Tips for audience inclusion strategies
Thematic interpretation allows us to connect to audiences and create an emotional connection to our subject. That’s powerful stuff! But what are the challenges when your job is to connect to individuals with disabilities? Working in a public setting opens you up to this possibility, and gives you the opportunity to reach a broader audience. In short you have got to make it work!
How can you adapt your communication strategies to fit these circumstances? While it might be impossible to be ready at all times for all of the scenarios that might occur, the most important points are to be flexible and know your audience.
I thought about this topic while leading a group of ten individuals from Afghanistan through a tour of Washington DC. The group that arranged their tour did provide language interpreters and aides for the participants, which included visually impaired, amputees and various other physical disabilities. However, language interpretation alone only overcomes one barrier to making an interpretive connection. After all, I was showing places and visiting important sights for them to see. How do you adjust your presentation?
- Identify presentation goals:
- In my case, I wanted to have my audience appreciate the style and symbolism that the sights contained in their design.
- Evoke a sense of idealism that the nation’s founders had in mind when city was designed.
- Making the visit relevant for each participant.
- Identify your audiences barriers to meeting presentation goals:
- For the vision impaired the challenge is visual appreciation of the style and symbolism of the designs.
- For both the vision impaired and physically disabled individuals it can be challenging to get around. Steps can be a physically draining, for example.
- Participants are visiting from another country with different history, how to relate to ours?
- Strategize on overcoming barriers:
- Learn as much as possible about your audience before your presentation.
- Adjust your presentation. For visually impaired, for example, it might be helpful to have a small model of the building you’re visiting that can be touched. If having a model is not feasible, then including descriptive language during your presentation will help participants paint a mental image.
- Be ready to adjust your route and find more accessible places. Does the place you’re planning to visit have elevators?
- Find common human challenges to make the connection and connect to your audience, regardless of the origin.
Working through the barriers and challenging yourself to broaden your reach is as rewarding as it is necessary. What are your stories and strategies dealing with audience members with disabilities? Share by leaving a comment.