Back to Home
Back to General
Disability etiquette is more than knowing the “right” words to use; it is a foundational workplace inclusion practice that shapes how employees, customers, and colleagues with disabilities experience respect, opportunity, and belonging. In this engaging webinar, Dr. James F. McNeil explores how everyday interactions can either open doors or create unnecessary barriers for individuals with disabilities in employment settings. Participants will examine disability through the lens of the Americans with Disabilities Act and consider how common assumptions about productivity, independence, accommodation costs, communication, and advancement can affect access to employment opportunities, morale, job satisfaction, productivity, and retention. Through practical examples and workplace scenarios, Dr. McNeil highlights how negative attitudes, even when unintentional, can contribute to exclusion, stress, and missed opportunities, while respectful disability etiquette can strengthen trust, collaboration, and workplace culture. The session offers clear, actionable guidance for using respectful, person-centered language, asking before helping, communicating directly, respecting assistive technology and mobility aids, and focusing on abilities rather than limitations. Participants will leave with practical strategies they can use immediately to support more inclusive interactions, view accommodations as tools for success, and help create workplaces where individuals with disabilities are valued, included, and able to thrive.
Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify common negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities and explain how these attitudes can impact employment opportunities, morale, productivity, and retention.
- Describe and apply key disability etiquette principles, including respectful language, asking before helping, communicating directly, and respecting assistive technology and mobility aids.
- Demonstrate inclusive workplace practices that focus on abilities, support effective accommodations, and encourage open collaboration to promote workplace inclusion.
About the presenter:
Dr. James F. McNeil is a Visiting Lecturer in the Rehabilitation Counseling program at the University of North Texas. He previously served as a Program Director and Assistant Professor at Carolina University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. McNeil has also worked in both the private and public sectors, including with Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, where he supported disability compliance, leave policies, and related workplace processes.
Dr. McNeil is a former Board Director for the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and has more than 15 years of experience in rehabilitation, disability inclusion, disability management, ADA compliance, policy development, training, and education. His work focuses on helping organizations better understand disability, strengthen inclusive workplace practices, and support individuals with disabilities in meaningful and sustainable employment.
