What You Can Learn from your Audience Members Who Have Disabilities?
One of the most common questions speaking professionals often ask themselves as they begin their journey to become more inclusive speakers relates to why they should even bother with people in their audience who might have disabilities.
In fact, there are several reasons why this is important. First and foremost, it’s a matter of respect, dignity, and inclusion. Overall, it is important to care about our audience members who have disabilities because it is the right thing to do, but doing so also leads to a more engaging and fulfilling experience for everyone involved.
If you are reading this post, chances are you agree that people with disabilities should enjoy the same opportunities to participate and engage in events and activities as those without disabilities. But as it turns out, providing accommodations for audience members who have disabilities automatically makes the event or activity more inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone. As an example, providing assistive technology or alternative communication methods like live transcripts can benefit not only those with disabilities, but also anyone who may have difficulty hearing, or seeing in a large audience.
Moreover, creating a more inclusive environment can foster a sense of community and belonging.
