Tips for Interacting with People with Disabilities

There Are No “The Disabled” And There Is No “One Size Fits All.”

Disability should not be thought of as a condition that affects the “special” or “unfortunate few.” Disability is a common characteristic and occurrence within the human experience. There are no “the disabled” and there is no “one size fits all.” People with disabilities have the same range of personality traits, interests, and desires as everyone else. People with disabilities are a part of the world’s diversity.

Most generalizations about disabilities have numerous exceptions. Two individuals with the same type of functional limitations can have very different abilities and needs. Not all blind people are completely without some vision, read Braille or use white canes. Not all people who have low vision can read large print. Like everyone, people with disabilities and activity limitations live with different histories, resources, skills, and attitudes.