Communicating as equals at KBSU

October 9, 2023 KBSU held an educational seminar “Communicating as Equals.” The participants of the seminar were first-year students from various educational departments of the university.

Outlining the purpose of the meeting, Lyudmila Nastueva, head of the department of inclusive education at KBSU, explained:

Modern Russian society should change the situation and its attitude towards people with disabilities: a culture of inclusion should be developed, ethically consistent and competent terminology should be instilled. This requires not only special educational work in this direction, but also a change in the entire culture of relationships in society as a whole. One of the most important and revealing aspects is the language and words that we use in a given situation. Correct expressions help to form a positive image of a person, show your respect for him and establish contact. Today we will outline recommendations that will help avoid awkwardness in communicating with people with disabilities. We will try to destroy stereotypes associated with the world of people with disabilities and create a positive image of a person with disabilities and disabilities.

First, Lyudmila Nastueva explained to the students what inclusion and inclusive education are. They also discussed the peculiarities of interaction with different categories of people with special needs, where correct terminology plays an important role.

“When you talk or write about people with disabilities, use words and concepts that do not create stereotypes. Avoid words and concepts that create stereotypes, sound offensive and disrespectful,” the lecturer emphasized.

Lyudmila Nastueva cited as an example 10 rules of etiquette compiled by people with disabilities. Students learned how people with disabilities want to be communicated with: you need to be patient; first ask if you need help before rushing to help; identify yourself if you are talking to a blind person; don’t shout, etc.

The head of the department of inclusive education at KBSU drew the attention of listeners to how an accessible environment for people with disabilities is organized on the territory of KBSU.

Summarizing the above, Lyudmila Nastueva said:

First of all, any person wants to communicate with him on equal terms. And on the contrary, few people will be pleased if the interlocutor first of all pays attention to the disease-limitations, and not to the person. Many people with disabilities are independent and participate in social life without assistance, but even if you see a person struggling with a task, this is not a reason to violate social etiquette. If you feel a desire to help a person cope with any situation, then it is enough to quietly clarify: “Excuse me, can I help you with something?”
The last universal rule is not to forget about smiles, positive emotions and good mood. Even if you said something wrong and made a mistake somewhere, your sincerity and openness are much more important than unquestioning adherence to etiquette. The main thing is to see a person in a person. Be more attentive and tactful to each other.

To consolidate the acquired knowledge, students were asked to take an online test, upon completion of which an electronic certificate would be issued.