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Housing

UCP’s Housing Channel provides information on housing options, legal and policy issues, and resources on the civil rights of people with developmental, cognitive and physical disabilities regarding housing issues.

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General Etiquette for Interacting and Communicating with People with Disabilities

Interacting with people with disabilities require a sensitivity toward their individual needs. The following is a list of general etiquette:

  • Make every effort to use People First Language.
  • 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.
  • If an interpreter is present, speak to the person who has come to meet with you and maintain eye contact, not with the interpreter.
  • 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.
  • It is okay to offer someone assistance but do so in a dignified manner with sensitivity and respect. Be prepared to have the offer declined, and do not proceed to assist if your offer has been declined. If the offer is accepted, then listen to or ask for instructions.
  • Always speak in a normal tone of voice, and only raise your voice when requested.
  • Treat adults as adults. Use first names only when extending that same familiarity to all others present.
  • When first introduced to a person with a disability, it is appropriate to offer to shake hands. Persons with limited hand use or an artificial limb can usually shake hands, and offering the left hand is acceptable. For those who cannot shake hands, touch the person on the shoulder or arm to welcome and acknowledge their presence.
  • If you are unsure how something might affect a person, ask him/her for advice.

Etiquette for Interacting with People with Mobility Impairments

  • Do not lean or hang on someone’s wheelchair. The chair is part of the space that belongs to the person who uses it.
  • When talking with a person in a wheelchair for more than a few minutes, utilize a chair, whenever possible, in order to place yourself at the person’s eye level to facilitate conversation.
  • Enable people who use crutches, canes or wheelchairs to keep them within reach.
  • Be aware that some people who use a wheelchair may choose to transfer themselves out of their wheelchair, into an office chair, for the duration of the meeting.

Etiquette for Interacting with People with Visual Impairments

  • Never distract a person’s guide dog or work animal from its job without the owner’s permission.
  • When communicating with a person with a visual impairment, always verbally 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. Let the person know if you or anyone else is moving from one place to another or leaving the room, and let them know when the conversation is at an end.
  • If the person with a visual impairment does not extend their hand to shake hands, then verbally extend a welcome.
  • When offering seating to a person with a visual impairment, place the person’s hand on the back or arm of the seat. A verbal cue is helpful as well.
  • In order to facilitate conversation, be prepared to offer audible cues to a person with a visual impairment when appropriate, especially when more than one person is speaking.
  • Do not shout at a person who is blind or visually impaired – he/she can hear you!

Etiquette for Interacting with People with Hearing Impairments

  • When communicating with a person with a hearing impairment, be sure you have his/her attention by touching him/her lightly on the shoulder or waving your hand.
  • Look directly at the person and speak clearly and at a comfortable pace to establish if the person can read lips (not all people with hearing impairments can lip-read). Those who can will rely on facial expressions, other body language and gestures to help in understanding, so speak expressively but do not exaggerate your lip movement or shout (NOTE: It is estimated that only 4 out of 10 spoken words are visible on the lips). Show your consideration by placing yourself facing the light source and keeping your hands, cigarettes, and food away your mouth when speaking. Brief, concise written notes may be helpful.
  • In the United States, most people who are deaf use American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is not, however, a universal language. It is a language with its own syntax and grammatical structure. When scheduling an interpreter for a non-English speaking person, be certain to retain an interpreter that speaks and interprets in the language of the person with the hearing impairment.
  • Interpreters facilitate communication. They should not be consulted about matters concerning the person for whom they are interpreting.
  • Do not shout at a person with a hearing impairment. Shouting distorts sounds accepted through hearing aids and inhibits lip reading.
  • In order to facilitate conversation, be prepared to offer visual cues to a person with a hearing impairment when appropriate, especially when more than one person is speaking.

Etiquette for Interacting with People with Speech Impairments

  • Listen attentively when you are talking to a person who has a speech impairment. Keep your manner encouraging rather than correcting. Exercise patience rather than interrupting or attempting to speak for a person with speech difficulties.
  • If you are having difficulty understanding what the person is saying, listen for key words or phrases or ask questions that require short answers or a nod or shake of the head. Never pretend to understand if you are having difficulty doing so. Instead, ask the person to repeat what you do not understand and allow the person to respond.
  • Do not raise your voice when speaking to a person with a speech impairment. Most people with a speech impairment can hear and understand clearly.

Making sure there is full access to services

  • Make sure that your building and your office is accessible by checking the following:
      a. Are there parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities?
      b. Is there a ramp or step-free entrance?
      c. Are there accessible bathrooms?
      d. If your office is not on the first floor, does the building have an elevator?
      e. Are there any water fountains and telephones at the proper height for a person in a wheelchair to use?
  • People with disabilities utilize a variety of transportation services when traveling to and from appointments. When scheduling a meeting, be aware that the person may be required to make a reservation 24 hours in advance, plus travel time. Provide the consumer with an estimated time to schedule their return trip when arranging appointments or meetings.
  • Provide reasonable accommodations so that consumers with disabilities may access information and services available through your program, including alternative formats for written materials (e.g., large print, Braille, cassettes, etc.).