Tennessee Tech to launch new ‘disability etiquette’ course in spring 2026
Tennessee Tech University’s College of Emerging and Integrative Studies will offer a new course beginning in spring 2026 aimed at helping students better understand how to respectfully and confidently engage with those with disabilities.
LIST 4925 – Disability Etiquette is a 15-week, in-person elective course taught by Lecturer Mark Warnick, a 100% service-related disabled veteran who holds a Ph.D. in public safety with a specialization in emergency management.
He said the idea for the course grew from his own experiences navigating campus on a motorized scooter and interacting with students who were kind and welcoming but often unsure of how to approach him.
“I hope that students who take this course are left with an understanding of how to engage those with disabilities with courtesy and respect,” Warnick said. “Students needn’t be nervous around those with a disability, nor should they assume limitations. Speaking from my own life experiences, individuals with disabilities are normal people who wish to be treated like everyone else and afforded a presumption of competence.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some type of disability, making disability etiquette a relevant and practical skill in any professional or community setting. Warnick noted that thoughtful interaction helps break down barriers, dispel stereotypes and support more inclusive environments where people with disabilities can participate fully.
“Knowing how to interact with people who have disabilities is an important aspect of bettering our society,” Warnick said. “A lack of knowledge and understanding can sometimes lead to awkwardness that stifles communication. When you interact with disabled persons respectfully and comfortably, you create space for honest and robust relationships.”
The course will introduce students to U.S. disability law, explore the historical treatment of people with disabilities and examine concepts such as able privilege and social stigma. Modules will also cover disability etiquette basics and best practices for engaging with individuals who use mobility aids, who are neurodivergent, who are blind or deaf, who have speech disabilities, who live with mental illness or who use the assistance of service animals.
Warnick serves on Tennessee Tech’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Accessibility Advisory Committee, which helped inform the course’s development.
Ed Beason, Tech’s assistant dean of students and director of the Accessible Education Center, said the course fills a crucial educational need.
“Dr. Mark Warnick’s disability etiquette course is a valuable addition to campus in that students will learn about the social implications of disability,” Beason said. “Social barriers can be detrimental to individuals with disabilities, and, in many cases, education can serve as a primary tool for reducing or eliminating those barriers. This course will fill an educational gap and bring awareness to an important topic.”
Mike Gotcher, dean of the College of Emerging and Integrative Studies, said the class reflects the college’s focus on forward-thinking and applied learning.
“Our college prides itself on the relevance and practicality of our programs, and this course makes a meaningful contribution toward that mission,” Gotcher said. “With more than one in four adults experiencing some form of disability, the knowledge students gain here will benefit them in any field. Understanding the lived experiences of our friends, neighbors and colleagues with disabilities is essential to building stronger schools, workplaces and communities.”
For more information about the College of Emerging and Integrative Studies, visit www.tntech.edu/ceis.