The Independence Australia A - Z of Disability Etiquette

A – Z of Disability Etiquette has had a facelift! We’ve turned our informative PDF resource into an animated video to ensure that you’re on top of the best disability language and etiquette tips. This new and improved version, voiced by SpinChat Australia speaker Joel de Munk, has taken pointers from disability advocates, people living with a disability and employees of Independence Australia, to collate the most important and up to date pointers on good disability etiquette. We encourage you to share this resource, teaching your children and peers about disability etiquette is an important step to progressing towards a more inclusive society for all. A - Ask before you help; it’s not always wanted. B - Be patient with how others communicate. C - Communicate naturally and with expressions. D - Don’t ask intrusive questions. E - Communicate at eye level. F - Focus on the person, not their disability. G - Don’t use patronising gestures like patting a head or shoulder. H - Host events in accessible spaces. I - Always respect a person’s choices and independence. J - Avoid being judgmental. K - Keep paths and accessible car parks clear of barriers. L - Leave accessible toilets for people with disability. M - Don’t move someone’s wheelchair or assistive devices without permission. N - Never assume someone’s access needs. Ask if you’re not sure. O - Avoid offensive language about disability. P - Do not pat a service dog at work. Q - Be committed to increasing quality of life for people with disabilities. R - Research disability and accessibility to be a better ally. S - Speak directly to the person with the disability. T -Give up your seat on public transport if someone else needs it. U - Never pretend to understand what a person is saying. It’s okay to ask for clarification. V - Value the work of people with disability and encourage their input to society W - Be willing to be flexible. X - See a person’s x factor and not their limitations. Y - Introduce yourself as you would with anyone else. Z - Zip it! Not everyone wants to talk about their disability