–THE BIGGEST COURTESY IS TO NOT AVOID A PERSON WHO IS DIFFERENT. IT IS A LITTLE AWKWARD AT FIRST, BUT THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WILL NEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE UNTIL THEY JUST LEAVE THEIR COMFORT ZONE.
–DO NOT EVER STAND IN FRONT OF A WHEELCHAIR, & IF U ARE TALL, DON’T EVEN SIT IN FRONT OF A WHEELCHAIR.
–DON’T APPROACH PEOPLE WITH AN OBVIOUS DISABILITY IN PUBLIC TO SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY ABOUT WHY A PERSON IS IN A WHEEL CHAIR, BLIND, DEAF, OR WHATEVER. HOW IS THAT HELPFUL TO ASK SOMEONE SOMETHING SO SENSATIVE IN A PUBLIC PLACE, OR FROM A STRANGER?
–DO NOT STARE AT EITHER, LIKE THEY ARE A CIRCUS FREAK, EITHER! (THOUGH 4 ME, I UNDERSTAND WHEN A CHILD DOES! ABOUT AGE 9, IT IS VERY COMMON!)
–BE COURTEOUS & THOUGHTFUL–OPEN DOORS, ETC.
–DON’T “BABY TALK,” TALK SLOW, OR TALK LOUD.
–4 ME, IT IS A COMMON MISTAKE 2 SIGN 2 ME–ASL IS SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND ME, NOT SO THEY CAN SIGN TO ME-IT IS A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING! I’M ACTUALLY SUPER SLOW AT READING ASL, BECUZ I NEVER READ IT, & HAVING DOUBLE VISION DOESN’T HELP ME!
–BE PATIENT—DISABLED R SLOW & OFTEN MAKE MISTAKES.
–DO NOT ASSUME THEY CAN NOT PARTICIPATE IN DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DISABILITY.
–ASK BEFORE HELPING.
–DO NOT PARK “MOMENTARILY” IN HANDICAPPED SPOTS- TONS DO THIS.
— A PERSONAL COMPLAINT: I’M OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS THEN PEOPLE RUN 2 MARK, MEANING WELL & BEING NICE, BUT I END UP DEALING W/THE MISCONCEPTION & APPEARING 2 HAVE “CRIED WOLF.” 4 EX., I CAN BE ASKED IF I’M COLD. MOST ANYTIME, IF I FEEL A CHILL — WHICH IS THE MAJORITY, I SIGN ‘SORT-OF’ OR NOD ‘YES.’ THIS DOES NOT MEAN I WANT A COAT! FOLLOW UP BY ASKING IF I WANT A COAT, SINCE I’M COLD MY KIDS HAVE LEARNED THE ART OF ASKING ME THE RT. ?S & NOT ASSUMING EVEN THE “OBVIOUS”! IN THE ABOVE EX., WHEN I WANTED A COAT, I GOT 1, BUT B4 ASKING 4 ANYTHING, ASK ME IF I WANT IT!