Is it OK to pet a service dog? Will someone with a disability mind if I touch his or her wheelchair?
There is an etiquette to interacting with people with disabilities. MossRehab's It's Just Respect program aims to educate people—whether it be in the workplace, a retail business or out in the community—about disability etiquette. It's about providing a more comfortable experience for people with disabilities. But it also makes good business sense for anyone who deals with customers with disabilities.
Developed with input from people with different types of disabilities combined with the vast experience of MossRehab staff, our program is rich with information and tips about communicating with and about people with disabilities.
View our Disability Etiquette Gone Wrong videos for some sample tips
Who Can Benefit
Anyone can benefit from disability etiquette training, which helps in interacting with colleagues, family, friends and people met out in the community. We have trained health insurance executives, special education teachers, high school students and teachers, clinicians, museum staff and more.
Typical organizations that may benefit from trainings include restaurants, faith-based groups, retail stores, schools, grocery stores, hospitals and professional businesses. Organizations and companies where we have provided training include:
- Wildwood Beach Patrol
- Archbishop Ryan High School
- The Barnes Foundation
- Philadelphia Corp. for the Aging
- Arcadia University
- Holy Family University
- Waterworks Interpretive Center
- Cigna Healthcare
- The U.S. Mint
- Respectability USA
- The Capital Grille
- Philadelphia Public Relations Association
- Philly Chit Chat
- ChatterBlast
- Parx Casino
- Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce
- Gwynedd Mercy University Nursing Students
- American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA)
- Achilles International- The Philadelphia based chapter
- Jewish Funders Network
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Annual Diversity Conference
- Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association
It’s Just Respect: Disability Etiquette Training "was eye-opening, enlightening, and effective in introducing concepts of inclusion. We thank MossRehab for opening the door for this important topic of conversation."
Lynn Berkowitz, Family and Community Programs Manager, The Barnes Foundation
How to Get Involved
You can get involved in the It’s Just Respect program by registering for a training session or becoming a disability etiquette trainer through MossRehab. You can also pose disability etiquette questions to our experts.
Become a trainer. If you are interested in becoming a Disability Etiquette Trainer, just fill out an application. You will be invited to an upcoming half-day training session that covers planning and faciliting a training session, leveraging training materials, recognizing common types of disabilities and identifying tips for communicating with people with disabilities. On completion of the training, individuals will be equipped to lead their own trainings in the community.
Host a training session. If you or your organization are interested in hosting a training session, just fill out this application. We will contact you about arrangements. Programs can be tailored to the needs and interests of your organization or company. Training sessions can be located in a variety of settings and locations.
Pose a question. Have an etiquette question for our experts? Just fill out this form. One of our team members will get back to you with a response.
Did you know two-thirds of people in the workforce never participate in disability etiquette training? Let's improve this statistic together.
Questions? Please contact our Disability Etiquette Team at livingbeyonddisabilities@einstein.edu.
The It’s Just Respect disability etiquette program was developed by MossRehab with an innovative program grant from the Albert Einstein Society. The Albert Einstein Society provides funding to employees at MossRehab and Einstein Healthcare Network to develop bold and creative solutions to modern-day challenges faced in the healthcare world.