In this lesson ?
I reviewed the pamphlet and added a few suggestions.
My website suggested for your reading pleasure is:
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/publications/disability-policy.shtml
The reason for referring you to the Ontario Human Rights Commission page is that
it gives valuable information and perspective on disabilities. Everything from
defining disability, current Supreme Court decisions, recent case summaries and
of course processes for filing human rights complaints are contained.
Lesson 3: Compensatory Strategies and Disability Etiquette
Part 3 Etiquette tips for service providers
EASI encourages the free copying and distribution of this pamphlet provided
that it be copied in whole and that it include this copyright statement.
(copyright 1999. EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information)
AN EASI GUIDE TO DISABILITY ETIQUETTE FOR COMPUTING SERVICE PROVIDERS
Your attitude can make a big difference. One of the most difficult
barriers people with disabilities face is negative attitudes and
perceptions of other people. Sometimes those attitudes are deep-rooted
prejudices, based in ignorance and fear. Sometimes they are just
unconscious misconceptions that result in impolite or thoughtless acts by
otherwise well-meaning people. In either case, they form an obstacle to
acceptance and full participation in society for people with disabilities.
This pamphlet is not a list of strict rules and regulations. It's an
attempt to foster understanding, clear up misconceptions and help you
relate as a service provider, and as a person, to people with disabilities.
Disability is often perceived as a yes-or-no proposition. You either are
disabled or you're not. The truth is that disability is a continuum. At
one end are perfect people -- not many of those around -- and at the other
end are people with severe impairments. Most of us fall somewhere in the
middle. But, we're all people and we all want to be treated with respect.
With that in mind, here are some general tips on relating to people who may
have special needs. Inside this pamphlet, you'll find more specific tips
for working with somebody who has a specific disability.
DON'T ASSUME a person with a disability needs your help. Ask before
doing.
MAKE EYE contact and talk directly to the person, not through the
person's
companion.
AVOID ACTIONS and words that suggest the person should be treated
differently. It's OK to invite a person in a wheelchair to go for a
walk
or to ask a blind person if he sees what you mean.
TREAT PEOPLE with disabilities with the same respect and consideration
that you have for everyone else.
SOME HELPFUL HINTS
VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
BE DESCRIPTIVE. You may have to help orient people with visual
impairments, and let them know what's coming up. If they are walking
tell
them if they have to step up or step down, let them know if the door is
to
their right or left, and warn them of possible hazards.
YOU DON'T have to talk loudly to people with visual impairments. Most
of them hear just fine.
OFFER TO READ written information for a person with a visual impairment
when appropriate.
IF YOU are asked to guide a person with a visual impairment, offer him
your arm, instead of grabbing his.
SPEECH IMPAIRMENTS
LISTEN PATIENTLY. Don't complete sentences for the person unless he
looks to you for help.
DON'T PRETEND you understand what the person with a speech disability
says
just to be polite.
ASK THE PERSON to write a word if you're not sure of what he is saying.
HEARING IMPAIRMENTS
FACE PEOPLE with hearing impairments when you talk to them so they can
see
your lips.
SLOW the rate at which you speak when talking to a person with a hearing
impairment.
INCREASE THE LEVEL of your voice.
COMMUNICATE BY WRITING if necessary.
MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS
TRY SITTING or crouching down to the approximate height of people in
wheelchairs or scooters when you talk to them.
DON'T LEAN on a person's wheelchair unless you have his permission --
it's his personal space.
BE AWARE of what is accessible and not accessible to people in
wheelchairs.
GIVE A PUSH only when asked.
LEARNING DISABILITIES
DON'T ASSUME the person is not listening just because you are getting
no verbal or visual feedback. Ask him if he understands or agrees.
DON'T ASSUME you have to explain everything to people with learning
disabilities. They do not necessarily have a problem with general
comprehension.
OFFER TO READ written material, if necessary.
NOTE ON GUIDE DOGS
Many people with visual, hearing or mobility impairments use guide dogs
to help
them compensate for their disabilities. These dogs are workers, not
pets,
and they have jobs to do. Always ask permission before you interact with
someone's dog. Do not pet the dog or divert its attention from its work.
GENERAL NOTES
INFORMATION: Basic information should be made available in large print
(at least 14 point font and in Arial type)
and Braille, and should be put on the campus network. The information
needs to include location of labs, libraries, administrative offices, and
other facilities that are available to all students. Information on
restrictions of use, printing policies, usage fees, hardware and software
availability, lab assistant and tutor availability and general policies,
should also be available in alternate formats.
ORIENTATION: A guided tour of all facilities is a good way to
familiarize
people with disabilities to the campus layout. The tour should include
location of specific buildings, libraries, administrative offices and
other student-use areas. The orientation should identify potential
obstacles and emergency exits.
ASSISTANCE: Lab and teaching assistants should be prepared to help a
person with a disability in a number of different ways, according to the
type and severity of the disability. Typical tasks will include:
changing the height of a workstation, turning equipment on and off,
positioning equipment, setting contrast and brightness controls, inserting
disks into disk drives, setting up a printer, retrieving a print-out,
reading or writing down information, and many other small tasks that can
be a big help to a person with a disability.
Lesson 3: Compensatory Strategies and Disability Etiquette
Assignment 3: Disability-related resources on the World Wide Web
There is a famous proverb that says it is far better to teach someone to
fish than to give that person a fish. Obviously, the concept is that it is
better to make a person independent rather than making the person dependent
on your help. Along with providing you with a lot of information about
disabilities and especially about adaptive computer technology, we want to
take you fishing on the Internet; we want to help you find resources on the
web. That means that you can keep up to date by regularly visiting these
web sites.
The glory and trouble with the web is that it is growing so fast that no
one can keep up; no one can know what resources are available. Here is
where all of you can help teach this workshop. Below are a few of the most
useful web sites for you to visit. Please write the class and tell us
about some of your favorite web sites that relate to disabilities and to
adaptive computer technology. The Internet is international. Therefore
sites in various countries may be important and helpful.
First, we want you to look at EASI's web site:
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Also, check the adaptive technology web at the University of Toronto:
http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/
The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (Canadian)
http://www.indie.ca/neads/
The Center on Disabilities at California State University has a useful web
page of adaptive technology vendors:
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf99/exhibitors.html
Webable has one of the most comprehensive lists of disability web sites:
http://www.yuri.org/webable/search.html
The following Canadian sites are provided by Zachariah Cameron
Able York
http://www.yorku.ca/org/ableyork/
U. York Office for Persons with Disabilities
http://www.yorku.ca/admin/sa/offdis/
Ron Cope Gateway Resource Room
http://www.yorku.ca/admin/sa/roncope/
University of Waterloo OPD
http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca:80/infosa/bropd.html
University of Western Ontario Student Development Center;
Students with Disabilities
http://www.sdc.uwo.ca/ssd/index.html
Memorial University of Newfoundland
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/distech/
Concordia's Centre for Services for Disabled Students.
http://relish.concordia.ca/Advocacy_Support_Services/SDS.html
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind
http://www.cnib.org/
The Integrated Network of Disability Information & Education.
http://www.indie.ca/
The Roeher Institute
http://www.indie.ca/roeher/
The Ontarians With Disabilities Act Committee.
http://indie.ca/oda/
ODAction
http://www.odaction.org/
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
http://www.pcs.mb.ca/~ccd/
In a previous lesson I pointed you to several Canadian web sites provide to
me by Mike. Here is that url again:
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/law/canlaw.htm
Now, write us and give the URL (universal resource locator) or address for
your recommended web site and tell us something about it's focus.
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