working at student disability services.

[hoongirl]

Recently I got a job at Student Disability Services at my university. I'm a proctor (distribute exams,make sure no one cheats, collect exams, etc...). Sometimes I don't know how to act around disabled people though. Like sometimes I'm not sure if I should offer my help or not, because I don't want anyone to think I don't think they are capable of doing things themselves or anything. I know that when people with hearing disabilities come in, I should speak to them, not their interpretor, but there are SO many different disabilities that I come in contact with daily.
AND I've had a few girls from my sorority/other sororities/fraternities come in. I don't know whether to say hi to them or let them come say hi to me first. And should I just not bring it up when I see them outside of the student disabilty services?
Thanks!

[Kate*]

Do your best to treat them like you would anyone else and maybe say something like "Let me know if you need anything" that way they feel comfortable asking and they don't feel like you're treating them any different. A lot of times people with disabilities have grown up with them and have learned to ask for what they need, if anything. It's also a good idea to talk to someone who works there and has been doing it longer.

When dealing with people you know, I think how you handle it depends how well you know the person. If they're your friend, then go ahead and say hi, otherwise I would let them say hi to you first and personally, I would avoid bringing it up with them in another setting unless they do so first. It's likely that they want to be treated as normally as possible and they may not appreciate your focusing on what's different about them. Or they just may not be comfortable discussing it for a variety of reasons, for example they are with other people who don't know about it and/or they don't feel comfortable sharing it with those people or at that particular time.