EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATIONS People First Language People First Language
THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 ACT OF 1990 Federal civil rights law Federal civil rights law g • Obligates Obligates state state and and local local governments governments to to provide provide effective effective communications communications. . • Ensure Ensure that that communications communications with with individuals individuals with with hearing, hearing, vision, vision, or or speech speech impairments impairments are are as as effective effective as as communications with communications i i ti ti with others ith ith others. th th . • Examples Examples: providing providing a a sign sign language language interpreter interpreter for for someone someone who who is who is who is deaf is deaf, deaf an deaf, an an assistive an assistive assistive listening assistive listening listening device listening device device for device for for someone for someone someone who someone who who is who is is is hard hard of of hearing, hearing, materials materials in in alternate alternate format format for for someone someone who who is is blind, blind, has has low low vision, vision, or or has has a a learning learning disability disability. • It It is is each each County County department’s department’s responsibility responsibility to to comply comply. .
People with disabilities need a mechanism People with disabilities need a mechanism by which they can request accessible communications or other types of accommodations as well as materials in alternate format. In order to provide this mechanism, all notices of public meetings h i ll ti f bli ti and publications to be disseminated to the general public shall contain the following general public shall contain the following statement:
UNIVERSAL ACCESS STATEMENT UNIVERSAL ACCESS STATEMENT County Procedure No. 579: County Procedure No. 579: PROVIDING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES PROVIDING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES To request materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, and/or any accommodation to participate in any County-sponsored program or meeting, please contact _________ five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY five days in advance to initiate your request TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service.) [ THE ABOVE BLANK IS TO BE FILLED IN WITH THE [ THE ABOVE BLANK IS TO BE FILLED IN WITH THE NAME, TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND E-MAIL ADDRESS, OF THE RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENTAL PERSON . IF THE DEPARTMENT HAS A TTY AND WISHES TO CONTINUE USING IT IT MAY INCLUDE WISHES TO CONTINUE USING IT, IT MAY INCLUDE THE TTY NUMBER AS WELL, BUT THE TTY NUMBER MUST BE IN ADDITION TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS, AND NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR IT. ]
When When meeting meeting notices notices do do not not contain contain the the access access statement statement or or are are not not sent sent out out sufficiently sufficiently y in in advance advance of of the the meeting meeting for for addressing addressing accommodations accommodations requests, requests, sign sign language language interpreters interpreters and and materials materials in in accessible accessible format format must must be be provided provided by by the the department department unless unless the the department department knows that knows that no no persons persons needing needing such such accommodations will accommodations d ti d ti will be ill ill b be attending attending. tt tt di di .
When to use the universal statement When to use the universal statement � When having a public meeting- When having a public meeting “who” “what” “where” � When giving out general information � Pamphlets and newsletters Pamphlets and newsletters
DEPARTMENTAL ADA DEPARTMENTAL ADA COORDINATORS COORDINATORS COORDINATORS COORDINATORS • Get Get to to know know your y your ADA ADA Coordinator Coordinator. • He He or or she she will will communicate communicate with with the the person person who p who is is making making the the request request to to better better understand understand what what service service is is required required for for effective effective communication communication. . • ADA ADA Coordinators Coordinators are are responsible responsible for for obtaining obtaining a sign a sign sign language sign language language interpreter language interpreter interpreter or interpreter or or materials or materials materials in materials in in in alternate alternate format format. . They They may may have have to to speak speak with with the the requester requester to to gain gain further further information information. .
“People First” Language “People First” Language And Depictions of People with Disabilities And Depictions of People with Disabilities
One of the most serious consequences . . . is the dehumanizing negative evaluations we attach to people dehumanizing negative evaluations we attach to people when they have been plastered with a damning label. Because we have slapped a label on them, we assume we have identified the essence of this person semantically branded . . . Thomas Merton (1948) coined the term "self-fulfilling prophecy" which has become the g p p y focus of numerous studies . . . The power of labels to stigmatize, create self-fulfilling prophecies and reduce or enhance self-images is awesome . . . Until we learn or enhance self images is awesome Until we learn to appreciate the power of language and the importance of using it responsibly, we will continue to produce negative social consequences for those victimized by i i l f h i i i d b dangerous language habits. -- J. Dan Rothwell, Telling It Like It Isn't: Language Misuse and Malpractice/What We Can Do About It
What is People What is People-First Language? What is People What is People First Language? First Language? First Language? • People People People first People-first first language first language language (PFL) language (PFL) (PFL) is (PFL) is is a way is a way way of way of of speaking of speaking speaking speaking and and referring referring to to people people with with disabilities disabilities that that respects respects them them as as human human beings, beings, rather rather than than dehumanizes dehumanizes them them. . • It It emphasizes emphasizes the the person person first first and and their their disability disability second second. . • It It also also emphasizes emphasizes the the use use of of language language that that is is objective objective rather bj bj i i rather than h than words h words that d that are h are subjective subjective bj bj i i or or have have pejorative pejorative connotations connotations. .
Why is PFL Important? Why is PFL Important? Why is PFL Important? Why is PFL Important? • The The order order of of the the words words to to describe describe someone someone can can convey convey priority priority or or importance importance. . • PFL PFL represents represents more more respectful, respectful, accurate accurate ways ways of of communicating communicating. . People People with with disabilities disabilities are are not not their their diagnoses diagnoses or diagnoses or diagnoses or disabilities or disabilities disabilities; they disabilities; they they are they are are people, are people, people, first people, first first. first. • And And words words can can be be loaded loaded down down with with a a stigma, stigma, as as with with the the word word “handicapped “handicapped. .” ” The The word’s word’s origin origin is is in in the the phrase phrase “hand “hand in in cap,” cap,” which which is is actually actually derived derived from from a a game game game of game of of chance of chance chance but chance but but sometimes but sometimes sometimes mistakenly sometimes mistakenly mistakenly believed mistakenly believed believed to believed to to to involve involve the the image image of of a a beggar beggar. .
First Person Language First Person Language • A person who is blind A person who is blind • A person who uses a wheelchair • A person with cerebral palsy • A person with cerebral palsy Not a person in a wheelchair or wheelchair Not a person in a wheelchair or wheelchair bound Not afflicted with, suffers from, victim of, or crippled by
Since the late 1980s, PFL has gained considerable acceptance p amongst people with disabilities as well as as well as professionals working with them or people or people People conversing via American otherwise Sign Language. interested in the t topic. i
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