AXIS Center for Public Awareness of People with Disabilities
Volunteer Administrators have unique opportunities to be proactive ratherthan reactive. We can choose to lead the way for our organizations and our communities. One example is learning as much as we can about being accessible for all people. We don't have to wait until a person with a disability joins our volunteer ranks to investigate accommodations. We can send a clear message in all that we do that we are striving for accessibility and inclusion. The follow article is shared here by permission of the author, Sue Willis, AXIS Communication, tohelp each of us become more aware of this important issue. Whether you are planning a large conference or a small training session the information in this article will increase your awareness and provide practical tips for addressing accessibility issues. As volunteer and professional leaders we should be encouraging our organizations, our volunteer centers and our professional associations to increase accessibility to all volunteer and volunteer management trainings and meetings. A list ofexcellent resources is at the end of this article.
A meeting is an event where the public or your employees and volunteers are invited; it is a large or small group and can be a committee, board or planning meeting; or a forum, convention, fund raiser, volunteer training sessionor a volunteer recognition event. Accessible and barrier free, while used interchangeably, accessible relates to facilities where people with disabilities can use and enter; barrier free means alteration or construction took place to remove barriers to make the facility accessible.
Preparing to plan a meeting where everyone can attend and participate whether you have a disability, work with people with disabilities, or simply planmeetings for the general public, you need to make sure your meetings are accessible so that all people can attend and participate.
To most people, planning a meeting is one thing, but planning a meetingthat anyone can attend is another. Whether a private meeting or a public event,anyone who chooses to attend should be able to access and use the space. It also is their right to be able to use materials and participate in the presentation. Not only is this a considerate way of planning, it's the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, protects the rights of people with disabilities to participate in public events.
Disabilities present themselves in many forms. They may be permanent ortemporary; developmental or physical; severe or mild; for the young or the old;or any combination of impairments. A person can be born with a disability or someone could become injured and have a disability in an instant. More than ten percent of Americans have a disability. Some are visible and many are invisible. Since you never know who may want to attend your event, you must plan for all people.
You, the meeting planner, are responsible for holding meetings at sitesor facilities that are accessible and barrier free. Facility staff are responsible for insuring their site is in compliance with the ADA. And since it is your choice on where you hold your meeting, it's best to select a facility that complies. In the end, it's both the responsibility of the meeting planner and facility management to provide an accessible environment. Both parties can be held liable in the event that a consumer files a complaint for discrimination based on a disability.
The planning process should be comprehensive, covering all parts of theevent. But before any specific decisions are made, your organization needs to develop a policy that documents its positive attitude toward accessible meetings;that you only will hold meetings, conferences, seminars, trainings, annual meetings, and special events that are accessible.
A policy shows that your organization welcomes everyone, regardless of age, size, wheelchair, broken bones, hearing or vision loss, learning disabilities or any other disabilities. A policy sets a direction for your organization's planners to follow. A policy will help your organization be prepared.
Policies evolve. The concept of a policy is permanent, but the policy itself progressively changes and is an evolving goal. In other words, you always strive to hold accessible meetings, but circumstances may cause them to be adapted to meet an immediate need. For example, you are working with a facility that does not have Braille signs. The facility has not budgeted for these signs before your scheduled event. However, the facility does offer an accommodation. It will place temporary Braille signs in the area of your meeting space and agrees toinstall permanent Braille signs before your next event. This accommodation willmeet your immediate need and lays the groundwork for improving accessibility ofthis facility for future activities.
In situations where the problem is related to the entrance to the building, path of travel, or sleeping, eating or meeting rooms, you should always stay true to your policy. If barriers exist in these areas of a facility, you are encouraged to not even consider the facility.
Planning a successful meeting is a lengthy process: the bigger the meeting, the more time you need. One of the most important factors is selecting the site.
A major, multiple-day event may take 6-12 months to plan. Selecting a site may take several weeks, depending on what's available or not available in your community. While planning small events may require less planning time, selecting a site is still a major step in the plan.
Before you can look for a site, you need to determine the needs of the people you're inviting and the type of meeting you'll be holding. Ask yourself the following:
Knowing the answers to these and other specific questions about your event will help narrow the search for a facility.
Small meetings may be held at your office space; others will require anoff-site facility with more space. Whatever site you select, make sure it meetsyour meeting requirements AND accessibility requirements. In the end, you as well as the site owner/operator will be held responsible if the site does not meetADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines.
An efficient way to gather information about meeting facilities is to send out a request for bids to several facilities to see which ones can accommodate you and give you the best value for your money. Your request spells out exactly what you will need. You should provide at least the following information in your request:
While it's not required to list accessibility in your request for a bidbecause facilities are supposed to be accessible, it's extremely important and saves time and energy to indicate that you need an accessible facility.
Bids you receive from facilities will recommend ways to set up rooms and list costs for meals, hotel rooms, equipment rental and other specifics. Hopefully, you'll receive more than one bid. If not, be prepared to go back and look at your meeting plan. Can you change the date or other logistics, so that more facilities can bid on your event? It's best to be able to select the most appropriate site, not simply the only one available.
