Disability Etiquette part II

Engage brain first speak afterwards, a familiar phrase that is applicable to working with the disabled as much as anywhere else.


Always speak directly to the person with a disability, not to his companion, aide or sign language interpreter. Making small talk with a person who has a disability is great; just talk as you would with anyone else, this applies in particular to the majority of hotel receptionists who have a really annoying habit of talking over the heads of wheelchair users and often refer to and talk to users as one would to a child. Respect an individual’s privacy. If you ask about his disability, he may feel like you are treating him as a disability, not as a human being. (However, many people with disabilities are comfortable with children’s natural curiosity and do not mind if a child asks them questions.)

One person’s fun is another person’s personal nightmare, do not prejudge what someone can or cannot do

People with disabilities are the best judge of what they can or cannot do. Don’t make decisions for them about participating in any activity. Depending on the situation, it could be a violation of ADA or DDA legislation, (don’t know the law? Remember in all legal situations not just to do with disability legislation, ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law so find copies of the ADA if you are in the USA, or DDA if in the UK and read the content, time spent is money saved in the long run!!)

Respond positively to all requests, there’s always a positive not negative reasons for requests made by disabled people

When people who have a disability ask for an accommodation at your business, it is not a complaint. It shows they feel comfortable enough in your establishment to ask for what they need. And if they get a positive response, they will probably come back again and tell their friends about the good service they received. Remember, for every person with a positive experience they are likely to tell 5 others, who tell more friends as well (the world is a small place), for every negative experience they’ll tell 10 people etc. People who are disabled and have a positive experience are much more likely to repeat the experience with your business than a non-disabled person.

What’s in a name?

The longest running debate in the world of the disabled is what we call ourselves and the debate is fierce, and moreover remains unresolved but here’s some basic pointers. Avoid outdated terms like “handicapped” or “crippled.” (Surprisingly the word ‘handicapped’ is a word that scores pretty high on KEI SEO terms). Be aware that many people with disabilities dislike jargon and euphemistic terms like “physically challenged” and “differently-abled” Say “wheelchair user,” rather than “confined to a wheelchair” or “wheelchair bound.” The wheelchair is what enables the person to get around and participate in society; it’s liberating, not confining.

This post is by Alan Broadbent, Managing Director Disabled Accessible Travel