Inclusion Benefits More Than You Think

A small group sitting together at a table, engaged in a relaxed discussion. Text reads: “Inclusion Changes More Than We Expect.” SignAble Vi5ion branding and Leah Riddell’s name appear on the image.

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Inclusion is often talked about as something we do for a specific group. It’s framed as support, or accommodation, or something that needs to be added in when someone requires it.

But that’s not what I see in practice.

What I see is that when we make something more accessible for one person, it ends up improving the experience for others too.

When communication is clearer, more people understand what’s happening. When meetings are structured with access in mind, they tend to run better. When information is shared in more than one way, fewer people are left trying to piece things together afterward.

These aren’t big, dramatic changes. They’re small adjustments that start to shift how things function overall.

And once they’re in place, it becomes obvious that the original way wasn’t working as well as people thought.

Inclusion has a way of exposing that.

It shows where communication was rushed, where assumptions were being made, and where people were expected to keep up instead of being supported to understand. It brings attention to gaps that were always there, just not acknowledged.

When those gaps are addressed, the result isn’t just access for one person. The entire environment becomes easier to move through.

People ask fewer follow-up questions. There’s less confusion. Expectations are clearer. Conversations feel more balanced.

It doesn’t slow things down.

If anything, it makes things work better.

This is why inclusion shouldn’t be treated as something extra. It’s not about adding more work. It’s about doing things in a way that actually makes sense for the people involved.

When we shift how communication happens, how information is shared, and how environments are set up, we’re not just supporting access.

We’re improving the system.

And that benefits more people than we often realize.

If you’re starting to notice where things aren’t landing the way they should in your organization – whether it’s communication, training, or day-to-day interactions – that’s usually a sign there’s room to adjust the approach.

And those adjustments don’t have to be complicated.

If you want to explore what that could look like in your space, I’m always open to a conversation.

More To Explore

A workplace meeting is shown with a couple of people seated around a table. One person is trying to get another person’s attention, while another person is looking toward and listening to someone outside the image. Large white text reads, “Talk to Me, Not About Me,” with a yellow underline emphasizing “Talk to Me.” SignAble Vi5ion Inc. branding appears at the top, with Leah Riddell’s name and logo at the bottom.

Talk to Me, Not About Me

This is something that can happen so naturally that people don’t even realize they’re doing it. I’m standing right there, but someone turns to the interpreter and asks, “Can you tell her…?” Or they ask the interpreter a question about me while I’m sitting beside them. Sometimes it’s even something as simple as, “Does she understand?” I’m right there. I know most people aren’t trying to be disrespectful.

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A professional sits at a table and gestures with one finger raised during a conversation. Large white text reads “Being Told Later Is Not the Same as Being Included,” with a yellow underline beneath the title. SignAble Vi5ion Inc. branding appears at the top, with Leah Riddell’s name and the SignAble Vi5ion logo at the bottom.

Being Told Later Is Not the Same as Being Included

This takes the last blog one step further, but it isn’t the same issue. The last one was about participation in the room. This one is about what happens when information is constantly passed to a Deaf person after the moment has already happened. I have heard some version of this many times throughout my life and work. “I’ll tell you later.” Usually, the person means well. A

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