Disability etiquette

[on disability rights ]

Disability etiquette

Avoid/Inappropriate	Use/Appropriate
The disabled, the handicapped	People with disabilities
Cripple, physically handicapped or wheelchair bound. These terms are patronizing.	A person with a physical disability/impairment or wheelchair user
Spastic	A person with cerebral palsy
Deaf and dumb	A person with hearing and speech impairments
The Blind	People who are B/blind, partially sighted, visually impaired
The Deaf	People who are D/deaf, hearing impaired
Raising your voice or talking as if speaking to a child.	Maintain your usual pitch volume and rhythm when speaking
Interrupting a person with a speech impairment and trying to finish sentences for them.	Listen patiently and ask for clarification if you have not understood.
Putting your hands near your mouth when communicating with someone who is Deaf or hearing-impaired.	Ensure that they have a clear view of your face
Playing ‘guess who’ games with people who are blind or visually impaired	Introduce yourself by name to a person who is blind
Looking down at a person in a wheelchair for a prolonged period	Sit down and talk to them this makes eye contact easier and means they are not constantly craning their neck to look up at you.
Speaking to a disabled person’s friend or support worker when your conversation is directed at the person with a disability.	Speak directly to the disabled person

It is quite appropriate to continue using words such as see, look, walk, listen, when talking to people with various disabilities.

http://www.hw.ac.uk/welfare/disability-service/staff/disability-etiquette.htm

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