How to avoid patronising
Brethren & ladies
As part of my role I am compiling guides for use internally dealing with specific disability topics. You may remember one of my bonnet bees is the printed media. What I am asking for is help on a few topics where some of you good people can add to my knowledge.
How does a front line person deal with a person with disabilities
This is where the use of non-patronising language is a must. There are hints like getting down to the level of a wheelchair user I am thinking of.
How does one guide the visually impaired
If a hearing impaired person cannot hear you, how do you communicate
What is the correct form of reference (PC language)
and similar questions
I am also interested in your experiences, both as a carer and as a person with disability, so I can build up an idea as to how other people handle situations.
Thanks a lot in advance
Mike Abbott
Accessible to everyone
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This may be of interest... our guidelines on creating an accessible environment. (comments on the site and source can be sent directly to the bin, please)Kajun
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Absolutely spot on. Thanks Kajun Mike Abbott
Accessible to everyone
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good little intro
| Quote: |
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Common expressions such as "see you later" or "have you heard about" are acceptable to visually or hearing impaired people. |
ah...that one tripped me up initially in my first meetings with a visually impaired web developer...until he used the expression himself in his emails, and told me that of course he didn't mind.
Patrick H. Lauke / webmaster / University of Salford
co-lead: WaSP Accesibility Task Force
take it to the streets ... WaSP Street Team
personal: splintered | photographia | redux
co-author: Web Accessibility - Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance
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Aye, it's contrary to logic I guess. But then, nowadays so are those phrases - "see you later" often results in a phone call, "have you heard about" is often about something in print.Kajun
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Hey,
Im Chris Im 23 and have been "classed" as partially for about 3-4 years now but Ive actually been very short sighted etc since I can remember.
I basically saw this post and thought Id give you my views. I agree with you all 1stly that it is difficult to address someone with a disability as you do feel anxious about offending them... I know, I once met a deaf guy and immediately paniced... Still not sure why but it certainly made me stop and think.
Anyway, basically my condition is bizarre and rare, Im short sighted but also suffer from nightblindness... This makes things rather wierd as the majority of the time Im fine and look like a normal person, but shove me in a place a dont know and turn the lights off and i look like a bit of a nut
This does highlight peoples reactions greatly however... why? Well to most people when they speak to me as I mentioned before I just look like your average Joe. However, if at some point, like in a shop where I may need to sign something or whatever and I ask for help its amazing how the others persons actions towards you alter. Ive watched countless people panic and worry about offending me yet before they realised I had a problem they spoke normally...
The best advice I could give is pretty much ignore the fact the person has a problem, if they need help, give it. E.g. ask if they need assistance, or offer to do the task for them etc... Obviously it depends on the scenario but the main thing is to not draw attention to them. It drives me mad when people pretty much put a spot light on you say announce over a speaker, disabled man coming through!! Be discrete, dont panic and even use humour. Ive found the people with the best humour are disabled. Even go as far as taking the mic out of yourself, with the limelight off them and on you they will feel more relaxed...
As you've all mentioned it is a touchy subject and it is difficult both to handle and to advise but if anyone wants to fire any questions at me I'll try my best to find the answers... Im not easily offended in the slightest either so it doesnt matter how stupid it is, fire anyway!
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Hi Chris and welcome to our little community
Thanks for picking up on this subject again and contributing your experiences.
| chris_t88 wrote: |
| Be discrete, dont panic and even use humour. Ive found the people with the best humour are disabled. Even go as far as taking the mic out of yourself, with the limelight off them and on you they will feel more relaxed |
From the sound of your 'condition' you are the ideal sort of person to have on board to pass on your views about accessibility.
Welcome again
Mike Abbott
Accessible to everyone
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| chris_t88 wrote: |
| I agree with you all 1stly that it is difficult to address someone with a disability as you do feel anxious about offending them... I know, I once met a deaf guy and immediately paniced... Still not sure why but it certainly made me stop and think. |
Hi Chris, and welcome to our community. Wonderful to have you onboard. [edit]Although, I've just realised that I've said that before![/edit]
I recently attended an RNID training event. The man giving the presentation was a deaf person. He started out by signing to us without his interpreter. Now, I have disabled friends, but I've not met many deaf people. The point he drove home had great impact - it was like going to a presentation in a language you don't know.
