Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training

People with speech impairment

Speech impairment can be due to a number of causes including hearing impairment, acquired brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis and Cerebral Palsy. It can include complete loss of speech, difficulty with fluency, slurring, stuttering and reduced power of voice.

TIPS

When communicating with a person with a speech impairment:

• Use a normal speaking voice
• Be patient and avoid interrupting
• Let the person finish what they want to say without trying to finish their sentences for them. This only slows down communication
• If you did not understand, ask the person to repeat
• A person who has no speech at all will usually have pen and paper to communicate with
• A person who is deaf or hearing impaired may be able to read your lips, or may prefer to use pen and paper.

People with a vision impairment

A vision impairment can be either total or partial loss of vision.

Some forms of vision impairment mean that a person who sees quite well in one environment or situation is unable to see in another environment or situation. For example, tunnel vision, where a person has no peripheral vision, and night blindness, where a person is unable to see well or at all at night. Some people with night blindness can see in daylight but are almost blind in darkened lecture theatres where overheads or slides are being shown.

TIPS

When communicating with a person who is vision impaired:

• Introduce yourself by name, even though you already know the person
• Always face the person when speaking to them 
• Use your normal voice, neither louder nor more exaggerated 
• Say when you are leaving the room so the person is not left speaking to themselves

When offering assistance:

• Ask first
• If the person would like your assistance allow them to take your arm and walk about half a pace behind you, never grab them or try and lead them 
• If the person uses a cane ensure it is not restricted in any way, never grab the cane or attempt to lead them by the cane 
• When guiding someone give clear and concise information about what is ahead:

• When approaching stairs say whether you are going up or down and how many there are
• Say when you are reaching the top or bottom of the stairs
• Say when there are signs like "work in progress" or "slippery when wet"

• When guiding a person to a chair, place their hand on the back of the chair, indicate which way the chair is facing and whether it swivels or has arms
• When guiding a person to a car open the car door and place their hand on the roof of the car so they can bring it down to touch the back of the car seat 
• Doors need to be fully opened or completely closed 
• Passageways should be free of clutter.

People with hearing impairment

A hearing impairment may range from slight to profound. Many people who are deaf or hearing impaired wear a hearing aid, although they may have only limited improvement in hearing with the hearing aid. A person who has had a severe hearing impairment from early childhood may be difficult for you to understand.

Some people who are deaf or hearing impaired speak and lip read, others may prefer to communicate with their hands, using sign language, or by writing down a message with a pen and paper.

In Australia, people in the Deaf Community speak Auslan, Australian Sign Language. At the university, some deaf and hearing-impaired students may have sign interpreters and notetakers in order to participate in class.

NB If the hearing impaired person is accompanied by a sign interpreter, always look at and speak to the person not to the sign interpreter.

TIPS

• To gain the person's attention lightly touch them before speaking
• Always face the person and speak clearly and slightly more slowly than usual
• Use a relaxed tone of voice
• Keep your face to the light
• Keep your hand away from your face and avoid smoking
• Be patient if the person does not understand, try re-phrasing your words or simplifying your sentences
• If necessary, write down what you want to say and hand it to the person
• Let the person see that you really are keen to communicate with them
• Go over the important information you have given to check that the person has understood.

A person may experience mobility impairment as a result of accident or injury, chronic medical condition or congenital disability. For example, from paralysis, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, Poliomyelitis, spinal cord injury, back injury, arthritis, broken or sprained limbs, loss of limbs, stroke or brain tumour.

Mobility impairments vary - a person may have difficulty with balance, gait and co-ordination, and experience dizziness, weakness, pain and paralysis. They may use crutches, a walking stick or a wheelchair.

Some conditions may go into remission, others may come and go with no particular pattern, or there may be gradual deterioration. In many cases, however, the disability may not be visible.

For people with mobility disabilities, time spent standing still in queues may cause pain, fatigue or discomfort. Similarly with sitting for too long in one place, using stairs, lifting or bending.

TIPS

• Look at the person directly
• Ask if the person requires some assistance, and be willing to accept "no" for an answer 
• If the person says "yes", ask what kind of help would be best and provide it 
• If in a queue, ask the person if they would like to move straight to the top of the queue 
• If waiting is necessary, ask if the person requires a chair 
• If a food tray is to be carried, offer to bring the tray with the food to the table 
• If you are in a lift when a person with a mobility impairment is entering or leaving, hold the ‘door open' to ensure the person's safety.

People using wheelchairs

People who use wheelchairs have varying degrees of difficulty with mobility. Some may use their arms to propel the chair, others may use an electric wheelchair, which is usually heavier and cannot be easily folded to be placed in a car.

