Fast Results E-Zine
When you sign up, you'll get instant access to my article archives, exclusive content and other freebies. Plus, we will never sell, rent or share your information so sign up today.
Search
|
|
Bookmark this Page
Resources
My Blogroll
Categories
- 10 Things (3)
- Blog Carnival (8)
- Bullying (7)
- Career (70)
- Communicators in the news (22)
- Contests (1)
- events (1)
- General (17)
- Goal Setting (28)
- Health (3)
- Inspiration (38)
- Interpersonal Communication (41)
- Job Interview (35)
- Leadership (5)
- Learning (2)
- Million Dollar Month (12)
- Motivation (80)
- Networking (21)
- Online Success (19)
- Personal (10)
- Politics (21)
- Productivity (3)
- Public Speaking (158)
- Quick Tip (7)
- relationships (2)
- Review (2)
- Social Media (3)
- success (5)
- Time Management (8)
- Toastmasters (45)
- Video of the Week (14)
- Writing (7)
Public speaking can be challenging enough without a disability so speaking when you’re disabled presents its own set of unique challenges. The good news is that there are many people who have been able to transcend their disabilities and become successful speakers. Now different types of disabilities require different techniques, but whether you have problems with your speech or are confined to a wheelchair, you can still be an effective speaker. Don’t tell yourself (or let others tell you) that your disability means public speaking isn’t an option for you. If you have the ability to communicate with others, then you have the ability to be an effective presenter.
The key to becoming a successful speaker with a disability is to focus on your strengths as opposed to worrying about your weaknesses. For example: If mobility is difficult for you, then use your voice and your words to wow your audience.
We’ll begin by looking at the different challenges that disabled speakers face through a series of posts. In this first installment, we’ll focus on being disabled physically.
Do you want your disability to play a part in your speech?
The first thing you need to decide is the role that your disability will play in your speech (or speaking platform). Do you want to inspire others with your personal story of overcoming an obstacle or would like it to back seat so you can focus on your other speech objectives. It’s entirely up to you and what you’re most comfortable with.
Many disabled speakers are able to use their disabilities as a source of inspiration for others. People born disabled as well as those whose disability is the result of an accident, disease or combat have gone on to become successful motivational speakers. They are a living example of overcoming challenges and displaying courage on a day to day basis. The fact that they are able to get in front of an audience is inspirational in itself.
Now not everyone who is disabled will want to be a motivational or inspirational speaker – others may need to speak as part of their profession (sales, business owner, etc…). So they may want to not to draw attention to any physical challenges that they may have (and they may choose to take this approach for a variety of other reasons). The key here is to plan your talks in a manner where your disability is out of view. President Franklin Roosevelt was able to hide his disability from the world with creative uses of podiums and by doing speeches sitting down. Granted, this type of cover up would be nearly impossible to get away with in today’s digital age, especially with such a high profile figure, with news sleuths constantly trying to uncover information on famous faces. But your goal normally wouldn’t be to hide a disability – instead your goal is to take the focus off it.
Back in 2000, I had the opportunity to meet some of the young women competing for Miss America. I had a quick conversation with Theresa Uchytil (Miss Iowa) and even posed with her in a picture. It wasn’t until after the event when I read her biography that I found out that she was born without a left hand. Even when watching the pageant on TV, it was difficult to notice that her hand was missing as she was effective at not making it her focus. Also impressive was the fact that her talent was baton twirling – a task many of us with both hands find difficult.
Working around your disability with your speech:
Whether you have a walking cane, use crutches, have leg braces or are in a wheelchair, you may fear that your lack of movement will take away from your speech. This is usually not the case unless you can’t move anything below your neck; otherwise you still have facial expressions and hand gestures at your disposal.
But even if your movement is overly restricted, you still have your words and your voice. Your words, when chosen carefully, can have a huge impact on your audience – especially if you’re giving a motivational speech and overcoming your disability is part of the speech. Christopher Reeve was an inspiration to all who saw him speak because of his story and how he told it. He could move little more than his head and neck, yet when he spoke (whether to groups or in front of a television camera) people listened. They found him to be courageous and inspirational.
If you are able to move around, be aware of your environment and your limitations. Look for tripping hazards and other potential dangers before you get up to speak. Also, get a feel for the amount of space you have to work with and look around for any obstacles that might limit your range of motion.
