Communicating with the disabled
RUNNING HEAD: COMMUNICATING WITH THE DISABLED Effective Communications Paper: Communicating with the Disabled Ronda A. Frazier COMM102 Shane Howell 12/18/03 Communicating with the Disabled Page 1 Abstract From an early age we learn how to communicate using our senses, speech, and gestures, and utilize these skills for the rest of our lives. ... People can understand disabilities but it is hard to perceive how to communicate with people that have disabilities and, in turn, it makes not only the person trying to communicate to a disabled person uncomfortable but also the person that is disabled uncomfortable. The purpose of this paper is to help understand what disabilities are, how to communicate about someone with disabilities, and how we can overcome the communication barriers that are present between those of us who do not know how to communicate with the disabled. Communicating with the Disabled Page 2 Communicating with the Disabled Before understanding how to communicate with the disabled we must first define what disability means. ... If a person cannot walk, see, hear, speak, breathe, learn, or take care of themselves to the same extent as the average person then they are considered disabled. ... It is difficult to imagine that one day any person could be disabled. ... Communicating with the Disabled Page 3 When one comes into contact with a person who is blind or severely visually impaired it is best to first understand that the visually impaired person has several ways that they can communicate. ... When one meets someone with a visual disability; one can Communicating with the Disabled Page 4 comfortably communicate with them by: * Talking directly to the person and letting them know where you are; try to avoid talking from behind them. ... It is important to first find how they communicate; some deaf people read lips and if this is the case you must speak slowly and distinctly so they can read and Communicating with the Disabled Page 5 understand what you are saying, if you cannot make yourself understood try writing it on paper for them to read. ... Sign language is important to the deaf to communicate with those who are used to communicating but deaf people are also used to communicating with the hearing and most can read lips. When communicating with a person with a hearing disability you may use some of the tips below. ... According to the Stroke Recovery Association of Ontario, “aphasia is marked by speech and language problems caused by damage to the Communicating with the Disabled Page 6 brain” (Stroke Recovery Association of Ontario.