STATE CONTACT
John Hancock
Extension Associate
AgrAbility Project Director
W.P.Garrigus Bldg.,Room 304
(859) 257-1845
Fax (859)323-1991
E-mail: jhancock@uky.edu
4-H Curriculum (2001): "Bustin' the Barriers", A guide for a 4-H Barrier Free Enviornment Project, adopted from University of Idaho, College of Agriculture. Counties interested in being a pilot county or reviewing the curriculum, should contact John Hancock or Jann Burks, jburks@uky.edu
APPROPRIATE DISABILITY TERMINOLOGY
Kentucky AgrAbility
Non-discriminatory terminology related to people with disabilities
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin. Should special arrangements for an activity/event/program need to be made for a disabled person, contact the Cooperative Extension Office or the State Specialist/Associate responsible for that event.
Resources
African-American History: Slavery to Civil Rights. CD-ROM. Minimum requirements - Windows: 33 MHz, 486 Processor, 8 MB RAM, Sound Blaster or comparable sound card - Available from Wendy Stivers.
African-American history is exhibited in full color videos and photographs supplemented by texts and speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin, Supreme Court transcripts and short biographies.
Emphasize the uniqueness and worth of the whole individual by using person-first language. Say a person who has a disability or person that is deaf rather than a disabled person or deaf person.
Because persons are not conditions, do not label individuals as in the disabled, epileptics, etc... Say instead, people who have disabilities, have epilepsy, have/had polio, etc.
Omit mention of a person's disability in news coverage unless it is a pertinent part of the story.
Whenever possible, depict the typical achiever who has the ability as well as the super-achieving individual.
When writing about people with disabilities, choose words that carry nonjudgmental connotations and are accurate descriptions.
VICTIM Say person who has/person who experienced/person with.
CRIPPLE/CRIPPLED/THE CRIPPLED Say person with a disability or individual with a disability.
AFFLICTED BY/AFFLICTED WITH Say the person has.
INVALID (Literally means not valid) Say a person who has a disability resulting from or caused by.
NORMAL What most people, including those with disabilities, think they are.
PATIENT Connotes sickness and a person passively waiting to be served. Most people with disabilities are no sicker that others.
SYMPATHY Something most individuals with disabilities would trade instantly for acceptance and respect for their talents and abilities. Do not confuse with empathy or understanding.
WHEELCHAIR BOUND/CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR Say uses a wheelchair.
HOMEBOUND EMPLOYMENT Say works at home or telecommutes.
UNFORTUNATE, PITIFUL, POOR, DEAF AND DUMB, MUTE, CRIP, DEFORMED, BLIND AS A BAT and any other words or cliches that are judgmental or stereotyping. No replacements.
COURAGEOUS, BRAVE, INSPIRATIONAL and any other similar words that are routinely used to describe any person who has a disability. Adapting to a disability does not necessarily include these traits.
People with disabilities should be portrayed as contributing and productive members of the community. This portrayal should include:
A wide variety of people with disabilities, not just those such as wheelchair users who are most recognizable by the general public.
Employees/employers with disabilities working all kinds of jobs from scientists to farmers and everything in between.
Using people with disabilities in scenes and parts that don't focus on their disabilities.
Showing people with disabilities doing ordinary, everyday activities such as cooking dinner, paying bills and shopping.
Focusing on abilities instead of limitations. Avoiding prolonged focus on adaptive equipment such as crutches, canes etc.
Integrating a person's disability into that person's total identity. This includes showing an individual with a disability experiencing the same pain/pleasure others derive from recreational activities, work parenting, sex, education and community involvement.
Including people with disabilities in advertising since there are more than 54 million, not counting their families and friends, who eat, wear, use and drive the products advertised.
Ask people with disabilities to provide technically correct information and assistance to insure that stereotypical portrayals are eliminated from all aspects of the media.
Portray people with disabilities as People with the accompanying strength and frailties.
When introduced to a person with a disability, it is appropriate to offer to shake hands. Even people with limited hand use or who wear an artificial limb can shake hands.
Treat adults as adults. Address people who have disabilities by first name only when calling everyone present by first name.
When talking to a person who has a disability, speak directly to that person rather than through a companion who may be along.
Don't be embarrassed if you happen to use words that seem to relate to a disability. "See you later," "Walk this way" or "Got to be running along" are common expressions everyone uses, including people with disabilities.
If you offer to help, wait until the offer is accepted then listen to ask for instructions.
Consider needs of people with disabilities when planning events.
Conduct interviews in a manner that emphasizes abilities, achievements and individual qualities.
Avoid putting people with disabilities on a pedestal. Conduct your interview as you would with anyone.
Don't emphasize differences between people as this reinforces the "one of them" vs "one of us" attitude, a barrier to acceptance of people with disabilities.
