Transcript What is a Disability?

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Disability Awareness:
The Basics
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 Our Goal Is To……
 Leave you with a better understanding of the various
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types of disabilities
Help us to appreciate the similarities we all have –
able bodied and disabled
Demonstrate that everyone has a role in valuing
diversity
Present effective ways of assisting people with
disabilities
Demonstrate that it’s a win-win situation when we
effectively assist and interact with people with
disabilities
 Some Interesting Things to Consider:
 In an instant we could be a person with a disability.
 If we had a son or daughter with a disability how would
we want them treated?
 Have you ever made an assumption about a person with
a disability that you realized was incorrect?
 Attitudinal barriers are the worst kind. They create the
most pain and hardship for people with disabilities.
 It’s about changing policies and structures, but it is
mostly about changing hearts.
 What is a Disability?
 A disability can include:
Any degree of physical disability
 A condition of developmental disability
 A mental disorder
 A learning disability
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 Examples of Disability Groups:
 Learning Disabilities
 Mobility Impairment
 Deaf and Hard of Hearing
 Blind and Low Vision
 Medical Conditions
 ADD / ADHD
 Brain Injury
 Mental Health
 Many Disabilities are Invisible:
 Brain Injuries
 Mental Health
 Medical Conditions
 Learning Disabilities
 Vision
 Hearing
 Impact Can Be Varied:
 Moods
 Fatigue
 Memory
 Financial
 Housing
 Self-Esteem
 Medications
 Behavior May Be Interpreted As:
 Rude
 Difficult
 Obnoxious
 Laziness
 Terminology Tips:
 Put the person first – person with a disability.
 Avoid outdated terms such as handicapped and
crippled.
 Be liberating not confining – wheelchair user vs.
confined to a wheelchair.
 Avoid negatives like victim or sufferer – person with
epilepsy not epilepsy sufferer.
There are 54 million Americans with disabilities. Think
about these tips when you communicate and interact
with people with disabilities who live, work, go to school,
play, worship and volunteer in your community.
Relax. It’s okay to ask questions when you’re unsure of
what to do. And don’t be embarrassed if you use
common phrases, such as “See you later” or “Did you
hear about that?” that seem to relate to a person’s
disability.
 When introduced, 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 also acceptable.
When meeting a person who is blind, identify yourself
and others who may be with you. When talking in a
group, try to remember to identify the person to whom
you are speaking.
Use eye contact and speak directly to the person with a
disability rather than through a companion.
If you offer help, wait until the offer is accepted. Then
listen for instructions.
Treat adults as adults. Address people who have
disabilities by their first names only when extending
the same familiarity to all others. Never patronize
people who use wheelchairs by patting them on the
head or shoulder.
Wheelchairs and other assistive devices are part of the
personal body space of the people who use them.
Leaning on a wheelchair is similar to leaning on a
person.
Listen attentively when talking with a person who has
difficulty speaking. Be patient and wait for the person
to finish rather than correcting or speaking for the
person.
When speaking with a person who uses a wheelchair,
try to place yourself at eye level to facilitate the
conversation.
To get the attention of a person who is deaf, tap them
on the shoulder or wave your hand. Look directly at
them and speak clearly and slowly to determine if they
can read your lips.
Final Thoughts …..
 Even though March is the month that Disability
Awareness is recognized, it is a 24/7 reality for the 54
million Americans affected.
 It is in interacting with people who are different from us
that we grow as humans. People who learn differently,
people who see things differently, people whose values
are different … help us to grow.
 We have an opportunity to go through life looking at
every encounter as a chance to make a positive
difference.
Hillcroft Services, Inc. provides
innovative services and supports
for People with disabilities and
their families, resulting in
extraordinary differences in
People’s lives.
www.hillcroft.org