Tips: How to Communicate with Students with Disabilities

Always put the students/people first before their disabilities when communicating with students/people with disabilities.  Here are some useful tips when communicating with students/people with disabilities.

General Communication tips

• Be yourself.
• Treat the students as any other student.
• Most students/people with disabilities are very independent individuals.  Please ask before providing any kind of assistance.  And listen and/or ask for instructions.
• Only refer to the person's disabilities if they are relevant but avoid negative descriptions.
• Avoid using words which imply pity for the person such as "suffering from", "victim of", "unfortunate", or "afflicted with".
• Emphasis abilities, not disabilities - say, "uses a wheelchair" rather than "cannot walk" or "confined to a wheelchair".
• Use "non-disabled" rather than "normal" when describing a person without disabilities.
• Confidentiality is very important.  Do not discuss the person's/student's disabilities with other staff or students/people.

Visual impairments

• Identify yourself and others around you.
• Speak in a normal voice and tone.
• Pay attention to the hand motion to whether or not to shake his/her hand.
• Use descriptive speech when giving directions - give directions to the location and how far.
• Walk one step ahead and always let the person know about any changes in directions, terrain, obstacles or steps.
• When helping a person with visual impairment to his/her seat, place his/her hand on the back of the chair.
• Avoid summarizing - read the entire content as other person would.
• Offer your arm when guiding the person - Do not grab the person.
• Always indicate when a conversation has ended and/or you are leaving the area.
• Avoid interacting with service animals unless permission is given.

Hearing impairments

• Face the person when speaking to him/her.  Some can read lips.
• Avoid chewing when talking.
• Have the conversation in a quiet place if possible.  Speak at normal volume.  Raise the volume only if asked.
• The use of body language can help.
• Be sure the person is ready to hear you.
• Write down what you need to say if the person does not read lips and you cannot sign.
• Write down what you have said if you think the person does not understand.
• Raise your hand when trying to speaking in a group setting.
• Repeat other's questions to give the person have a chance to read your lips.
• Rephrase - do not repeat - as some words are harder to lip read.
• Look, speak, and address the person directly rather than the interpreter.

Learning disabilities

• Use both verbal and written when giving directions or instructions.
• Read them out loud if asked.
• Speak calmly.

Mobility impairments

• If the person is in a wheelchair, please sit or position yourself at their height level when speaking to him/her.
• Do not pat the heads of people in wheelchairs  - it is perceived as demeaning or patronizing.
• Do not lean or hang on to the wheelchairs.

Speech problems

• Listen carefully then repeat to avoid miscommunication.
• Be patient and casual.
• Allow the person to finish his/her sentence.  Do not interrupt or finish the sentence.
• Do not rush the person.
• Do not be afraid to ask the person to repeat or clarify anything that you do not understand.
• Offer pen and paper if you continue to have difficulty understanding.

Psychiatric disabilities

• Speak in a clear, calm and respectful tone when talking or giving information.
• Allow yourself time to address questions even if you think that you have explained thoroughly.
• Do not make promises you cannot keep.