As someone who is close to someone with a disability, you know better than most the societal hurdles people with disabilities face. Make no mistake: Perceptions about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have come a long way in recent decades. However, people with disabilities still face a number of challenges that prevent them from being fully included in their communities.
Unfortunately, many people still hold misconceptions about the disability community, many of which are grounded in fear – fear over the simple act of communicating with someone who happens to have a disability. Here is some information you can share with others who may need guidance about communicating effectively—and appropriately—with people with disabilities.
Breaking barriers to communication
Communication ability, as well as methods of communication, vary from person to person depending on the disability. Some people may be able to engage in verbal conversation with ease, while others may have limited verbal ability. For people who are unfamiliar with people with disabilities, this reality can bring up feelings of fear and anxiety. Thoughts may include:
- “What’s wrong with this person?”
- “This person won’t understand me. I should just leave them alone.”
- “What if I say the wrong thing and offend them?”
- “Maybe I can talk with their support person instead.”
When we view people with disabilities through a lens of fear, we’re not moving toward inclusion, but away from it.
Inclusion starts with communication
Fortunately, there are some easy ways we can all help bridge the communication divide to start creating a more inclusive world for people with disabilities, and it all starts with moving past barriers to communication.
Here is some direction you can share for engaging with people with an intellectual or developmental disability with empathy and competence.
| DO | DON’T |
| Use people-first language | Use terms like “the disabled,” “crippled” or “slow” |
| Treat adults as adults | Condescend as if speaking to a child |
| Communicate with the individual first | Communicate with their support person first |
| Use a normal tone of voice and speak at eye level | Avoid eye contact, physically look down on them or shout |
| Assume they’re fine | Automatically think they need your help |
| Celebrate hard work and achievements | Pity or patronize them by seeing everything they do as “inspiration” |
Another bit of guidance you can share is that everyone is unique, and communication with people with disabilities may need to be adapted as relationships evolve. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, nor should there be. The goal here is not to tiptoe around communication with people who have disabilities—it’s to get comfortable interacting with people of all abilities.
As someone who is close to someone with a disability, you know better than most the societal hurdles people with disabilities face. Make no mistake: Perceptions about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have come a long way in recent decades. However, people with disabilities still face a number of challenges that prevent them from being fully included in their communities.
Unfortunately, many people still hold misconceptions about the disability community, many of which are grounded in fear – fear over the simple act of communicating with someone who happens to have a disability. Here is some information you can share with others who may need guidance about communicating effectively—and appropriately—with people with disabilities.