Disability Etiquette
Interacting with People with Disabilities
Be yourself
Meeting someone
Helping
Be the assistant, not the director; let a Visually impaired person hold your arm and follow you. And don’t be offended if someone refuses your offer of assistance. It’s his or her choice to be as independent as they can be.
Communication
Him think your communication with him is not worthwhile to you. If the person is deaf or hard of hearing, follow his or her lead; use gestures or write. If the person uses a wheelchair, sit and converse at his level.
Socializing
their decision whether or not to participate.
Disability
Environments
Touching
Hidden disabilities
hidden disability, such as low vision, a hearing or learning disability, traumatic brain injury, mental retardation, or mental illness.
Don’t make assumptions about the person or his or her disability. Be open-minded.
Learning More
Preconceptions about mental illness, AIDS, cerebral palsy, Tourettes Syndrome and other disabilities often lead to a lack of acceptance by those around the person. Remember that we are all complex human beings; a disability is just one aspect of a
Person. Learning more about the disability may alleviate your fears and pave the way for you to see the person for whom he or she is.