January 18, 2024
Communication is fundamental to the human experience. It is the means through which we understand the environment, and interact with information. It connects people together, and enables progress in society as we exchange ideas and develop across all spheres.
In disability, barriers to effective communication can be severe. For example, loss of functioning could mean not being able to speak words at all, not hearing the message, not understanding language, not being able to articulate the words you want to say, or not holding information long enough to process it.
When communicating with people with disability, it is important to pay attention to the particulars of communication to prevent breakdowns and misinterpretation on top of the barriers that already exist. There are 3 general principles that can clarify how to have an effective approach to communication in disability.
First, consider the non-verbals.
It has been estimated that in a face-to-face conversation, verbal communication (meaning words that are spoken) consists of only 7% of the conferred meaning to the recipient of the message. The reminder of the message is constructed by the listener based on the communicator’s body language, gestures, vocal tone, spacial setup, and the lead up to the point of communication. This has major implications for where we should be investing our attention in communication.
We are always in a state of communication as we move in time and space, since we are always doing things around our verbal output. Before a conversation or interaction, the context of the situation frames the whole meaning of what is said. Who is involved? What is the physical setting? What is the nature of the relationship? How did the people involved arrive there? These questions all inform how communication is received at the point of verbal speech.
When communicating with people with disability who may have difficulty in understanding verbal language, care should be taken to display body language that supplements the spoken message. Consider how to gesture, use vocal intonation and pitch, as well as directness of body position to clarify and highlight the meaning of words used. Pay close attention to what the person might be perceiving in answer to the environmental questions posed earlier, and ensure the spoken message either aligns with their expectations or navigates to establish different expectations for the hearer.
The onus of the communication is on the communicator.
In interacting with another person, we should always see ourselves as the ones responsible to make sure the other person understands what we are saying. This means that we set up the communication environment to reflect the needs of the other person, and make the necessary adjustments and repairs when communication breakdown occurs. We cannot expect the other person to understand what we say and enact the desired outcome if we do not take the responsibility to make our message understandable for the receiving person according to their own needs.
This is especially important when interacting with people with disabilities, since their capacity for functioning can be less than those without disability. In these interactions, the person communicating with the person with disability should always be aware of the cues from the person and the environment to inform how the spoken message needs to be conveyed. Disability covers such a diverse range of impairments and individual communication needs, so constant observation and adjustment needs to be made from person to person.
Communicate in a way that aims for where the person needs to get to.
Often, interactions can linger and circulate on problems, complaints, difficulties and keep both parties stuck in the same place, or worse, than at the beginning of the conversation. It is important to keep in mind the direction you need to help the other person to move towards. As humans we desire to share our experiences with others, but as an effective communicator, the purpose of the communication must remain the focus in terms of where the other person needs to go.
In communication for people with disabilities, you must aim for a solution to problems, and use language that reflects the ability to change and make progress. This provides support to the other person to move outside of their own perception to understand how to solve problems and achieve goals together with others.
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