Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

The Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) reminds everyone that parking unnecessarily in handicapped or wheelchair spaces can have undesirable consequences. Listen to SPARC radio ad that will air on stations across the province this week, promoting Access Awareness Day on Saturday, June 7th.

(Photo credit: Dani Simmonds)

The transcript reads:

Female: Yeah, we can’t park here.

Male: Why not?

Female: It’s handicapped parking.

Male: So?

Female: We’re not handicapped. That’s bad karma.

Male: Karma sharma, I’ll be right back.

[Male gets out of the car and slams the door]

Male screams in pain: Owwwwww!

Announcer: Parking in specially designated spaces without a permit is not only bad karma, it’s illegal. While you may not slam the door on your finger, you may get a fine. And remember, you’ll be taking that space from someone who truly needs it. SPARC – the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia – reminds you to be access aware. When it comes to designated parking, please cooperate. No permit, no parking. Now that’s good karma.

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Accessibility 100 is a series of 100 easy-to-implement, free and inexpensive tips for improving accessibility for people with disabilities. This is a community project. Feel free to leave your comments, questions and ideas for future Accessibility 100 posts.

Get the entire series by subscribing to this blog by filling in the form in the upper right corner or by subscribing to the RSS feed.

If you enjoyed this post, consider buying me a chai tea latte. Thanks kindly.

Communication is the basis for all interaction between humans. When a disability is involved, the interaction is often hesitant, uncertain or even, unfortunately, avoided. Communicating with people with disabilities can be improved with these tips:

1. When talking with a person with a disability, speak directly to the person rather than through a companion or sign language interpreter.

   I really dislike when someone turns to my husband for a response after asking me a question. Or, when a restaurant server asks, “What does she want?”

2. When introduced to a person with a disability, offering to shake hands is appropriate. People with limited hand use or who wear an artificial limb can usually shake hands. (Shaking hands with the left hand is an acceptable greeting.)
3. When meeting a person who is sight impaired, always identify yourself and others who may be with you. When talking in a group, remember to identify the person to whom you are speaking.
4. If you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted. Then listen to or ask for instructions.

   I find it annoying when someone asks if I need help and then rushes in to help after I have kindly said no. Sometimes assistance is appreciated; other times I tolerate it as my good deed for the day so that someone else feels helpful.

5. Treat adults as adults. Address people who have disabilities by their first names only when extending the same familiarity to all others. (Never patronize people who use wheelchairs by patting them on the head or shoulder.)
6. Respect an individual’s personal space. Leaning on or hanging on to a person’s wheelchair or mobility device is similar to leaning or hanging on to a person and is generally considered annoying or, sometimes, even rude.

   If, however, you need to steady yourself for a moment, simply ask first.

7. Listen attentively when you’re talking with a person who has difficulty speaking. Be patient and wait for the person to finish, rather than correcting or speaking for the person. If necessary, ask short questions that require short answers, a nod or shake of the head. Alternatively, enable the individual to write or type or use a communication device to communicate the message.

   Never pretend to understand if you are having difficulty doing so. Instead, repeat what you have understood and allow the person to respond. The response will clue you in and guide your understanding.

8. When speaking with a person who uses a wheelchair or crutches or a person of short stature, place yourself at eye level by squatting down, leaning against a counter or taking a seat to facilitate the conversation, particularly if it may be a long one. This relieves the neck strain and the power imbalance perceived when someone is towering over another.
   
   Remember: My eye level is your fly level!
9. To get the attention of a person who is Deaf or hard of hearing, tap the person on the shoulder or wave your hand. Look directly at the person and speak clearly and expressively to determine if the person can read your lips. If you are a fast talker, slow down your speech slightly to make it easier to understand.

   Not all people who are Deaf can read lips. For those who do lip read, be sensitive to their needs by placing yourself so that you face the light source and keep hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth when speaking. Pen and paper can also facilitate communication.

   The easiest way to ask if a person wants to communicate by lip reading is to point to your lips with a questioning look, or by writing is to make the motion of writing in your palm with a questioning look.

10. Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you happen to use accepted, common expressions such as “See you later,” or “Did you hear about that?” that seems to relate to a person’s disability. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re unsure of what to do.

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Accessibility 100 is a series of 100 easy-to-implement, free and inexpensive tips for improving accessibility for people with disabilities. This is a community project. Feel free to leave your comments, questions and ideas for future Accessibility 100 posts.

Get the entire series by subscribing to this blog by filling in the form in the upper right corner or by subscribing to the RSS feed.

If you enjoyed this post, consider buying me a chai tea latte. Thanks kindly.

With great anticipation, Accessibility 100 – a series of 100 easy-to-implement, free and inexpensive tips for improving accessibility for people with disabilities – launches today! Joining me for the kick off are Emese Szücs, Manager of Accessibility Programs, and Karen Thompson, Project Coordinator, from Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) to discuss the upcoming Access Awareness Day on Saturday, June 7th, and how access is everyone’s business.

Welcome Emese and Karen!

Please share a bit about SPARC BC and the work it does.

SPARC BC is a registered non-profit society and has been a leader in research, public education, and consulting regarding issues of accessibility, social justice and community development for 42 years. With over 14,000 diverse members, we see and hear about what is important to people in BC communities.

Since 1984, SPARC BC has been providing the Parking Permit Program for People with Disabilities, allowing over 97,000 people in BC to stay connected to their communities and arrive safely to their destinations. SPARC BC has been actively advocating for accessibility issues since the early 70’s.

