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What Do You Know About Individuals with Disabilities?

Explore the demographics and language preferences of individuals with disabilities. Learn about the unemployment rate, poverty, and common misconceptions regarding disabilities.

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What Do You Know About Individuals with Disabilities?

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  1. What Do You Know AboutIndividuals with Disabilities? Christy Compton VA Disability Program Manager Office of Diversity and Inclusion Office of Human Resources and Administration

  2. Demographics • 13.6% of people 18 – 44 years old have a disability. • 29.2% of people 45 – 64 years old have a disability. • 12.2% of people with no disability live in poverty. • 24.3% of people with severe disabilities live in poverty. • The unemployment rate for people with no disabilities is less than 20%. • The unemployment rate for people with severe disabilities is 76%.

  3. Preferred Language • Disabled people or people with disabilities? • Confined to a wheelchair or a person who uses a wheelchair? • Hearing impaired or Deaf/hard of hearing? • Intellectual disability or mental retardation? • Special needs or reasonable accommodation? • Cancer patient or cancer victim? • Cripple or amputee? • AIDS sufferer or person with AIDS? • Person who is blind or blind person?

  4. Language Preferences • People with disabilities • A person who uses a wheelchair • Deaf/hard of hearing, but it depends on the person; some still use hearing impaired. • Intellectual disability • Reasonable accommodation • Cancer patient • Amputee • Person with AIDS • Person who is blind; some use low-vision.

  5. People Who are Blind • When you see a person who is blind, you should hold their arm and guide them to the right room. True or False? • Many blind people can see colors. True or False? • You should speak louder to a person who is blind. True or False? • Seeing eye dogs can be petted. True or False? • The tip of a blind person’s cane is always red. True or false? • People who are blind develop a “sixth sense.” True or False?

  6. Answers • False. You should offer your arm to a person who is blind. S/he might prefer to walk beside you without touching you. • True. Many people who are blind can see colors. • False. Blindness does not affect hearing. • False. Always ask before petting or interacting with a seeing eye dog. • False. The tip of a blind person’s cane is usually white. • False. People who are blind do not develop a “sixth sense.”

  7. People Who are Deaf • All people who are deaf know sign language. True or False? • To get the attention of a person who is deaf, wave or tap them on the shoulder. True or False? • All people who are deaf use the same kind of sign language. True or False? • Most people who are profoundly deaf do not have the ability to talk. True or False? • People who are deaf do not mind noisy environments, because they can’t hear. True or False? • All deaf people read lips. True or False?

  8. Answers • False. Most people who are deaf do not know sign language. • True. If the deaf person is not looking at you, you may tap him/her on the shoulder. If s/he is looking, just wave. • False. There are several kinds of sign language. • False. Deafness does not affect the physical ability to talk. Many deaf people have never learned how to talk or chose not to talk. • False. Most deaf people are negatively affected by noisy environments. • False. Not all deaf people can read lips.

  9. People Who are Hard of Hearing • All people who are hard of hearing use sign language. True or False? • If someone is hard of hearing, you can whisper in their ear. True or False? • All people who are hard of hearing can hear on the phone. True or False? • All people who are hard of hearing talk loudly. True or False? • All people who are hard of hearing talk “funny” because they talk the way they hear. True or False?

  10. Answers • False. Not all people who are hard of hearing know sign language. • False. Most people who are hard of hearing cannot hear a whisper. • False. Most people who are hard of hearing need assistive technology to hear on the phone, but this does not work for everyone. • False. People who are hard of hearing usually talk at a normal volume. • False. Some people who are hard of hearing talk perfectly, and some sound like they have an accent; they say words the way they hear them.

  11. People Who Use Wheelchairs • Some people who use a wheelchair can walk. True or False? • You should always walk behind a person in a wheelchair. True or False? • When talking with a person in a wheelchair or scooter, you should bend down so you are face to face. True or False? • Some people who use a wheelchair or scooter can’t stand. True or False? • People who use wheelchairs do not like to travel. True or False?

  12. Answers • True. Some people who use wheelchairs can walk and some cannot. • False. Whenever possible, you should walk beside the person in a wheelchair or scooter. • True. Sit in a chair, bend, or kneel to talk with a person using a wheelchair or scooter. Do not lean on or touch the wheelchair or scooter. • True. Some people who use wheelchairs or scooters cannot stand and use devices or assistance to transfer from the chair. • False. Some people who use a wheelchair or scooter like to travel.

  13. People Who Have PTSD* • All people with PTSD need a quiet workplace. True or False? • You should encourage a person with PTSD to talk about the incident. True or False? • When you talk with a person with PTSD, you should use a whisper. True or False? • Only people who have been in a war or other violent situation have PTSD. True or False? • Men tend to get PTSD more often than women. True or False? * PTSD = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

  14. Answers • False. Some people with PTSD are more social than others. It depends on the person. • False. Only the person’s physician can gauge whether the individual is ready to talk. • False. Use a normal tone of voice and volume when talking with a person with PTSD. • False. Any traumatic event can cause PTSD. • False. There is a higher incidence rate of PTSD among women than men.

  15. General rules: • Use “People first” language. • Ask if a person needs something; do not assume. • Never ask about the disability. Doing so can create a liability for VA. • Ensure that the environment is accessible (open doors, etc.) but don’t act like the person is helpless. • Talk to the person and not to his/her assistant or interpreter. • Always ask before petting a dog or other assistive animal. • Focus on the person and not on the disability.

  16. Christy Compton VA Disability Program Manager Outreach and Retention Division Office of Diversity & Inclusion christy.compton@va.gov (202) 461-4131 VA’s Disability Program web site http://www.diversity.hr.va.gov/disabilities.htm Contact Information

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