1	Disability Etiquette When talking to or referring to people with disabilities Avoid using outdated terms like “handicapped” and “crippled” A legendary origin of the word handicap refers to a person with a disability having to beg on the street with “cap in hand.” Many people with disabilities dislike euphemistic terms like “physically challenged” and “differently abled.”
2	"Say wheelchair user rather than..." Say wheelchair user rather than confined to a wheelchair or wheelchair bound. A wheelchair is what enables people to get around and participate in society – its liberating, not confining. It’s okay to use idiomatic expressions when talking to people with disabilities. For example, “It was good to see you,” is completely acceptable when saying goodbye to a person who is blind.
3	"Most people who are deaf..." Most people who are deaf and communicate with sign language consider themselves to be members of a cultural and linguistic minority. They refer to themselves as Deaf. Use “hearing impaired” to refer to people who have hearing loss, but communicate using spoken language.
4	People who use Wheelchairs Have differing abilities Don’t push or touch a wheelchair without asking the individual Don’t set your drink on their desktop. It is a violation of their personal space. Sit down to communicate with the individual, rather than standing over them.
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6	"If your service counter is..." If your service counter is too high for a person who uses a wheelchair to see over it, step around it to communicate, rather than leaning over. Place things within reach of the individual Keep halls, ramps and doorways clear of items which would impede travel. If you have a rack of brochures, keep the path to the rack open and accessible for the individual who uses a wheelchair.
7	People who are Blind or Visually Impaired People who are blind or visually impaired know how to orient themselves and travel unassisted. Most use a cane or a guide dog. Identify yourself before you make physical contact with a person who is blind. If the individual is new to your NP, offer them a tour so they may get oriented.
8	"People who are blind need..." People who are blind need their arms for balance. Offer your arm, don't take his if he needs to be guided. Guide her hand to the back of a chair or a banister to help direct him to a stairway or a seat. If the person has a guide dog, walk on the opposite side of the dog. As you are walking describe the setting, noting any obstacles such as stairs up or down.
9	"If you are going to..." If you are going to give a warning, be specific – hollering “look out” does not tell the person if he should stop, run, duck, or jump. If you need to leave a person who is blind somewhere, leave him near a wall, table or some other landmark. The middle of the room will seem like the middle of nowhere. Don’t touch the person’s cane or dog. The dog is working and needs to concentrate. The cane is considered personal space.
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11	"Offer to read written information..." Offer to read written information – such as the menu, merchandise labels, or important papers at a meeting. WORD documents can be brailed at the library. If you serve food to a person who is blind, let her know where everything is on the plate according to a clock orientation (e.g., vegetable medley at 2:00) For people who are visually impaired, good lighting is important, but not too bright. It is easiest for people with vision impairments to read bold white letters on a black background
12	People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing American sign Language is a different language from English with a syntax all its own. Speech reading is difficult for people who are deaf if their first language is ASL because the majority of sounds are made inside the mouth making them difficult to see.
13	"People who are hard of..." People who are hard of hearing communicate in English. They use some hearing but may rely on amplification and speech reading to communicate effectively. Follow a person’s cues to determine if they prefer sign language, gesturing, writing, or speaking. In Kentucky, interpreters of the deaf must be certified.
14	"Avoid chewing gum" Avoid chewing gum, or obscuring your mouth with your hand while speaking. If you are sitting in front of a window, the glare may obscure your face. Be sure the environment is conducive to effective communication. Speak clearly, but don’t yell or over exaggerate your words. Other options to communicate are TTY, short for teletypewriter, also called a TTD.
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16	When using an interpreter Look directly at the person who is deaf and maintain eye contact to be polite Talk directly to the person rather than through the interpreter, e.g., “What would you like?” rather than “Ask her what she’d like?” Make sure you have person’s attention before beginning to speak with the person. Rephrase, rather than repeat, sentences that are misunderstood.
17	Deaf Relay The operator will identify the call as a deaf relay call. There is no charge for this service. After each statement the operator will say something such as “go ahead.” The number to initiate a deaf relay call is 711