Disability language and etiquette by Karen Ozmun and Roxanne Vierra, King
County's Office of Civil Rights Language Language is continually evolving,
and that includes language related to people with disabilities. Staying
current is important, not to show that you are "politically correct" but to
communicate effectively and with respect.
What you say and write may enhance the dignity of people with disabilities
or inadvertently reflect stereotypes and negative attitudes.
Some words and phrases don't recognize the broad range of capabilities of
people with disabilities. People with disabilities don't need or want to be
pitied, nor should they be deemed "courageous" or "special" as they
accomplish daily activities or work.
Remember, refer to the person first, not the disability. For example, "the
person who uses a wheelchair" or "the person who has arthritis" is
preferred over "the wheelchair user" or "the arthritic." This last term
especially
defines the disability as the person rather than as one aspect of his/her
life. Also, mention the disability only when it is relevant to the
discussion.
"Handicap" and "disability" are not synonyms! Disability is a generic term
for a condition which may affect a person's mobility, hearing, vision,
speech, or cognitive function (such as paraplegia, deafness, AIDS).
Handicap describes a barrier that is environmental or attitudinal (such as
no ramps
or elevator, information not available in Braille, negative stereotypes).
Etiquette
If you've never directly interacted with someone with a disability, it is
not unusual to feel uncertain about what to do. Here are a just a few tips.
Shaking hands is usually welcome. 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. With some, you may want to take the cue
from the
individual with a disability. (If someone is blind, she won't see your
extended hand; wait to see if she extends hers.)
When talking with a disabled person, look at and speak directly to that
person rather than to a companion, aide, or sign language interpreter.
Common words and phrases are OK to use. For example, it's OK to say "see
you later" to a blind person, or "Do you want to go for a walk?" to someone
who
uses a wheelchair.
For more detailed information about effective communications with people
with disabilities, contact the Office of Civil Rights Disability Compliance
Specialists: Karen Ozmun 296-7706 and Roxanne Vierra, 296-7705, TTY calls
296-7596.
If you would like me (Joy Wallace) to send you an attachment of a Word file
explaining which terms may be offensive and suggesting more appropriate
language, please send me an e-mail at joywallace@attbi.com.
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