Tips for Interacting with People with Disabilities

Defining Disability Broadly

It is important to think about disability broadly. Traditional narrow definitions of disability are not appropriate. Disability is not limited to wheelchair users and people who are blind or deaf. Individuals with disabilities include those with one or more activity limitations such as a reduced ability or inability to see, read, walk, speak, hear, learn, remember, understand, manipulate or reach controls, and/or respond quickly. Some disabilities are quite visible, while others are hidden such as heart disease, emotional or psychiatric conditions, arthritis, significant allergies, asthma, chemical and other environmental sensitivities, respiratory conditions, and some visual, hearing, and cognitive disabilities.

Longer life expectancies and decreasing death rates from heart disease increase the numbers of people living with chronic, nonfatal, but disabling conditions. (Reis 2003) As the population ages, as people with disabilities rise in proportion to demographic changes, and as medical and technology advances continue to keep more people with disabilities, chronic conditions, and activity limitations alive, healthy, and functioning independently, plans that include everyone make the most sense.

People with disabilities and activity limitations include those who have:

• Conditions which interfere with walking or using stairs (joint pain, mobility device user – wheelchair, canes, crutches, walker)

• Reduced stamina, fatigue, or tire easily (due to a variety of temporary or permanent conditions)

• Respiratory conditions (due to heart disease, asthma, emphysema, chemical or environmental sensitivities or other symptoms triggered by stress, exertion, or exposure to small amounts of dust or smoke, fragrances and fragranced products, cleaning agents, and other chemical fumes, etc.)

• Emotional, cognitive, thinking, understanding, remembering or learning difficulties

• Vision loss

• Hearing loss

• Difficulty speaking so others can understand them

• Temporary limitations resulting from, but not limited to:

  • Surgery

  • Accidents and injuries (sprains, broken bones)

  • Pregnancy (Kailes 2002)