Disability Awareness Training:Inclusive libraries start with us

Staff Development Day, Nov. 20 2015Patti-Lynne McLeod and Toby Willis-CampOutreach Services

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So why disability awareness training?

• Saskatchewan has a disability rate of 15%, which translates to over 100, 000 individuals.

• This is higher than the national average of 13.7%

• Individuals with a wide variety of disabilities come through our doors. Some disabilities are visible, some are invisible.

• Regina Public Library staff need to feel supported, confident and comfortable providing services to these individuals.

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Breakdown of disability in Saskatchewan

Pain (71.4 per cent),Flexibility (53.1 per cent)Mobility (50.1 per cent)Hearing (24.4 per cent)Mental/psychological (22.8 per cent)Dexterity (21.8 per cent)

Other (ranked highest to lowest):sight, memory, learning, and developmental

from People Before Systems (June 2015)

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Power of Words• Words are important and

powerful tools in shaping ideas, perceptions and attitudes.

• Words and how we use them make a difference in the way we think about and relate to people.

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Power of Words Activity

Everyone raise their hands.

We will now read a series of statements with two options.

Keep your hand raised if you choose Option A.

Lower your hand if you choose Option B.

Don’t think too hard – choose quickly!5

Person First Language

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Examples of People First LanguageSAY… INSTEAD OF…

People with disabilities The handicapped or disabled

She has a learning disability She’s learning disabled

Brain injury Brain damaged

She uses a wheelchair She is confined to a wheelchair/is wheelchair bound

He has a physical disability He’s a quadriplegic/is crippled.

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Communication Strategies

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Cognitive AccessibilityArea Definition

Memory Ability to remember what has been learned

Problem-solving Ability to understand what happened and possible actions to try

Attention Ability to focus on the task at hand

Language comprehension Ability to understand text and/or oral instructions

Visual comprehension Ability to decode images

Perception & processing Ability to bring together information into meaningful chunks 9

BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Cognitive Walkthrough - activity

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

What have we learned?

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Cognitive Ramping

1. Get it straight in your head first

2. Start at the beginning

3. One thing at a time4. One step at a time5. Use repetition6. Watch your words 12

BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Cognitive Ramping7. Avoid acronyms8. Consider

readability9. Go to the person10. Use pictures11. Demonstrate or

show a video12. Adapt

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Helping Patrons Who Have Vision Loss

• Identify yourself

• If the person needs to be guided, you can offer your arm.

• If the person has a guide dog, walk on the side opposite the dog.

• As you are walking, note out loud any obstacles such as stairs.

• Don’t touch the person’s cane or guide dog.

• If the person puts the cane down, don’t move it.

• Offer to read written information to patrons who have vision loss. Count out change so that they know which bills are which.

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Helping Patrons Who Have Hearing Loss• Face the person and speak clearly

• Don’t shout

• Write your message down if necessary

• Avoid talking too fast or using complex sentences

• Keep your hands away from your face

• Avoid sudden changes of topic

• Rephrase sentences rather than repeating them

• When you are working with an interpreter, speak directly to the person you are trying to communicate with, NOT the interpreter. 15

Helping Patrons Who Use Wheelchairs or Other Mobility Devices• Don’t push or touch a person’s wheelchair; it’s part of her personal

space.

• Wait for instructions before pushing a chair or lifting its handles.

• Keep the ramps and wheelchair-accessible doors to your building unlocked and unblocked.

• Keep entrances, aisles, and ramps clear.

• Be aware of a person’s reach limits. Place as many items as possible within their grasp.

• When talking to a person using a wheelchair, grab your own chair and sit at her level. If that’s not possible, stand at a slight distance, so that she isn’t straining her neck to make eye contact with you. 16

Communication tips① Identify yourself② Speak directly and clearly to

the person③ Listen-speak-listen④ Show and tell or walk and

talk (repeat)⑤ Ask for help if you are

having difficulty understanding

⑥ Make eye contact at the eye level of the person

⑦ Show respect and patience17

BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

The agent of remedy can be the individual, an advocate or anyone who affects

the arrangements or interactions

You can make a difference.

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BCLA (2014) Library Services for Patrons with Disabilities Workshop

Resources and Further Reading• Accessibility Standard for Customer Service: Training Resource

. Government of Ontario, 2015.

• Accessible Library Services for Persons with Disabilities. Ontario Library Association, n.d.

• Desjardins, M. (2010) “Invisible disabilities,” Feliciter 56(3):106-105.

• Hingsburger, D. (2013) “Cognitive ramping: Principles of plain language and accessible communication,” The Direct Support Workers Newsletter, 2(10), http://www.thefamilyhelpnetwork.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/sss-vol-2-issue-10-oct.pdf

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Resources and Further Reading Con’t

• Roberts, Ann and Richard J. Smith. Crash Course in Library Services to People with Disabilities. Santa Barbara CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.

• Saskatchewan. Disability Strategy Consultation. (2014) Our experience, our voice: The reality of today, the opportunity to shape tomorrow.

• Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Disability Strategy. (2015) People Before Systems: Transforming the Experience of Disability in Saskatchewan.

• Services to People with Print Disabilities Working Group. BCLA. (2014) Disability Awareness Toolkit. Available at The Library Toolshed.

• United Spinal Association. Disability Etiquette. (2015) Tips on Interacting with People with Disabilities.

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