Facilitator’s Guide

ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

What Would You Do?

A Quiz about Interacting with People with Disabilities
About this module

Goal: To give participants a chance to think about how they might effectively interact with
people with disabilities.
Format: Quiz and discussion
Time: 10 minutes
Potential audience: General audiences, employers/business leaders, educators
Materials needed: PPT slides and facilitator’s guide

Facilitator’s Tips for this Module

This module is intended to improve participants’ comfort and effectiveness when interacting
with individuals with disabilities. It includes a very short quiz that works well with the Disability
Awareness modules in the ADA Trainer Network Modularized Curriculum.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes for this Module

Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 1)

Please include the trainer’s name, title, and agency on the title slide where indicated by the
placeholder text.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 2)

Change this slide to reflect your regional information.

Trainers, be sure to advise participants that this training is not intended as legal advice.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 3)

Explain that this short quiz will give participants a chance to think about how they might
effectively interact with people with disabilities.

As the facilitator, read the question on the slide to the group and let them guess the answer.
The correct answer is written in your facilitator’s notes under each slide and in the Facilitator’s
Guide for this module.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 4)

FALSE
“People with disabilities” is more respectful because it illustrates “Person-First” language by
identifying them as people first rather than identifying them by their disability. The main
difference between the two terms is that in the latter, the person comes first and is modified,
but not solely identified, by their disability. “The disabled” focuses on disability first, which can
mistakenly imply that their disability is the primary or most important quality about them.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes (Slides 5)

A. Repeat the statement

The most appropriate response is to repeat yourself — like you would with anyone! If they still
have trouble understanding, you then try other strategies. For example, if the person reads lips,
it may help if you can rephrase your statement more succinctly using words that may be easier
for them to lip-read.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 6)

FALSE: It is not necessarily true that cerebral palsy has an effect on someone’s mental
capabilities. More often than not this disability affects only their body movement and muscle
coordination, not their ability to understand information.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 7)

B. Wait for them to initiate contact

In most cases, it is appropriate to wait for the person to initiate and then follow suit. However,
as with anyone, what’s most important is that you acknowledge the other person. Make eye
contact, smile, and talk with them- not at them.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 8)

FALSE: It is not rude to use common expressions such as “I see what you mean” when
interacting with people who have visual impairments including those who are blind. This
expression is really more an expression of understanding another person’s point of view, which
is certainly something that people who are blind can do. Similarly, it is fine to say to someone
who uses a wheelchair, “Let’s go for a walk.”

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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ADA Trainer Network, Module 2f

Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 9)

People with disabilities sometimes refer to people without disabilities as “temporarily able-
bodied” because any one of us can enter this minority group at any time. A car accident, a
stroke, the aging process; all of these can change your life – often instantaneously! It’s
important to treat people as people. Try not to worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. In
most cases, people with disabilities will set you straight if you say or do something that falls
outside of accepted etiquette.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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Facilitator’s Notes (Slide 10)

Conclude by reminding participants that the training materials were produced by the Northeast
ADA Center in collaboration with the National ADA Network. Remind them of the free and
confidential technical assistance and other services available from your local ADA Center and
from the ADA Centers throughout the country. Mention the ADA TA line: 800-949-4232.

©Northeast ADA Center, 2012

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