State of New Hampshire Governor's Commission on Disability

Communication Tips

• Offer to shake hands.
• Speak directly to the person, not to their companion or interpreter.
• Identify yourself when meeting someone with a visual disability.
• Treat adults as adults.
• Do not patronize people.
• Address everybody in the same manner.
• If you offer assistance, wait for a response, then ask how you can help.
• Do not lean against or hang on to wheelchairs.
• When you bump into a wheelchair, acknowledge your mistake to the person sitting in it.
• Listen attentively when talking with people who have difficulty speaking and wait for them to finish.
• Place yourself at eye-level when speaking to a person who uses a wheelchair or crutches.
• When speaking to a person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing, look directly at the person. To get their attention, tap them on the shoulder or wave your hand.
• Do not distract or pet service animals.
• Don't get hung up on words like: hear, see, walk, run, etc.

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