One of SPARC BC’s many accessibility initiatives is its Annual Access Awareness Day. What is the purpose behind this annual campaign?

Access Awareness Day is a province wide campaign to increase knowledge around accessibility issues and promote access and inclusion in BC communities. This year marks the 11th access awareness day!

This year’s theme is “Access Is Everyone’s Business!” What is this campaign about?

Access Is Everyone’s Business is meant to empower businesses with knowledge about how they can make their businesses more welcoming to customers with disabilities. The objective of the campaign is to inform business owners of simple things they can do to improve the experience of their customers with disabilities.

This year we are proud to be partnering with TransLink, BC Transit, VanCity ABLED Program, Shoppers HomeHealthCare, and the Better Business Bureau’s of Mainland BC and Vancouver Island to deliver this campaign across all of BC.

Why are you targeting the business community this year?

Canadians with disabilities contribute $25 billion in purchasing power. Improving the accessibility of businesses makes good sense, for economic and social reasons, especially with the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics coming to BC. Accessible design is also appealing for all consumers because all of us benefit from accessible features such as clear aisles, legible signage, and easy-to-open doors.

How can businesses participate?

A good first step for businesses would be to visit the SPARC BC website and check out the Access Awareness Day materials.

As part of our materials, we are excited to share a great banner that also serves as an information piece. It is packed with tips on simple things that businesses can do to make accessible and welcoming environments for all customers, no matter their abilities.

Businesses can also contact SPARC BC at 604.718.7733 or info@sparc.bc.ca and ask for an Access Awareness Day promotional kit.

How can individuals participate?

Individuals can support Access Awareness Day through becoming a SPARC BC member, and by contacting us and asking for a free Access Awareness Day pin. Wear your pin and start spreading the word! Tell someone you know about our resources available on our website.

What are five tips you’re hoping businesses will take away from this event?

1. A wheelchair needs at least 36” or 91.5 cm to get through aisles, doors and hallways.
2. A gradual slope and handrails are important. 1” of rise needs a ramp that is at least 12” long.
3. Lever or loop style door handles are easier for persons with limited hand dexterity or upper body strength to use.
4. Signage with high contrast colours and large typefaces are easier to read.
5. Greet customers and ask if they would like assistance.

Thanks Emese and Karen for joining me today to kick off Accessibility 100. Wishing you a successful Access Awareness Day on Saturday, June 7th. Access is everyone’s business!

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Accessibility 100 is a series of 100 easy-to-implement, free and inexpensive tips for improving accessibility for people with disabilities. This is a community project. Feel free to leave your comments, questions and ideas for future Accessibility 100 posts.

Get the entire series by subscribing to this blog by filling in the form in the upper right corner or by subscribing to the RSS feed.

If you enjoyed this post, consider buying me a chai tea latte. Thanks kindly.

Last night I received a Google Alert for Glenda Watson Hyatt – one way to track what is being said about me on the web. I also receive alerts for cerebral palsy, virtual book tours and a few other key phrases; it’s like having my own research assistant.

Clicking on the link in the email, I was pleasantly surprised to see it is a video clip from the Misbehaving Women event held back in March. The clip shows Isabella Mori kindly nominating me for the award and then me give my brief speech using my laptop:

It is nice having that moment caught on video. However, I am little disappointed the camera wasn’t turned a few degrees to the right. One of the other award recipients Karen Taylor is Deaf and two of her colleagues graciously interpreted the evening for her. Had the camera included the interpreter in the shot, then this YouTube video would have been more accessible to those who are Deaf.
(The transcript for my speech is provided in an earlier post.)

It is often assumed that accommodating people with disabilities is costly, complicated and time-consuming. However, in many situations, as with this video, the resources (the interpreters) were right there. The camera only had to be turned slightly to include both speaker and the interpreter to make the video more accessible without addition cost or effort.

That is what Accessibility 100 is all about – free and inexpensive ways to increase accessibility for people with disabilities. Accessibility 100 is launching soon! Stay tuned! Meanwhile, be sure to send in your submissions for the Logo Contest.

If you enjoyed this post, consider buying me a chai tea latte. Thanks kindly.

Preparations are under way for launching Accessibility 100 – a series of 100 easy-to-implement, free and inexpensive tips for improving accessibility for people with disabilities – very shortly. Because I am eager to launch the series – I wrote the first post today – I likely won’t wait until the National Access Awareness Week, which is the first week of June in Canada.

However, I realized today that an important element is missing. The series needs a logo! A graphic used to indicate a post is part of the series. Silly me for overlooking such a detail!

So…grab your digital crayons or paints and design:

• An original graphic 150 x 150 pixels, preferably in .jpg format,
• With “Accessibility 100” clearly legible in the graphic,
• Reflecting the inclusive goal of the Accessibility 100 series to provide tips on how to make various aspects of society (communications, customer service, employment, gatherings, business and many more) accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, and
• Email to Glenda@BooksbyGlenda.com by May 9, 2008 midnight Pacific time.

The winner will receive an autographed copy of I’ll Do It Myself. How the winning logo will be decided is yet to be determined and may depend on the submissions. If there is one I absolutely love, then I will deem that the winner. If that decision isn’t as easy, I will post them (or a selected few) on the blog for feedback from my valued readers. Although, I retain the option of not awarding a prize if there is not a suitable submission.

Have I missed an important detail? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Let your creative juices flow….

If you enjoyed this post, consider buying me a chai tea latte. Thanks kindly.