disabilities • Voice recognition software • Word prediction software • Screen reader software • Cueing/memory aids • Text based devices • Communication devices • Assistive listening devices

19. Disability Affecting Speech • Pay attention, be patient, and wait for the person to complete a word or thought. Do not finish it for the person. • Ask the person to repeat what is said if you do not understand. • Tell the person what you heard and see if it is close to what he or she is saying. • Be prepared for persons who use assistive technology to enhance or augment speech.

20. Tips to Remember • Disability relevance • Disability vs. handicap • People first language • Referencing groups • Negative and sensational descriptions • Gratuitous, but well-meaning praise • Wheelchairs and adaptive technology • Presume competence

22. Leading Diversity Disability Etiquette People First Language John Fuller, Ed.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Diversity and Inclusion John.Fuller2@va.gov 1-202-491-5969

23. Resources • Great quick glance online site: http://askearn.org/refdesk/Inclusive_Workplaces/Etiquette • Disability Etiquette Tips/Interacting with People with Disabilities • http://www.unitedspinal.org/documents/DownLoad/DisabilityEtiquette.pdf#search='Disability%20Etiquette • Disability Etiquette Handbook • http://www.sanantonio.gov/planning/disability_handbook/disability_handbook.asp?res=1024&ver=true • Communicating with and About People with Disabilities • http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/comucate.htm • The Ten Commandments • http://www.rehab.cahwnet.gov/workplace/comand10.htm