Ask the individual or their organisation/representative how they prefer to describe the disability or medical issue.
Ask whether the interviewee would like to have someone with them present for the interview. This may include an Auslan or other form of interpreter.
Don't assume a person with a disability needs your assistance; always ask first. 'Let me know if you need anything', or 'How can I best provide support to you?' are good ways to do this. Ask what is required for people to contribute to the content and work with that.
Understand that all people with disabilities are individuals.
Take care not to make gratuitous references to disabilities; an individual's disability should only be included if it is directly relevant to the story.
Note that some guests prefer their disabilities not be referenced; others may consider Deafness to be a part of their culture or heritage rather than (or in addition to) a disability.
It is important to avoid using platitudes or statements which may judge an individual's disability, or approach to it. It is also important not to feign compassion or to insist that you 'know how they feel'.
Don't apologise or feel the need to show pity. 'I'm sorry you are blind or deaf' isn't helpful and can be seen as patronising.
If you are interviewing someone who uses an interpreter (including for audio stories), speak to that person and not their interpreter. Understand there may be a very short delay while your questions or statements are being communicated.
Don't direct your questions to a carer or companion present with the person with a disability unless the individual's disability means they can't physically understand or respond to you.
Use whatever is a person's primary mode of communication for an interview (it may not be speaking). Find a way for them to tell their story.
Some guests may particularly benefit from concise, to-the-point questions.
Give time for guests to respond. Repeat questions or check answers to get clarification and understanding.
None of this means that you can't ask a challenging question. You just have to make sure it's well informed and based around facts rather than assumptions.
Language and content should focus on ability rather than disability. ABC content should recognise that people who have a disability are multi-dimensional, and their disability is only one characteristic.
Both person-first language ('people with disabilities') and identity-first language ('disabled people') are used to refer to people with disabilities. Where you can, you should ask your interviewee, colleague or collaborator for their preference; if for any reason this isn't possible, use person-first language. Autistic people, who generally prefer identity-first language, are a notable exception.
When referring to people who are not disabled, avoid language that creates an imbalance: prefer 'people without disabilities' or 'non-disabled' to 'able-bodied'.
In some cases it can be helpful to distinguish between apparent and non-apparent disabilities. A variety of terms are in use here, such as 'invisible disabilities' or 'non-evident disabilities'; use a person's preference where possible, and avoid judgmental language such as 'clearly disabled' or 'obviously disabled'.
Avoid any language which implies that people are either diminished as a result of their disability, or are victims. Terms which can offend include suffering from, afflicted by, crippled by, mentally handicapped, retarded or similar words in reference to development.
Avoid collective terminology as this can be de-personalising and offensive. Common terms include such things as the disabled, the handicapped, the blind, the deaf or the deaf and dumb.
Avoid referring to a person with a disability as being "inspirational".
Some individuals may express a preference for the capitalised form Deaf to describe a broader community (including families, carers, those who use sign language to communicate, etc) and lower case deaf to describe the medical loss of hearing. If using, clarify this distinction for audiences.
It is acceptable to describe a person as 'someone who uses a wheelchair', followed by an explanation of why the equipment is required. Avoid 'confined to a wheelchair' or 'wheelchair-bound' as these terms describe a person only in relationship to a piece of equipment. The terms also are misleading, as wheelchairs can liberate people, allowing them to move about, and they are inaccurate, as people who use wheelchairs are not permanently confined in them, but transfer to sleep, sit in chairs, drive cars and perform other activities.
A person is blind, legally blind or vision impaired, not visually impaired.
Someone with hearing problems is deaf or hard of hearing.
Generally, avoid language that implies disabilities should be 'fixed' or 'solved'.
Ensure any medical terms have diagnostic relevance. Some commonly used terms, such as 'high-functioning autism', are not used in medical diagnoses. Instead, where relevant, describe what a condition means for the person, e.g. 'they use a letterboard to communicate'.
Describing someone with an intellectual disability as having 'the mental age of a child' or similar can be offensive and inaccurate. Use specifics in descriptions not generalisations.
'Amputee' is generally an acceptable term for someone who has undergone an amputation.
Editors and subeditors should ensure that any relevant changes to copy still respect the requests or preferences of talent.
Avoid portraying individuals as objects of pity. For example, photograph a person using a wheelchair at their level, not looking down on them. Positive, reinforcing images are generally preferred, depending on the editorial context.
Only show the person's disability if it is critical to the story.
Avoid focusing on equipment unless that is the focus of the story. Avoid gratuitous cutaways of wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids and other devices.
Avoid having the talent's carers or family in photos or video unless they are also part of the story. Show the talent as having autonomy over their own lives.
Avoid showing the person with disability as isolated from the community unless that is the focus of the story.
Avoid using stock images as the majority reinforce negative stereotypes and are of poor quality.
Avoid using images of mobility aids, such as photos of wheelchairs, as a generic image for a story about disability.
Do consider using people with disabilities to illustrate stories that are not about disability, to show they are a regular part of the community.
Do aim for diversity in imagery of people with disabilities – people from ethnic minorities and gender diverse people also live with disability and are often even more marginalised.
Do show people with disabilities doing everyday things, such as catching public transport or shopping, but avoid making it 'inspiration porn'. It's just life.
Do show people with disabilities in positions of power and authority.