United Spinal Association has updated its popular Disability Etiquette Guide.
Calling the resource “a new guide for a new era,” United Spinal said in a Feb. 7 announcement, “Our Disability Etiquette Guide is always in demand. It has transformed so many workplaces, schools, and volunteer groups around the country — even inspiring televised spin-offs that aired as nationwide public service announcements. Now, it’s reborn for the digital age, rewritten and redesigned from top to bottom, and ready to win respect and recognition for a new generation of people with disabilities.”
The 20-page guide, available as a free pdf download, includes the chapters Terminology Tips, Disability Categories, Physical Disabilities, Sensory Disabilities, Neurodivergence, People with Intellectual Disabilities, Web and Print Access, and Service and Support Animals.
The guide begins with statistics about the prevalence of disabilities and basic advice on how to treat people with disabilities, such as asking before providing assistance and refraining from touching people or their assistive technology without consent.
United Spinal paid homage to the first guide, written by Terence Moakley and James Weisman, and published by Eastern Paralyzed Veterans of America after the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990.
“We hope this guide and the tips offered make interacting with members of the disability community more comfortable, leading to increased understanding and improved accessibility for all,” United Spinal said.
