10 Commandments: Communicating with Persons with Disabilities

I have the pleasure of working in an academic environment that fully supports the interaction of communicating with  people with disabilities.  The groups of people range from being:

• my niece (cerebral palsy)
• elderly 
• physically challenged
• autistic 
• sight challenged

These individuals are either:

• students
• faculty
• fellow employees
• high school students from a local "Abilities" chapter who work in the mail room

By being exposed to these types of disabilities or challenges as I like to call them, I find I am fortunate in my experiences with everyone of them I come in contact with.  I appreciate the 10 commandments, some of which I had already known and others I will consider while communicating with others who have disabilities.  

The first of the 10 Commandments for Communicating with Persons with Disabilities are outlined in the following humorous video:

As outlined in Canas and Sondak (2013), the full list of commandments is as follows:

1. When talking with a person with a disability, speak directly to that person rather than through a companion or sign-language interpreter who may be present. I will now practice this.
2. When introduced to a person with a disability, it is appropriate to offer to shake hands.  People with limited hand use or who wear an artificial limb can usually shake hands. (Shaking hands with the left hand is an acceptable greeting).  I currently practice this. 
3. When meeting a person with a visual impairment, always identify yourself and others who may be with you.  When conversing in a group, remember to identify the person to whom you are speaking.  I will now practice this. 
4. If you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted.  Then listen to or ask instructions.  I currently practice this. 
5. Treat adults as adults.  Address people who have disabilities by their first names only when extending that same familiarity to all others present. (Never patronize people who use a wheelchair by patting them on the head or shoulders.  I currently practice this. 
6. Leaning or hanging on a person's wheelchair is similar to leaning or hanging on a person and is generally considered annoying.  The chair is part of the personal body space of the person who uses this.  I don't always practice this but will try to remember to do this.
7. Listen attentively when you are talking with a person who has difficulty speaking.  Be patient and wait for the person to finish, rather than correcting or speaking for that person.  If necessary, ask short questions that require short answers, a nod, or a shake of the head.  Never pretend to understand if you are having difficulty doing so.  Instead, repeat what you have understood and allow the person to respond.  The response will clue you in and guide your understanding.  I don't always practice this but will try and remember to do this. 
8. When speaking with a person in a wheelchair or a person who uses crutches, place yourself at eye level in front of the person to facilitate the conversation.  I currently practice this. 
9. To get the attention of a person who is hearing impaired, tap the person on the shoulder or wave your hand.  Look directly at the person and speak clearly, slowly, and expressively to establish if the person can read your lips.  Not all people with a hearing impairment can lip-read.  For those who do lip-read, be sensitive to their needs by placing yourself facing the light source and keeping such objects as hands, cigarettes, and food away from your mouth when speaking.  I will now practice this. 
10. Relax.  Don't be embarrassed if you happen to use accepted, common expressions that seem to relate to the person's disability, such as "see you later" or "did you hear about this?" I will now practice this. 

References

Canas, K. and Sondak, H. (2013).  Opportunities and challenges of workplace diversity:  Theory, cases and exercises, (3rd edition), pp. 292-293.