Interpretation for Special Audience

Definition of Disability
According to World Health Organization (WHO),
disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments,
activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
• An impairment is a problem in body function or structure;
• An activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in
executing a task or action;
• A participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual
in involvement in life situations. (http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/)
Cont.

It is thus not just a health problem. It is a complex phenomenon,

reflecting the interaction between features of a person’s body
and features of the society in which he/she lives.
Overcoming the difficulties faced by people with disabilities
requires interventions to remove environmental and social
barriers.
(http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/)
 Disability
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and
Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) defines disability in
terms of the impairment and its effect on children's
functioning and participation in their environment. 
 Types of disabilities

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder
• Blindness or low vision
• Brain injuries
• Deaf/hard-of-hearing
• Learning disabilities
• Physical disabilities
• Medical disabilities
• Psychiatric disabilities
• Speech and language disabilities
Source:http://web.jhu.edu/disabilities/faculty/types_of_disabilities/adhd.html
 Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADD/ADHD)
 It is one of the most common childhood disorders and can
continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include
difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling
behavior, and hyperactivity.

Who Is At Risk?

 ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders with the

average age of onset is 7 years old.

 ADHD affects about 4.1% American adults age 18 years and

older in a given year. The disorder affects 9.0% of American
children age 13 to 18 years. Boys are four times at risk than girls.

 Studies show that the number of children being diagnosed with

ADHD is increasing, but it is unclear why. Source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-
adhd/index.shtml
 Brain injuries

The brain can receive several different types of injuries

depending on the type of force and amount of force that
impacts the head.
The type of injury the brain receives may affect just one
functional area of the brain, various areas, or all areas of the
brain

Source: http://biau.org/types-and-levels-of-
brain-injury/#acquired
 Psychiatric disabilities
Mental illness is a term that describes a broad range of mental
and emotional conditions. The term ‘psychiatric disability’ is
used when mental illness significantly interferes with the
performance of major life activities, such as learning, working
and communicating, among others
The most common forms of mental illness are:
• Anxiety disorders (fear, panic), 
• Mood disorders (depression and mania),
• Schizophrenia disorders (fragmented thoughts and difficulty in
processing information).

Source: http://cpr.bu.edu/resources/reasonable-
accommodations/what-is-psychiatric-disability-and-mental-
illness
 How to communicate with them?
Everyone has specific ways to communicate and preferred
methods of communication
Regardless of any impairment, everybody is able to
communicate in some way, only time and effort will tell.
3 elements of communication
• 55% body language
• 38% tone of voice
• 7 % words
General guidelines for handling special audience

1. Vital to accept the slower pace of the program/tour (normal walk 5 spots
within 3 hours).

2. Program/tour should begin without any expectations about level of

ability. Each disabled person is different and has unique strenght and
dificiencies.

3. On-site program/tour requires user-friendly built facilities and

infrastructures for disabled group.

4. Inform beforehand what are the challenges or obstacle that the group
may be facing during the program/tour.

5. Offer suggestion that can ease the group and make it more comfortable.
Nevertheless, the choice is yours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYmK3IdbCQw
 Enhancing tours for disabled group

Guide should make attempt to make the tour understandable; sign language
interpreter for hearing impaired group
Always stand in an easily-seen and well-lighed area
Always maintain eye-contact with the group (not the caregiver/assistance)
Speak slowly and pause between few sentences
Ask for feedback
As often possible include sensory experience especially for visual impaired group
and variety of approaches of learning method in reaching the special needs
audience.
 Therapeutic recreation

Pet therapy

Horticulture therapy

Therapeutic horseback riding

Therapeutic Swimming

Creative Arts

Snoezelen (multi-sensory stimulation) and

Sensory Stimulation
Thank you