I took lots away from that training day, but mostly I've learned not to feel uncomfortable about talking to a deaf person and that you only make disabled people feel uncomfortable by ignoring them or walking away rather than "meeting them half-way" in this world.
And I agree with you, disabled people have great a sense of humour.
Jon Gibbins, dotjay.co.uk, accessibility.co.uk wiki.
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| chris_t88 wrote: |
|
The best advice I could give is pretty much ignore the fact the person has a problem, if they need help, give it. |
That's spot on. Treat disabled people just like you would any other customer, but be aware that they may have special requirements (but don't assume that because they're disabled they will need special help.
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| Mikea wrote: |
| I myself have physical and mental disabilities, half a left leg, Aspergers syndrome, Diabetes |
what is it with you Mike, are you collecting 'em, or something?
Jack Pickard The Pickards Information Services| Blog | Twit
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It helps at work being the 'Disabled Guy' Mike Abbott
Accessible to everyone
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| Mikea wrote: |
| It helps at work being the 'Disabled Guy' |
do you work for the DTI?
Patrick H. Lauke / webmaster / University of Salford
co-lead: WaSP Accesibility Task Force
take it to the streets ... WaSP Street Team
personal: splintered | photographia | redux
co-author: Web Accessibility - Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance
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| fallen_angel wrote: |
| ........ but be aware that they may have special requirements (but don't assume that because they're disabled they will need special help. |
Ha! Someone's been spying on me and Mrs kiwibrit. I can offer help and be firmly told she'll ask for it if she wants it. Then again, if I don't offer it, I can be told I am unaware..........
OTOH I think this is probably more a married life thing than relevant here.
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[quote="dotjay"]
| chris_t88 wrote: |
|
And I agree with you, disabled people have great a sense of humour. |
I think this may be the problem, you can't make sweeping statements about people, everyone's different.
I have a shop, and a few regular customers with various disabilities. One guy who's a wheelchair user is an absolute a**hole, and I'm sure he'd still be one if he wasn't disabled.
He probably thinks I'm uncomfortable around him because of his wheelchair, but it's not, it's just that I don't like him because he's obnoxious.
I think I learned to stop walking on eggshells when I told a customer with one leg to 'hop up on the couch' so I could take a look at her piercing.
Obviously I say this to practically every customer that I speak to, but I suddenly realsied what I had said and I was mortified.
She burst out laughing, and I realised how stupid I'd been, not for saying it, but for being horrified at myself for saying it.
She knew it was just a turn of phrase, and it wasn't like she had forgotten that she had one leg and I had reminded her about it.
The first time I met one of my regular customers who's a wheelchair user, he complimented me on the way my shop was set out to accommodate wheelchair users, but warned me that it left me wide open to attack by Daleks!
That broke the ice, and I felt comfortable asking him if there was anything I had overlooked, and he was able to make some suggestions about things that would never have occurred to me.
It troubles me slightly that there is a need for protocols for 'dealing with' disabled people. Of course people with physical disabilities need well thought out facilities, but training people how to talk to people with disabilities has a kind of sinister 'Them and Us' feel to it....
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| doctorbeat wrote: |
| ...but training people how to talk to people with disabilities has a kind of sinister 'Them and Us' feel to it.... |
Totally agree!! Basic common sense and a feeling for the other person is sometimes all that is needed. Although I would have to concede that some sort of guidance is probably in order.
I've always thought of myself as being aware of the needs of others...but, as you point out, it can sometimes backfire on you. Several years ago I was tutoring at an Open University summer school. On the last day of one group's tuition I had a partially deaf lady in the lab. She handed me a microphone and asked if I would wear it for her. First thing I did was say a simple sentence and asked her if the sound level was OK...she was dumbfounded as I was the first person to ask her that all week!
Another time, I was talking to a guy in a wheelchair and bent down to eye level. Again, thanks for not making him crane his neck to look at me. The backfire part? I did the same thing the following week with another wheelchair user who abruptly told me not to be so patronising.
I think the point I'm trying to make (rather verbosely) is that, disability or not, we are all individuals with different likes and dislikes. If I see someone with a disability obviously having difficulty with something, I will ask if they need assistance. If they do, then I always make sure that I only do what I'm asked and not try to take over their lives.
Anyway, old thread I know....but still relevant today I feel.
Cheers!
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