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Written by Narissa Garcia http://www.coscampusonline.com/2013/02/18/understanding-disability-etiquette/ COS students participate In Barrier Awareness Day, held in the Visalia community in Oct. 2011. The Event was sponsored by Visalia’s Disability Advocacy Committee. It is common courtesy to open a door for anyone or to help someone who has dropped their things, but when it’s someone at the mercy of a disability most students are quick to hesitate. Some even question themselves before lending a helping hand. If this is the case, how do students interact with those who are in a wheel chair and need help opening a door or getting from one place to another? How do students know the proper way to approach them and ask without being offensive? “Be mindful, ’cause you could walk in their shoes. This could happen to anybody,” said David Maciel, Head Director for the Disability Resource Center. Understanding Disability Etiquette A student with a wheel chair considers this their personal space and should be asked if someone can push them or even lean on their chair.It is best to be at eye level when talking to a person in a wheel chair. If it’s possible sit down to engage in a conversation, and always ask if they need assistance in anything; never assume. “There was an incident when a student in a wheel chair was being pushed by another student without permission. It was horrible,” Said Kathleen Conway, Learning Specialist for the DRC. Any reports of students feeling harassed or threatened in any way falls under The Student Code of Conduct. “Just ask ‘may I open the door for you?’ or anything of that matter,” Said Maciel. There are many different ways to be courteous to a person with a disability. If someone is hearing impaired, the best thing to do is to first ask how they would like to communicate, this could be from gesturing, writing or even speaking. When an interpreter is involved it is best to communicate directly to the person. Never give the interpreter the message to deliver, this is considered to be rude or inconsiderate to the person you are relaying the message to. Another courtesy that is often one of the biggest mistakes people make is what to do when someone has a service dog. “Never pet a service dog. They are sweet animals but they are working,” said Conway. Many students want to pet the animal when there is one around. Never pet a service dog unless granted permission from its master. The dog considers his or herself to be working and can take a simple petting as a dangerous threat to their master. There are many courteous things that students can do for one another. There are many books that students can read to learn more about disability etiquette and even many online sites. The DRC is a program that helps students facing disabilities meet their need for achieving an education at COS. Whether their disability is visible or not the program is there to help. There are approximately 1,169 students enrolled in the program and is funded by the state depending on how many students are involved. The DRC is located in the Sequoia building in room 10. There are applications online and in the office if students would like to become a part of the DRC. The entire enrollment process takes about 2 to 4 weeks. “All of us have barriers that we have to overcome. You may not have a disability, but remember that it could happen to you,” Said Maciel.