Accessibility: Unlocking Our Potential

[John Locke]

We’re in this together: Living with Challenges and Succeeding
*Stephen Hawking (8 January 1942 – 14 March 2018)*
Hawking was diagnosed shortly after his 21st birthday as suffering from an
unspecified incurable disease, which was later identified as amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis, or ALS (the fatal degenerative motor neurone
disease). Rather
than succumbing to depression, as others might have done, he set his sights
on some of the most fundamental questions concerning the physical nature of
the universe. In due course, he would achieve extraordinary successes
against the severest physical disabilities. Defying established medical
opinion, he managed to live another 55 years!

   - Watch the 2014 Academy Award Best Picture nominee, *The Theory of
   Everything,* to learn more about Hawking's life (Netflix
   <https://www.netflix.com/title/80000644> / Amazon
   <https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Everything-Felicity-Jones/dp/B00SNEGFNG>)
   - Read more
   <https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/mar/14/stephen-hawking-obituary>
about
   Hawking's achievements in his obituary.

Trivia question:
*How often is someone diagnosed with ALS?*
A) Once every seven days, B) Very rarely, C) 16 times a day, D) Once a
month

Five General Etiquette Principles
The text below is an excerpt from Deque University's *Disabilities
Etiquette Basics* curriculum.


*Overview*General etiquette principles are the same, regardless if you are
interacting with someone who does or doesn’t have a disability. Below you
will find five simple guiding principles to help you have a great
interaction.


*1. Respect*Respect is the number one most important guideline. If your
goal is to always respect a person, this attitude can help guide you even
in unfamiliar situations.

Make people feel like people and listen carefully to their needs.

Sometimes a person with a disability may have an assistant with them, for
instance, a sign language interpreter. Speak directly to the person and
make eye contact, rather than speaking to their assistant.

Be careful to not patronize people while trying to be helpful. For
instance, it is common for some people to automatically start speaking
slowly and loudly, as if to a child, when speaking to any person with a
disability. Treat people as capable individuals.


*2. Display a Welcoming and Open Attitude*A welcoming and open attitude
makes people feel valued and respected. Smile, greet people, make direct
eye contact, and keep an open mind.

Don’t be afraid of encountering new situations and people, various
challenges, different assistive devices and technologies, and unique ways
of doing things. People are incredibly diverse. Be open to understanding
and helping them.

*3. Courtesy*
Two especially relevant manners are to not interrupt and to ask for
permission. For example, if a person is speaking slowly due to a head
injury, don’t finish their sentence or start speaking over them. If someone
is in a wheelchair, do not grab it and move them without asking for
permission — it’s part of their personal space.

Also, steer clear of "compliments" that can be interpreted as insults. For
example: "Wow, you have great pronunciation for a Deaf person!"


*4. Patience*Patience is especially important. For example, someone with a
speech disability may take longer to communicate and someone using a walker
may take longer to maneuver. Allow people enough time to communicate and
get around without rushing or interrupting them. Being patient shows people
that they are worthy of your time.


*5. Desire to Help*Offering to help someone is a great idea. First, don’t
assume that people with disabilities can’t do things for themselves and
will always need your help. Ask for permission before you help. If someone
accepts your offer and the solution is obvious (such as holding a door
open), go ahead and do it. If you are unsure how to help, don’t be afraid
to ask them directly.

If they decline your offer for help, respect their answer and don't be
offended. It may take someone longer to do something without your help, but
they may prefer to do it independently and that’s perfectly OK.

Don't Forget: As a SUNY Plattsburgh student, you have access to the full
spectrum of Deque courses and curricula. To enroll, contact Dr. John Locke
<jlock004 at plattsburgh.edu>.

As an added incentive, the first 20 individuals to email a copy of
their *certificate
of completion* for one of the curricula below to Dr. John Locke
<jlock004 at plattsburgh.edu> will receive a custom-designed *Accessibility:
Unlocking Our Potential* t-shirt.

   - Customer Service for People with Disabilities 1.0
   - Accessibility Program Management Curriculum 2.0
   - One of the other eight available curricula.


*These courses and completed curricula are excellent resume builders for
any field.*
Watch for our next "Accessibility: Unlocking Our Potential" post for the
answer to this week's trivia question and other important information in
the Friday, November 19 Student Digest.

Regards,

Bailey Dell'Erba
TEL Intern
Majors in TV Video Production and Digital Media
Minor in Public Relations

John Locke, Ph.D.
EIT Accessibility Officer
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/student-digest/attachments/20211104/91e39e89/attachment.htm>