Disability Access Guidelines for Honolulu Community College Staff

No matter what job you do, you will probably encounter people with disabilities at some point on campus. This list of guidelines is provided to assist you in contributing to a safe and hospitable campus environment for these individuals. Remember to:

• Ask a person with a disability if he/she needs help before helping that person.
• Talk directly to a person with a disability, not through the person's companion.
• Refer to a person's disability only if it is relevant to the conversation.
• Avoid negative descriptions of a person's disability.
• Word your language to emphasize the person - for example, "a person who is blind" rather than "a blind man."
• When guiding people with visual impairments, have them grasp your arm or shoulder.
• Ask permission before interacting with a person's service animal.
• Interact with a person in a wheelchair at his/her eye level.
• Ask people with speech impairments to repeat or write what they have said if you don't understand.
• Face a person with a hearing impairment and speak clearly so he/she can read your lips.
• Offer to read or enlarge written material for a person with a vision impairment.
• Keep public areas in your department accessible to people with disabilities.
• Include contact information in all campus publications for Student ACCESS (phone 844-2392 voice/text).
• Refer those who need assistance to Student ACCESS in Building 7, Room 302; phone 844-2392 voice/text.
• Report access concerns to Student ACCESS as soon as possible.

Revised: November 9, 2006