Will you be attending the demonstration about university fees in Cambridge on November 5th?

Yes, I'll be there - I've been getting my placards ready and working on new chants

Yup, where do I sign up for the free bus?

No, I've got lectures that day!

No, I'm not really the protesting type - how else can I get involved?

Please, tell me more!

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NUS SWD Campaign Disability Etiquette Language and Disability Language is important in all situations, and disability is no different. We use the terms 'disability' and 'impairment' quite separately. Most people have an impairment, however minor – but they are not disabled unless there is a negative social response to them because of the impairment. For instance, a person with impaired vision requiring reading glasses would not see themselves as disabled if they lived in the UK. But if they lived in a rural area of Africa they may well be, as they might have been excluded from a proper education and would find it more difficult to find employment. Disability describes how society responds to people with impairments; it is not a description of a personal characteristic. A disabled person is not a 'person with a disability' as the person does not own the disability in the way that you might be 'a person with brown hair'. The opposite of disabled is not ‘able-bodied’ or ‘abled’ - it is ‘non-disabled’ or ‘enabled’. People with disabilities are quite naturally sensitive to the negative connotations of some expressions. Some non disabled individuals may inappropriately regard this concern for language as political correctness, however, language conveys powerful messages and can lead to inaccurate labelling that dehumanises or belittles. It is important to gain a general understanding of words and phrases which may give offence to people with disabilities. It is dehumanising to refer to a person in terms of a condition. Therefore, do not talk about a "spastic" or an "epileptic". Instead, say "he/she has cerebral palsy" or refer to "a person with epilepsy". It is helpful to observe care in one's choice of words and to encourage all students to be sensitive to their use of language too. The list below is dynamic and changes in response to the suggestions and beliefs of those with disabilities. Many disabled people find the word "handicapped" offensive, as it carries connotations of "cap in hand". Instead say "person with a disability" or "disabled person". Medical "labels" are undesirable and often misleading, as no two people are alike. Medical labels say little about people as individuals and tend to reinforce stereotypes of disabled people as "patients", powerless and wholly dependent on the medical profession. Back to top
Avoid terms such as: Handicapped The Disabled / The Deaf / The Blind Spastic The Epileptic Any word '...ic' which replaces the identity of the individual crippled by ... suffering from ... afflicted by ... ESN (Educationally Subnormal) EBD (Emotionally & Behaviourally Disturbed) Cripples Wheelchair bound Confined to a wheelchair A victim of... Deformity Retarded Invalid Dumb Mute The special needs child Analogies e.g. 'deaf as a post' / 'blind as a bat' which indicate stupidity Abnormal Dwarf / Midget Backward Mongol “spastic" - "cripple" - "retarded" - "defective" phrases like "deaf and dumb" and "mentally deficient" disabled toilet	Use preferred terms such as: Disabled people Non-disabled people People with disabilities People with learning difficulties Blind Partially sighted Visually impaired person Partially deaf Hearing impaired person Deaf person without speech Deaf people who use sign language Mental health difficulties Mental health survivors Wheelchair users Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) Toilets are accessible or not . Back to top
Avoid attaching labels to people with or without disabilities. Do not make assumptions about the presence or absence of impairment; as some people have hidden disabilities such as epilepsy or asthma. Medical labels are undesirable and misleading as no two people are alike. Medical labels say nothing about the individual and tend to reinforce stereotypes of disabled people as 'patients', powerless and wholly dependent on the medical profession. It is dehumanising to talk of people in terms of a condition. Do not talk about 'a dyslexic' or 'an epileptic' - it is far preferable to say 'he has dyslexia' / 'she has epilepsy'. Do not use the word disabled as a noun ('the disabled'), it implies a homogenous group separate from the rest of society. Everyone is an individual, people with disabilities do not constitute a group apart. Treat adults in a manner befitting adults. Remember not to confuse learning disability with mental illness. Remember that there are many degrees of deafness and different methods of communicating, such as lip-reading or signing. It is important to be accurate about a person's degree of deafness and method of communication. For example, some people will have no useful hearing, others will have some degree of useful hearing. Many of these people will have the capacity with or without a hearing aid, to communicate through speech, listening or lip-reading. Back to top
Meeting people with disabilities Do offer assistance to a disabled person but wait until your offer has been accepted before you help. Do not assume you know the best way of helping, listen to any instructions. Do not be embarrassed about using common expressions such as 'I see what you mean' which may relate to a person's disability. Make eye contact and talk directly to the disabled person rather than through a companion. Make appropriate physical contact with disabled people according to the situation in the same way as you would with anyone else. People who are deaf : Do not make assumptions about a person's ability to communicate or the ways in which they do it. Always ask the person to tell you. Remember that those deaf people who use sign language find this the easiest method of communication. If an interpreter is present, speak to the person you are meeting, rather than to the interpreter. When you are speaking directly to a person who is deaf, remember that shouting does not help. You may want to use written notes. Do not assume that everyone who is deaf can lip-read. Always ask the person when you first meet them. If they do lip-read, remember that this skill is never wholly reliable. It requires intense concentration and is very tiring. When meeting a person who is lip-reading : Look directly at them and speak slowly and clearly. Speak with facial expressions, gestures and body movements which emphasise the words you use. Face the light and keep hands, cigarettes and food away from your face while speaking. If necessary, attract the person's attention with a light touch on their upper arm or a wave of your hand. Wheelchair users : When talking for more than a few moments to someone in a wheelchair, try to put yourself at their eye level to avoid stiff necks. Do remember : Speak to a person in the wheelchair and not their companion. Push the wheelchair only with the permission of the user. Do not push, drive, lean on, grab, hold or anything else to their wheelchair without permission. This is their personal space and property. Rearrange furniture if there is something blocking the way of their wheelchair. Try to get on eye level with the person if possible. Ensure that you give details of suitable toilet facilities. People with visual impairment : First identify yourself clearly and introduce anyone else who is present. Try to indicate where they are placed in the room. When offering a handshake, say something like "Shall we shake hands?" When help is needed on unfamiliar ground, say "Let me offer you an arm". This will enable you to guide rather than propel or lead the person. When offering a seat, place the person's hand on the back or arm of the chair. Do not leave someone talking to an empty space. Say when you wish to end a conversation or to move away. When talking in a group, remember to say the name of the person to whom you are speaking. People with speech difficulties : Give your whole attention to a person with a speech difficulty. Be encouraging and patient. Do not correct or speak for the person. Wait quietly while the person talks and resist the temptation to finish sentences. Where possible, ask questions that require short answers or a nod r shake of the hand. If you have difficulty understanding, don't pretend. Repeat what you do understand and the person's reactions will guide you. Do not park in a disabled parking space unless you have the proper identification and have a disability that warrants you to park there. People need the bigger area to get out wheelchairs etc. Do not talk down to the person or like they are a child (unless they really are a child.) If you want to ask someone about their disability, then ask. Be polite and respectful. People with disabilities are just normal people. Please don't stare for long periods of time. Let your child talk to people with disabilities. It is really sad when parents do not let children ask questions or talk. Children are very accepting. Do not pat someone with a disability on the head. They are not pets or toys. They are people. If it looks like someone with a disability might need some help, just ask them. The worst they can do is say "No, thank you." Not everyone can shake hands. Try a nod or a smile instead. Relax and just be yourself. Back to top