TIPS

• Check with the person before rushing to assist and accept if they refuse your help
• Do not assume that a person can manage without checking first 
• Look at the person when speaking to them 
• Be aware that heavy doors can be awkward for a person in a wheelchair 
• If necessary, hold open lift doors to ensure that a person in a wheelchair has sufficient time to enter or leave the lift 
• Offer to reach things on high shelves 
• If possible, and appropriate, sit down to speak with a person in a wheelchair so that you are at the same eye level 
• Use of a wheelchair usually means that it takes longer to get from one place to another - so bear this in mind if the person is late for a meeting 
• People who are dependent on taxis to get around may need to book the cab by phone, or be advised when the cab arrives 
• If the person carries their pads, notebooks and pens in a bag hung over the back of the chair they might appreciate an offer of assistance to get them out or put them away.

The information below outlines the relevant information for assisting a person in a wheelchair, as well as how to fold and store a wheelchair.

GOING UP A STEP -

Frontwards

• Tip chair back so front wheels clear step
• Put wheels down on top of step 
• Push steadily and firmly -large wheels will ride up step 
• Ensure chair is safely on flat surface

Backwards

• See that the person is comfortable
• Reverse chair with back to step 
• Make sure that the brakes of the chair are "off" 
• Take a firm stance 
• Tip chair back and balance weight on back wheels 
• Pull steadily, don't jerk 
• Move back until there is sufficient room to put chair down on all its wheels

GOING DOWN A STEP

Move the wheelchair near the edge of the step (facing as below) and gently guide the large rear wheels down the step.

Gently lower the small casters to the ground. Keeping your foot on the tilt bar can assist in gently lowering the wheelchair.

STANDING UP

• Lock the brakes and fold footplates up
• Move to the edge of the wheelchair and place feet on the ground 
• Push down on the armrests to help stand

STORAGE AND TRANSPORT

FOLDING

• Fold the footplates up
• Pull the middle of the seat up with both hands

LIFTING A WHEELCHAIR INTO A CAR

• Ask someone to help you lift the wheelchair into and out of the car
• If necessary remove the armrests and footplates to make the chair lighter 
• Lift the wheelchair by its frame not by its wheels

UNFOLDING

• Place hands flat and push out on the bars attached to the seat
• Take care not to place your hands between the seat and arms of the chair

Please Note

These are only general tips for use when offering assistance to people using wheelchairs. It is best to check with the person using the wheelchair for preferred methods.

People of short stature

People of short stature may experience difficulty in reaching day to day objects such as door handles, light switches, wash basins, banking facilities, seating on public transport, supermarket and library shelves, and reading noticeboards or whiteboards.

Be aware that social or public situations involving crowds may be very difficult and threatening for people of short stature.

It is not appropriate to use terms such as "dwarf" or "midget" when referring to people of short stature.

When speaking to someone of short stature, keep in mind the person's likely age - people of short stature are often inappropriately addressed as much younger than they are.

TIPS

• Ask if the person wants assistance
• Address the person according to their maturity

People who are behaving aggressively

There are many reasons why a person might be acting aggressively. For example, personality, anxiety, frustration, alcohol, fatigue or medical conditions.

People with acquired brain injuries may have no sign of physical injury but have difficulty self-censoring in their communication with others. This can sometimes lead to the person being short-tempered and behaving impulsively or inappropriately.

TIPS

• Be patient. If the person wrongly blames you for a problem, remember that to them you may represent the organisation they feel has treated them badly
• Respond in a way that indicates you have heard and understood even if you don't agree. For example, "I can see you are upset about this, how can I help?" or "I see what you mean" 
• Avoid arguing and being defensive, it won't help 
• Speak calmly and firmly if the person's behaviour becomes inappropriate or self destructive 
• If the person is a student, Student Counsellors may be able to assist 
• If the person does not respond or you believe they are becoming aggressive or violent towards themselves or others, contact Security or the Police.

People who use a trained dog

A guide dog or any animal trained to assist a person with a disability will be highly disciplined. Anti-discrimination legislation makes it an unlawful for guide dogs to be refused entry to any building or public transport.

TIPS

• Do not feed, pat or talk to the guide dog
• Nevertheless, do take into account the needs of the animals for food and water, always checking with the owner first 
• Ensure there is adequate access to outdoor areas for exercising and toiletting 
• If you are asked to take a guide dog for a walk be sure to ask the owner or regular handler for any special instructions on how to handle the animal.

People who appear disoriented, confused, agitated or anxious

You may not be able to tell why a person is acting in this way, it may be because of an illness, use of prescribed or illegal drugs, shock, or a mental illness.

TIPS

• Speak calmly and clearly
• If the person does not calm down, or becomes aggressive, seek medical assistance or contact Security or your local Mental Health Team 
• If you have concerns about the person's safety or your own - phone Security, the Police or a Mental Health Crisis service in your area.