In the next part of this series, I’ll talk about what to do when you have problems with speech and talking. If you have a story you’d like to share about speaking with a disability, please share it.
ShareCheck out these Related posts:
- Public Speaking Success: Developing your own Speaking StyleTweet Have you ever wondered where your speaking style came...
- Public Speaking Success: A Lesson From the Yale Class of 1953Tweet A number of speakers, books and other motivational programs...
- Public Speaking Success: Three Ways to Make a Speech More InterestingTweet No one wants to deliver a boring speech so...
- Public Speaking Success: Why Writers Make Great SpeakersTweet I’ve met a number of writers in recent months...
- Public Speaking Benefits: How Public Speaking Skills can Help Your CareerTweet I’m often asked to speak to student organizations about...
- Public Speaking Success: Seven Tips to Improve your Public Speaking Skills Right NowTweet Although the only way to truly overcome your fear...
- Public Speaking Myths: You Should Never Open With a Thank YouTweet Throughout the last six years, I’ve heard at least...




(No Ratings Yet)Social Media Help
If you feel too busy or too overwhelmed to keep up with social media or blogging, then check out our new online services section. We can handle everything from creating your accounts and setting up a blog or Facebook page to managing your entire online presence. We know you’re busy so let us do the work for you.
For Toastmasters!
Please take a look at my latest e-book, "The Ultimate Guide to Effective Theme Meetings." This 62 page e-book contains tips as well as 10 ready to use theme meeting kits. Each kit contains everything from the invitation to planning the food & decor to enough table topics for up to 30 participants. And if you act fast, you can get it while it's still on sale.
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Bob on Do You Live Under a Rock or in a Cave?
- Why You’re Losing Twitter Followers | Overnight Sensation - Public Speaking, Communication and Personal Development on On-line Success: How Do You Use Twitter?
- Darren Fleming on How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market
- Stephen on How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market
- Simon Raybould on What I Hate About Toastmasters
- Rich M on Public Speaking Myths: Imagining Your Audience in their Underwear Makes You Less Nervous.
- Blog Carnival on Personal Power 21 June 2009 | Pink Blocks on There’s More to Success than Money
- Regal on Do You Need to Join the National Speakers Association to Be a Succesful Paid Speaker?
Pages
recent entries
- I Want to Be a Better Man
- Job Interview Success: Five Things to Do Before a Job Interview
- Social Media Overwhelm – How to Deal with It
- Why You’re Losing Twitter Followers
- How to Make Your First Day at a New Job a Success
- What is Twitter?
- How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market
- Learn Useful Skills for Free from your Club
- What I Learned from NaNoWriMo
- Make 2013 Your Best Year Ever
Wordpress theme by Wordpress Themes & made free by Internet Marketing Center
© 2006-2008 James Feudo All Rights Reserved.



8 users commented on " Public Speaking With a Physical Disability "
June 15 2008
Hi James
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog.
Would you want to trade links with my blog: http://speaking-life.blogspot.com
Cheers!
Panzer
June 15 2008
This is a great post! I hate to say that I had never thought of this. It was interesting to read.
June 16 2008
i think, the main problem of disability is wrong perception of his mind.
June 17 2008
Inspiring post
June 21 2008
Heidi, thanks so much for the note.
Muhibbuddin, you’re right, sometimes we limit ourselves whether we have a disability or not.
Elizabeth, many thanks for the comment.
James
September 16 2008
i think this is so inspireing
great peace
:)
January 28 2009
Hey all,
I think the material you guys have written is compelling, inspirational and just GREAT! I’ve seen some of your blogs and I’m glad to see that people with disabilities and those without are letting their voices be heard and are proud of who they are.
I work at CitizenShift, a global outreach program, and we are re-releasing a dossier of ours called “To Break Through: (dis)Proving (dis)Ability.” This segment features athletes, performers and every-day people that have physical disabilities and have gone on to greatness. Watching some of the videos, listening to the audio segments and reading the articles are inspiring and extremely motivational.
Please check out some of our newly updated content
http://citizen.nfb.ca/break-through
Thanks,
Nick
October 27 2009
[...] communication fear. There will be plenty of sweat and even some tears, but most of us have nothing physically preventing us from overcoming our communication fears. So here’s the [...]