You may need to get the person's attention by touching the person lightly on the shoulder, waving your hand or using some physical guard.
If an interpreter is present, speak to the individual being interviewed rather than to the interpreter.
If the person is lip-reading, look directly at the interviewee. Speak slowly and clearly. Do not exaggerate your lip movements or shout. Speak expressively because the person will rely on your facial expressions, gestures and body movements to understand you. (Note: It is estimated that only 3 out of 10 spoken words are visible on the lips.)
Place yourself facing the light source and keep your hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth when speaking.
Shouting does not help and can be harmful. You may want to use written notes.
When greeting a person with a severe loss of vision, always identify yourself and introduce anyone else who might be present.
When offering a handshake, say something like "Shall we shake hands?"
Do not move chairs or put obstructions in the pathway of someone with a visual impairment.
Let the person know if you need to end the conversation.
Give your whole attention when talking to a person with a speech difficulty.
Ask short questions that require short answers or nod of head.
Do not finish the person's sentences. Never assume that you know what the person will say.
Don't pretend to understand if you do not. Try rephrasing what you wish to communicate.
Do not lean on a person's wheelchair. The chair is a part of the body space of the person who uses it.
Do not patronize people in wheelchairs by patting them on the head. This is a sign of affection that should be reserved for small children.
When interviewing a person in a wheelchair or on crutches for more than a few minutes, place yourself at that person's eye level to avoid stiff necks.
Allow people who use crutches or wheelchairs to keep them within reach.
Make sure the place where you plan to conduct the interview is accessible by checking the following:
Amputation Surgery resulting in a missing body part such as an arm, leg or hand.
Blindness Refers to total loss of vision. Not to be used when referring to partial vision which may also be correctly called partial sight or visual impairment.
Cerebral Palsy An umbrella term for a group of disabling conditions resulting from central nervous system damage. It is inappropriate to assume that a person with cerebral palsy also has mental retardation. The two disabilities do not necessarily or typically occur together.
Communicative Disorder Another umbrella term for speech, hearing and learning disabilities that affect one's ability to communicate.
Congenital Disability Describes a disability that has existed since birth. The term "BIRTH DEFECT" is not appropriate because defect is not a synonym for disability.
Deafness Refers to total loss of hearing. Not appropriate when referring to partial hearing loss. Use hearing impairment.
Developmental Disability Any mental or physical disability manifested before the age of 22 that may continue indefinitely and result in substantial limitation in three or more of the following life activities: self- care, receptive and expressive language, mobility, self-direction, independent living, economic sufficiency.
Epilepsy An umbrella term for various disorders marked by disturbed electrical rhythms of the central nervous system and typically manifested by seizures-involuntary muscular contractions
Hearing Impairment Term for a range of hearing disabilities from slight to severe.
Hemiplegia Full or partial paralysis of one side of the body, caused by brain damage due to disease, trauma or stroke.
Learning Disability A disorder affecting the understanding or use of spoken and/or written language.
Mental Illness/Mental Disorder Loss of social and/or vocational skills necessary to function independently. Terms such asmentally deranged, deviant and crazy are not appropriate. Mental disorder is a more comprehensive term that describes any of the recognized forms of mental illness or severe emotional disorders. Terms such as neurotic, psychopathic and schizophrenic are libelous labels.
Mental retardation A condition causing a person to have significantly limited intellectual functioning, and limitations in two or more of the following life activities -- self-direction, self-care, home living, social skills, community use, communication, health and safety, functional academics and work. Labels such as moron, mentally deficient/defective and feebleminded are not acceptable.
Paraplegia Paralysis of the lower half of the body involving the partial or total loss of function of both legs.
Quadriplegia Paralysis of the body involving partial or total loss of function in both arms and both legs.
Spasticity Having sudden, abdominal involuntary muscle spasms. Muscles are spastic, people are not.
Speech Impairment Limited or difficult speech patterns.
NATIONAL INFORMATION CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES (NICHCY)
NICHCY is an international clearing house that provides free information on disabilities and disability-related issues.
Children and youth with disabilities (birth to age 22) are their special focus. NICHCY is pleased to respond to your questions and have much information to share.
Anyone may contact NICHCY for information. All information and services are provided free of charge
NICHCY
Post Office Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013-1492
1-800-695-0285 (Voice /TT)
1-202-884-8200 (Voice/TT)
1-202-884-8441 (Fax)
http://www.nichcy.org
Special NetUser Name:NICHCY
internet: nichcy@aed.org
NICHCY's Services:
*Personal Responses to Questions on Disability Issues, including:
*Referals to Other Organizations, including:
*Information Searches of NICHCY's Databases and Library
*Technical Assistance to Parent and Professional Groups
Materials Available in Alternative Formats and in Spanish
NICHCY is a project of the Academy for Educational Development, operated through Cooperative Agreement with the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.
Last Revised: 5/16/02
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