EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Disability Skill Set Unit
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
Sharing meaning:
I understand you and
you understand me
The Communication Equation
• What you hear
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40% of the message
Tone of voice
Vocal clarity
Verbal expressiveness
• What you see or feel
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Facial expression
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Dress and grooming
Posture
Eye contact
Touch
Gesture
• WORDS …
50% of the message
10% of the message!
Effective Communication
Skills
Encouraging to
continue
Appropriate eye
contact
Smiling or
serious facial
expression
Checking for
understanding
Questioning and
summarising
Effective Communication
Silence
Nodding (or
shaking) head
Open & relaxed
body language
How to Listen
Listen first and acknowledge
what you hear, even if you
don’t agree with it, before
expressing your point of view.
Acknowledging and Agreeing are
two very different things.
Barriers to Effective
Communication
language
Time
Other people
Distractions
Discomfort (with
topic)
Noise
Disability
Effective Communication
Lack of interest
Distance
Too many
questions
Age
Put downs
Strategies for Effective Communication with
people with disabilities: Some key points
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Effective listening is crucial
Think of the person first and disability second
Accept people with disabilities as individuals
Listen and don’t assume you know what’s best for
them
Be yourself ... Be natural ... Don’t patronise
Communicate in a manner that is appropriate to
their age
Speak directly to the person; not to their carer or
third party
The person with disability will often let you know if
they have a communication problem
Communication Methods for People with
Vision Impairment
– Large print
– Information and communication
technology
– Audiotape/CD-ROM
– Radio
– Braille
Communication Methods for People with
Hearing Impairment
- Written/printed information
- Captioning
- Telephone typewriter (TTY)
and/or National Relay Service
(NRS)
- Sign language
- Audio loop
Communication Challenges for People
with Disabilities
Communication Strategies for People with
Specific Disabilities
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Augmentive and alternative communication – all
communication that is not speech, but used to enhance
or replace speech
- pointing and gestures
- mime
- facial expressions
- body language
- signing
- object symbols
- photos, drawing, symbols
- communication boards and displays
- speech generating devices
- spelling
Appropriate Language in the Disability
Field
Language is important in the field of Disability.
Words used many years ago are, in many
cases, no longer acceptable. We need to
emphasise that the person is not a disability,
but they are a person that has a disability.
• Appropriate terms
• Inappropriate terms
Conflict and Issue Resolution
Self-awareness in conflict situations
The Brain and how it hijacks us in
crucial conversations!
Emergency Kit for Challenging
Conversations!
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Calm yourself down!
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Think about what you really need – the outcome you are trying to achieve.
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Imagining your partner-in-conflict as a potential ally.
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Begin by being factual, non-personal but clear and ask for clarification.
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Listen and acknowledge the other person and affirm anything that you can agree on.
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Acknowledge and apologise for any mistakes you have made in the course of the conflict.
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Summarise the other person’s needs, feelings and position as fairly as you can.
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Focus on the positive goals for the present and the future.
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When positions collide, focus on principles and potential referees.
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Make requests for specific actions and have clear timeframes, etc.
Conflict Resolution
3 aspects of successful conflict resolution:
1. Desire and necessity for the conflict to be
resolved
2. Understanding of possible resistances
3. Methods of conflict resolution
Negotiation: The art of reaching a
mutually satisfying agreement!
Confidentiality: A critical aspect of your
duty of care
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What is confidentiality?
Importance of confidentiality
Confidentiality agreement
Legislation governing confidentiality
Exceptions to the general rule of
confidentiality
Breaches of confidentiality
Confidentiality and duty of care
Confidentiality and privacy
Confidentiality and security
Duty of Care and Ethical Conduct