Conversation
Etiquette
When talking to a
person with a disability, look at and speak
directly to that person, rather than through
a companion who may be along.
Relax.
Don't be embarrassed if you happen to use
accepted common expressions such as
See you later
or Got to be running
along that seem to relate to the
person's disability.
To
get the attention of a person with a hearing
impairment, tap the person on the shoulder
or wave your hand. Look directly at the
person and speak clearly, naturally and
slowly to establish if the person can read
lips. Not all persons with hearing
impairments can lip-read. Those who can will
rely on facial expression and other body
language to help in understanding. Show
consideration by placing yourself facing the
light source and keeping your hands,
cigarettes and food away from your mouth
when speaking. Keep mustaches well-trimmed.
Shouting won't help. Written notes may.
When
talking with a person in a wheel chair for
more than a few minutes, use a chair,
whenever possible, in order to place
yourself at the person's eye level to
facilitate conversation.
When
greeting a person with a severe loss of
vision, always identify yourself and others
who may be with you.
When conversing in a group,
give a vocal cue by announcing the name of
the person to whom you are speaking. Speak
in a normal tone of voice, indicate in
advance when you will be moving from one
place to another and let it be known when
the conversation is at an end.
Listen
attentively when you're talking to a person
who has a speech impairment. Keep your
manner encouraging rather than correcting.
Exercise patience rather than attempting to
speak for a person with speech difficulty.
When necessary, ask short questions that
require short answers or a nod or a shake of
the head. Never pretend to understand if you
are having difficulty doing so. Repeat what
you understand, or incorporate the
interviewee's statements into each of the
following questions. The person's reactions
will clue you in and guide you to
understanding.
If
you have difficulty communicating, be
willing to repeat or rephrase a question.
Open-ended questions are more appropriate
than closed-ended questions.
Do
not shout at a hearing impaired person.
Shouting distorts sounds accepted through
hearing aids and inhibits lip reading. Do
not shout at a person who is blind or
visually impaired -- he or she can hear you!
To
facilitate conversation, be prepared to
offer a visual cue to a hearing impaired
person or an audible cue to a vision
impaired person, especially when more than
one person is speaking.
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