1. Marian Vessels Director, Mid-Atlantic ADA Center

2. 2 ADA National Network Ten regional centers provide information, guidance, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

3. 3 Disabilities ADA protects people with all kinds of disabilities, physical or mental Mobility limitations, psychiatric conditions, intellectual disabilities, health conditions, etc. What are communication disabilities? Those that affect hearing, vision, speech

4. 4 Respectful and Helpful Interactions

5. 5 Courtesy: Out Loud Identify yourself when you approach or meet an individual with a vision disability; let him know if you are leaving If you have to pass a person with a vision disability in a hallway or come near her “personal space,” give her a verbal alert

6. 6 Sighted Guide Techniques

7. 7 Auxiliary Aids and Services: People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision Examples: Accessible format materials (large print, Braille, audio, electronic), qualified readers, use of secondary auditory programs (SAP) to provide description of visual elements during televised broadcasts or recorded audio-visual presentations

8. 8 Printed Materials Design for legibility and reduce the need for other formats or individualized assistance for some people with low vision Simple, easy-to-read fonts Good contrast between text and background Non-glare finishes Uncluttered designs

9. 9 Large Print 18 point font is usually considered “large” print (this is 18 point font); individuals may make more specific requests May be easily produced in-house from electronic files or by enlarging documents on a copier

10. 10 Braille or Audio Recordings Braille documents are produced by specialized equipment; audio-recordings may need to be professionally produced Requires advance preparation

11. 11 Electronic Formats Design features ensure accessibility, especially for people who use “screen readers” (computer programs that “read” documents out loud by converting text to mechanized speech)

12. 12 Examples: Accessibility Features of Electronic Formats and Websites Alt tags(simple text descriptions) “behind” images and graphics can be read by screen readers Description for video; captions for audio Meaningful hyperlink text (Mid-Atlantic ADA Center, not click here or www.adainfo.org)Mid-Atlantic ADA Centerclick herewww.adainfo.org Consistent, meaningful styles (heading 1, heading 2, etc.) Simple tables

13. 13 Respectful and Helpful Interactions

14. 14 Auxiliary Aids and Services: People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Examples: Written notes, printed materials, assistive listening systems and devices, qualified interpreters (on- site or through video remote interpreting (VRI) services), computer-aided real-time transcription (CART) services, open and closed captioning of televised broadcasts or audio-visual presentations

15. 15 Interpreters Interpreters use sign language or other manual systems (hand codes or cues) Oral interpreters silently move their mouths, repeating a speaker’s words for the benefit of a speech-reader (lip reader)

16. 16 A Word about Language American Sign Language (ASL) is a true language; it evolved naturally, and is distinct from English, with different syntax, vocabulary, etc. Other manual systems are not languages, but systems invented or designed to convey English “word-for-word”

17. 17 Working with Interpreters When interacting with an individual who is communicating through an interpreter, speak to the individual, not to the interpreter

18. 18 CART and Captioning CART (computer-aided real-time transcription) and captioning are similar because they use technology to display a typed record (word-for-word) of spoken communication and sounds

19. 19 Video Relay Service

20. 20 Service Animals Remember that people with any type of disability may use service animals, which are trained to perform a wide variety of tasks, for example … Providing balance and stability for people with mobility disabilities; pulling wheelchairs or retrieving items Guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds Alerting or assisting people with seizure disorders, psychiatric disabilities, or neurological conditions

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22. http://www.adahospitality.org/accessible- meetings-events-conferences-guide 22

23. https://youtu.be/fUiQM240eT0 23

24. 24 Be Proactive Establish non-discrimination, equal opportunity policy and include in event promotions and materials Establish and publish a reasonable deadline for participants to make requests that will require individualized response Remember presenters, speakers, guests, volunteers, and others in addition to event attendees

25. 25 Staff Training Train event staff and volunteers! Disability etiquette, respectful interactions Providing assistance Accessible materials Information about accessible features/services Example: location of service animal relief area

26. 26 Contact us ADA National Network 1-800-949-4232 V/TTY www.adata.org Hospitality Initiative www.ADAhospitality.org