[Pdf-women] Disability Inclusive Communication Guidelines

[Soloveni Vitoso]

Bula Vinaka All,

Greetings from the Pacific Disability Forum. Please find attached and pasted below Disability Communication Guideline in response to COVID-19 for your information:

Disability Inclusive Communication Guidelines

The points below show various ways you can communicate with persons with disabilities recognising the different impairments:


a.  For persons who are blind or have low vision;


·   Talk to the person instead of talking to the carer or personal assistant.

·   Introduce yourself by stating your name when interacting with those who are blind.

·   Be descriptive when explaining directions by stating left or right, up or down.

·  Ensure that you read everything in any forms, presentations, brochure, etc. If the document is big, provide a soft copy in word, power point or braille if it can be produced readily and requested by blind persons who can read braille. Avoid sharing documents in pdf, png or jpeg formats as they sometimes cannot be read by screen reading software's.


b.  For persons who are deaf, with speech impairments and hard of hearing;


·     Ensure sign language interpreters are available

·     Provide texting alternatives if services are provided on phone lines

·     Talk directly to the person with disability, not the interpreter

·   Ensure easy-read formats of information available (Understand that deaf persons do not all speak complete sentences but may instead focus on the verbs, pronouns, and nouns in the sentences)

·     Allow interpreters to accompany the person with disability when accessing services.

·     Ensure updated information is available on online platforms e.g. website and social media


c.  Persons with psychosocial disabilities;

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·      Describe contents and concepts in pictures

·      Ensure information is available in easy read formats

·     Be descriptive when conversing and allow them time to receive and digest information you provide (Focus on the most important points, however, do not withhold any information)

·      Be calm and exercise patience


d.  Persons with intellectual disabilities;


·      Describe contents and concepts in pictures

·      Be calm and exercise patience

·     Be descriptive when conversing and allow them time to receive and digest information you provided (Focus on the most important points, however, do not withhold any information)

·      Avoid technical terms but break them down into simple words


e.  Persons with physical disabilities;


·      Talk directly to the person with disability, not the carer or personal assistant

·     When speaking to persons in wheel chairs do not stand and look down at the person, take a sit and converse with the person with disability on eye level.

·     Call the person by their name and do not label them by their impairments or the assistive device they use.


Please share with your UN Counterparts, Health Ministries, media outlets and relevant stakeholders. For any further clarrification, please do not hesitate to contact us.


Thanks,


Solo


Soloveni Vitoso
Public Relations & Communications Officer

Pacific Disability Forum
Ground Floor, Kadavu House, Victoria Parade  |  GPO Box 18458  |  Suva, Fiji

Phone: (+679) 3312008  |  (+679) 3307530
Mobile: (+679) 891 2656 (Vodafone)  |  (+679) 844 6016 (Innk)
Fax: (+679) 3310469
Skype: soloveni.vitoso
Email: infor at pacificdisability.org<mailto:ceo at pacificdisability.org>
Website: www.pacificdisability.org<http://www.pacificdisability.org/>

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