Communication Tips
We are sometimes reluctant to interact with people with disabilities because we feel uncomfortable initiating the conversation. Below are some basic tips for interacting with people with disabilities.
- Address a person with a disability by their first name. We can sometimes allow uncertainty to keep us from talking to people with disabilities. When you meet a person with a disability for the first time address him or her the same way you would address anyone you are meeting for the first time.
- When in doubt, ask. It is appropriate to ask questions to obtain information about the nature of a person’s disability and ways that you might accommodate their presence and participation in your community.
- Address the person with disability instead of their family member or caregiver. People with disabilities are capable of answering questions and carrying on conversations. This simple act lets the person with a disability know that you recognize her/his ability to think and respond.
- Think ability before disability. There are many things that people with disabilities can and want to do for themselves and for others, too. One common misstep in interacting with people with disabilities is the assumption that the person with a disability is incapable of functioning without assistance.
- Be aware of invisible disabilities. Some people have obvious disabilities while others have disabilities that are not as apparent. Simply because a disability is not immediately visible, doesn’t mean it is nonexistent.
- Language can change the world. Use language that affirms that a person’s disability is merely one part of their being. When we do this, we build a world where our abilities are the focal points of our community life instead of the things that we are unable to do. (Read more on people-first language.)
- People who use wheelchairs sit waist-high to the world. When you are talking to someone in a wheelchair, it is helpful to sit down so you share the same eye-level. This also prevents both participants in the conversation form getting stiff necks.
- Assistive technology breaks down barriers. Technology makes it possible for people with disabilities to move, communicate, and participate in community life. People with disabilities want you to know that assistive technology like wheelchairs act as symbols of freedom. Treat assistive devices like extensions of the bodies of the people they support.
- People with disabilities are the best experts. When your congregation is working to address accessibility to and inclusion in your community, it is always a great idea to ask people with disabilities to participate in the conversations. People with disabilities bring uncommon perspectives and can sometimes help devise simple, cost-effective solutions.
- People with disabilities want to belong in your community. They want your help to facilitate their inclusion and belonging and they also want to give their gifts and skills for the good of the community.
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