AODA Customer Service Training And Awareness Quiz

Barriers are broken down in part through open, positive attitudes and accepting people for who they are, not what they can or cannot do.

Many people develop ways to work with, or around, their particular type of learning disability. Repeated practice can help a person with a learning disability perform some tasks with less difficulty.

Not everyone who uses a wheelchair is paralysed. People might use a wheelchair if they have arthritic spines or sore legs, severe asthma or a heart condition that limits their ability to walk.

Many types of mental health disabilities are treatable and not necessarily permanent.

People who are Deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing may choose not to speak because they are unsure of pronunciation, or are concerned that their voices may sound different. Most people who are Deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing can make sounds, and can probably speak some words.

There are different systems that allow someone who is Deaf to use the telephone, such as the Teletypewriter (TTY) or a relay system.

Unlike mental health disability, intellectual disability is a limitation affecting intellectual capacity, not emotional equilibrium. Also, an intellectual disability is a permanent condition that cannot be medically treated or cured.

According to the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, 2006, from Statistics Canada, about 1.85 million Ontarians (one in seven) have a disability.

Some disabilities are the result of a disease; some are inherited; and others are the result of an accident.

According to the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, 2006, from Statistics Canada, about 47 percent of Ontarians over the age of 65 have a disability.

Generally, people who are Deaf or hard of hearing have no better sense of sight than anyone else, but they may concentrate more on what they are seeing.

It is estimated that one million Canadians have a disability that makes it difficult or impossible for them to read conventional print. An increasing number of senior citizens are becoming part of this group.

A disability is just one of the characteristics of the individual, but too often, the disability is seen before the person.

Many people with disabilities can enjoy activities just like everyone else. Often barriers – not disabilities – prevent people with disabilities from participating in everyday life.

There are many modifications available for vehicles to allow people with disabilities to drive, including people in power wheelchairs.

There are many helpful aids for people who have physical disabilities which may help them to be more independent.

People with disabilities have different interests and enjoy different activities just like everyone else.

It is important to look directly at someone who is hard of hearing and speak clearly. Shouting may only create sound distortions when amplified through the hearing aid.

Try to respect the person’s independence by asking if your assistance is needed first.

People who have vision loss may prefer to take your arm when you are guiding them. Ask if they need your assistance first.

Guide dogs do not see the colours of traffic lights and do not read the signs on washroom doors. The owner decides when to cross the street by listening to the traffic flow.

Most people who are Deaf or hard of hearing can speechread, but not all do it well. Most can understand about 25 per cent of what is being said. People who excel at speechreading can understand approximately 45-50 per cent of what is being said.

Generally, people with vision loss have no better sense of hearing than anyone else, though many people with vision loss learn to use their other senses more efficiently.

People with disabilities may require assistance at times but you shouldn’t assume assistance will be needed in every case. Your customers want to be treated with dignity, so consider discreetly asking if help is needed first.

There is no need to use special language around people who have vision loss. They use the same expressions as everyone else.