The purpose of the module is to provide you with an understanding about the issues of diversity in communications, particularly diversity issues of race, ethnicity, and disability.

During this module, you are expected to:

  • Read from William W. Neher and Paul Sandin, Communicating Ethically
  • Chapter 8: Ethics and the Communication of Diversity
  • Chapter 9: Communication Ethics and Disabilities
  • Review the following readings for your Midterm Exam
  • Chapter 1: Introduction to Communication Ethics
  • Chapter 2: Character in Communication and Virtue Ethics
  • Chapter 3: Duties
  • Chapter 4: Consequences
  • Chapter 5: Relationships
  • Chapter 7: Ethics in Interpersonal Communication: Relationship and Character
  • Read/View Module Notes: Human Diversity and Ethics in Communication
  • Read Module Notes: Communication Ethics in Disabilities
  • Participate in Discussions:
  • M4D1: Interpersonal Encounters
  • M4D2: Disability and Communication
  • Submit both parts of the Midterm Exam:
  • M4A1: Midterm Exam, Part I
  • M4A2: Midterm Exam, Part II

Human Diversity and Ethics in Communication

In Chapters 8 and 9 of Neher and Sandin'sCommunicating Ethically, the authors discuss different types of human diversity including sex or gender, age, race, ethnicity, education, and health status. The website diversityinc.com gives us this definition of diversity, "Although often related to only race, ethnicity, and gender, it also includes people with disabilities, orientation, and gender identity. White people should be included."
Keith Woods, vice-president of diversity for National Public Radio (NPR), explains why issues of diversity are so important to journalists, "Journalists routinely use race and ethnicity in their stories to describe individuals and groups. Yet, as descriptions, race and ethnicity are imprecise and often inaccurate. Terms such as "black," "white," "Native American," "Asian," and "Hispanic" carry no true color. Because such descriptors can create so much harm, journalists must use the highest level of care and thoughtfulness in deciding when race and ethnicity are relevant and must use precise and accurate descriptions that go beyond labels."
Culture refers to "a distinct pattern of living characteristic of an identifiable group of people" (NeherSandin, 2007, p. 159). When we are part of a culture, we learn what "normal" is and take many customs, activities, behaviors, and ways of communicating for granted. The rules that govern what is right and wrong about the way we communicate originate from our culture. For example, is it permissible to interrupt an older person when he or she is talking? What about a child? How far away should you stand from someone when speaking with the person? Should the distance between two people having a conversation be the same in the United States as it is in India?
Neher and Sandin remind us about the characteristics of culture that need to be taken into consideration when analyzing the difficulties of intercultural communication:

  • Culture is not static, but fluid.
  • Culture applies to people in general, not in specifics.
  • People can belong to or switch identities among different cultures.
  • Our cultural expectations about how to communicate are held out of our conscious awareness.
  • We tend to respond emotionally when these expectations are violated.

People-first language is considered the most effective and ethical way of communicating with and about people with disabilities. Instead of saying "wheelchair people", we would say "people in wheelchairs." Instead of saying "blind man," we would say "man who is blind." Journalist Susan LoTempio (2006) of the Buffalo News gives us these tips for interviewing people with disabilities in her article "Enabling Coverage of Disability" (published at

  • Understand who falls under the definition of disabled.
  • A person with a disability is generally defined as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities"—such as working, caring for one's self, walking, seeing, or hearing—has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
  • How do you interview a person with a disability? The basics apply. Conduct the interview in a place that's convenient for both of you. Ask if there's any special arrangement that needs to be made (a site with no steps or a sign-language interpreter). Be open, honest and don't be afraid to ask the obvious. That's certainly more productive than ignoring something that might affect the quality of the interview. Also:
  • Focus on the person you are interviewing, not his or her disability. Speak directly to your subject, not to his or her companion or interpreter.
  • Ask before giving assistance. Wait for the answer before doing anything (such as pushing the wheelchair that the interview subject is using).
  • When talking to someone with a hearing loss, face him or her and don't cover your mouth.
  • When meeting an interview subject with a visual disability, identify yourself verbally. If he or she has a service animal or guide dog, don't praise, pet, or talk to the animal.
  • A wheelchair, or other assistive device, is part of a person's body space. Don't lean on or touch the wheelchair, unless the person asks you to.

References

  • DiversityInc Style Guide. (2007, August 3). Retrieved from
  • LoTempio, S. (2006). Enabling Coverage of Disability, The Poynter Institute. Retrieved from

DISCUSSION:

Interpersonal Encounters

The purpose of this activity is to apply ethics in intercultural communication to your own experiences.Based on your own experiences, respond to the following:

  • What types of intercultural encounters have you had?
  • Did the circumstances involve travel, service, work, or study? Please explain the circumstance.
  • What parts of these experiences made you feel uncomfortable or frustrated and why?

Your initial post should be at least 250 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings from the module with proper APA style formatting.

Disability and Communication

The purpose of this activity is to apply communication ethics to your personal experiences with persons who have disabilities.

Based on your personal experiences, respond to the following:

  • Is there a person with a disability in your family or someone you have been close with?
  • How might you communicate differently with that person than you might with a classmate or a co-worker?
  • Describe an instance when you may have felt resentment about how others communicate with him or her.

Your initial post should be at least 250 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings from the module with proper APA style formatting.