{"id":3042,"date":"2023-10-11T13:13:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T13:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/?p=3042"},"modified":"2025-04-10T13:43:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T13:43:08","slug":"etiquette-for-interacting-with-a-visually-impaired-person","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/news\/etiquette-for-interacting-with-a-visually-impaired-person\/","title":{"rendered":"Etiquette for Interacting with a Visually Impaired Person"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3042\" class=\"elementor elementor-3042\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a805080 elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"a805080\" 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class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Etiquette for Interacting with a Visually Impaired Person<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8b3f226\" data-id=\"8b3f226\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b903139 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b903139\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cecf536\" data-id=\"cecf536\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2201944 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"2201944\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4dc238 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"a4dc238\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-5b4e2a4 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/2023\/10\/11\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>October 11, 2023<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d7cd612 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d7cd612\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0471f0b\" data-id=\"0471f0b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e75051 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5e75051\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-yan-krukau-7694424-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3043\" alt=\"A young woman helps a female blind child interpret the image of a hedgehog in a braille book.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-yan-krukau-7694424-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-yan-krukau-7694424-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-yan-krukau-7694424-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-yan-krukau-7694424-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pexels-yan-krukau-7694424-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3f36dac\" data-id=\"3f36dac\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fb0cc5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0fb0cc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">To preface, it is important that we first acknowledge that while there are generally recommended methods of communicating with blind people, they are ultimately individuals with their own experiences, and will therefore have preferences unique to them. This blog entry is based on preferred etiquette which tends to overlap among visually impaired social groups, based on what we understand to be true, as well as our experience as a team of disabled people with visually impaired members among us. This same approach would also apply to any other group of disabled people we have or will ever write about on the Direct Access blog.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">More broadly, what we know to be factually correct about the experience of disabled people generally and is especially true in the case of blind and visually impaired people, is that many non-disabled individuals, often unintentionally, patronize them and address them as if they are children incapable of independent navigation and the ability to carry out day to day tasks. This is an assumption based often on ignorance of the lives of visually impaired people, who often live fulfilling lives in spite of the lack of their sight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">So the first recommendation, if it wasn\u2019t already obvious, is to not condescend, whether in your tone of voice or your specific choice of words when speaking to a visually impaired person. While this might sound alarming to many who would never dare interact with blind people in such a way, the reality is that the social framing of disabled people in many social circles and societies still perpetuates the idea that visually impaired people are incapable. Extreme examples of this would be using phrases such as \u201cYou\u2019re so brave\u201d, and expressing ill-placed pity for a visually impaired person\u2019s disability.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ae2919 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ae2919\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ea82369\" data-id=\"ea82369\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c1f649 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7c1f649\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">Another recommendation is to only offer help when requested unless you can reasonably judge that assistance is required in the situation. For example, if someone who is blind or who has low vision needs to be led while walking, they will ask for assistance or accept your offer to help. Then they will grasp your arm just above your elbow and lag behind you a half step. Your motion will tell them what to expect. It is not necessary to pull, push, or jerk the person. This tactic is not only awkward and confusing but also degrading. If someone is about to encounter danger, voice your concerns calmly and clearly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1b44ab9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1b44ab9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-66c770b\" data-id=\"66c770b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c76ed1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8c76ed1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">Offering assistance can be as simple as saying \u201cleft\u201d or \u201cright\u201d and is most useful in situations where you are offering directions to a visually impaired person, as gesturing depends largely on a person\u2019s ability to see clearly. If someone needs assistance in taking their seat, show them to their chair by putting their hand on the back of the chair. They will be able to seat themselves easily. Moreover, if a visually impaired person needs help reading signs, and menus, speaking them aloud as they are written is the preferred method.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">Even if you are not interacting directly with a visually impaired person \u2013 there is much to consider too. For instance, in public settings, if a visually impaired person has a guide dog, it is important to not do anything that would divert its attention from its task, this includes both petting the dog or whistling out to them \u2013 as their owners will depend on the attention of the animal to make sense of the immediate space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">In the workplace, if you work with a colleague who is visually impaired, it\u2019s important to announce when you are entering or leaving a room, that way they are less likely to speak out to you only to discover you are not there, and can also immediately identify who you are as if they were fully sighted.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">If you find yourself in the same environment as a visually impaired person, consider how you interact with the area around you. For instance, never leave doors ajar and consider the tidiness of pathways. As near-sighted individuals often cannot see clearly ahead of them and anticipate clutter, there exists a risk of tripping. In the same way, when you make changes to rooms such as moving furniture \u2013 remember to make any visually impaired people who frequent that space aware of that change.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fcd9662\" data-id=\"fcd9662\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c47ab04 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c47ab04\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AdobeStock_291885473-1024x683.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3044\" alt=\"A young man and a blind senior citizen holding a white cane sit on bench in park in city.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AdobeStock_291885473-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AdobeStock_291885473-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AdobeStock_291885473-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AdobeStock_291885473-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AdobeStock_291885473-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2acf6c6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2acf6c6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fff79d0\" data-id=\"fff79d0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cfce243 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cfce243\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">In conversation, the most important thing to remember is to assume nothing and if you are curious about their particular experience, be respectful in your choice of wording and remember that such experiences are deeply personal to each individual. Blind and visually impaired people do not exist to satisfy anyone\u2019s curiosity about how they see the world. At the same time, however, you do not need to avoid phrases like \u201clook over here\u201d, \u201clook at this\u201d, or \u201csee you tomorrow\u201d. The words do not matter here it\u2019s the intended meaning behind them that counts. And you should only ever draw attention to a person\u2019s disability when it\u2019s necessary and in their interest that you do so. So keep the focus on the topic at hand, and remember that frustration or miscommunication is often felt on both sides.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"simplyweb-checked\"><span class=\"simplyweb-checked\">Finally, remember to simply be patient, as blind and visually impaired people often are with sighted people.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cc2d576 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cc2d576\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5c0a6d2\" data-id=\"5c0a6d2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a39cf1 elementor-post-navigation-borders-yes elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-navigation\" data-id=\"3a39cf1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-navigation.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Post Navigation\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__prev elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/news\/how-to-cater-to-the-increased-demand-for-accessible-media\/\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"post-navigation__arrow-wrapper post-navigation__arrow-prev\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-left\"><\/i><span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Prev<\/span><\/span><span class=\"elementor-post-navigation__link__prev\"><span class=\"post-navigation__prev--label\">Previous<\/span><span class=\"post-navigation__prev--title\">How to cater to the increased demand for Accessible Media<\/span><\/span><\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__separator-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__separator\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__next elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/directaccessgp.com\/us\/news\/the-importance-of-accessible-wayfinding-in-commercial-environments\/\" rel=\"next\"><span class=\"elementor-post-navigation__link__next\"><span class=\"post-navigation__next--label\">Next<\/span><span class=\"post-navigation__next--title\">The Importance of Accessible Wayfinding in Commercial Environments<\/span><\/span><span class=\"post-navigation__arrow-wrapper post-navigation__arrow-next\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Next<\/span><\/span><\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fdf52f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4fdf52f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To preface, it is important that we first acknowledge that while there are generally recommended methods of communicating with blind people, they are ultimately individuals with their own experiences, and will therefore have preferences unique to them. This blog entry is based on preferred etiquette which tends to overlap among visually impaired social groups, based [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[30],"class_list":["post-3042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-accessibility-guidance"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Etiquette for Interacting with a Visually Impaired Person - Direct Access USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"To preface, it is important that we first acknowledge that while there are generally recommended methods of communicating with blind people-\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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