After reviewing bids, select ones that you feel best meet your requirements and budget. Then arrange on-site visits. If possible, ask the facility sales manager or conference manager to have a walk-through with you. At this time you can ask specific questions and point out problem areas.
Even though your request for bid indicated that you needed an accessible site, you need to determine if the facility is truly offering this. Too often the term "accessible" does not mean the same thing to all people. Do not sign a contract until you have made a site visit.
If you or other members of your planning team have never checked all aspects of a facility's accessibility, it's a good idea to get some help. One way,is to obtain a copy of a good reference guide, such as one from the list of resources included at the end of this article. Keep your guide handy, and refer to it often. Take a checklist with you to survey the site. Sample questions are outlined in "Readily Achievable Self Evaluation Checklist" found in Accommodating All Guests. Keep in mind every facility is different andmust be evaluated on a case by case basis.
A second way to learn about checking sites is to invite a qualified person to go with you. Contact an Independent Living Center, Governor's Council, AXIS or other disability organization and ask for their assistance.
When you find a facility not to be usable, it is important to communicate the reasons to the owners and to estimate the amount of business they will beloosing. It is also important to explain that if certain alterations were made,then your organization would be open to bringing business to the facility and would refer other organizations to the site.
The more frequently meeting planners clearly request site modifications, the easier it will become to find accessible meeting sites. Therefore, summarize your findings in a written report to the meeting facility. If it's not possible to negotiate permanent access remedies for your immediate meeting, negotiate temporary remedies. Outline your recommendations for readily achievable changes:those that are easy to do and can be done without much difficulty or expense.
While permanent changes to make a facility barrier free are most desirable, they are not always necessary. For example:
The facility probably sent you a tentative contract in response to yourbid that included all prices and other details. Once you have reached an agreement about the facility, arrangements and terms, including temporary or permanentaccess remedies, all items must be spelled out in a final contract. Some thingsthat should be included are:
Carefully review the contract and have the appropriate person in your organization sign it.
Use the appropriate standardized symbols on all conference promotion, registration forms, information materials, and facility signage. These symbols may be downloaded from the Graphic Artists Guild, www.gag.org
Determine the needs of the people attending so you can plan your space,materials and meals accordingly. In addition to obtaining personal information (name, address, phone, etc.), you should get information about the materials andservices that registrants need. On the registration form, you may simply ask what accommodations are needed to participate, or you may include a list with such accommodations as listed below. When setting registration fees, your committee should have decided whether or not personal care assistants would have to pay.If they are expected to pay, the registration form needs to state this, and that a separate registration form needs to be completed. If they are not expected to pay, you still will need to have assistants register, so you can have an accurate meal and attendance count. The registration materials should include information about transportation available and parking. Maps are helpful, especially ifyou are expecting people from out of town. And include the phone number of the facility.
I will need the following accommodations in order to participate:
Many types of speakers may be asked to speak at your meeting: some willbe familiar with accommodating everyone's needs, other will not. Send a letterspelling out your accessibility policies. In the letter, give speakers guidelines to help them implement the policies in their own presentations. Suggestions for your letter:
Prior to mailing speaker information, conference committee should decide who will be responsible for creating handouts in alternate formats: speakers or the conference committee. Describe this in your letter. If it's going to be the committee, then include a deadline that the speaker has to have information toyou for conversions. It's not the end of the world if you have to send participants their handouts after the conference, however every effort should be made toprovide all alternate formats at the time everyone else gets their handouts. Ask speakers to give you a list of the types of equipment they will need: overhead, screen, projector, flip chart, etc. Also ask how they intend to give their presentation: seated, at a table, behind a podium, walking around the room, etc.
Setting up the rooms is easy after you get the information about your attendees and your speakers. A helpful rule to follow when determining room sizeis to plan for 20-30 percent additional space to accommodate people with disabilities, especially those with mobility devices. Meeting room tables should have a 30-inch clearance between the floor and table apron. Aisles should be at least36 inches, but preferably 62 inches. Provide ample space between chairs and tables to enable people with mobility devices to maneuver. Do not provide disability seating only in one area, as people should be able to sit where they choose and with whomever they choose. Setting up a room will largely depend on your groupsize, the type of presentation, and the activity of the audience. Basic styles include:
Generally it is helpful to have tables for guests to lay their materials, take notes, and set coffee cups. If using a speaker's platform and any of your presenters needs a ramp, make sure the facility provides a safe ramp with railings that connects to the platform.
All speakers should use a microphone, no matter the size of the meetingroom. Lapel microphones are most convenient but if the facility does not offer this, request those that are cordless. Request table top stands for speakers whowill be sitting to speak and cannot hold a mic easily, and floor stands for those who will stand to speak. Encourage the use of microphones in the audience if there is a question/answer portion of the presentation. Not only is it courteous to others to be able to hear the question, it also helps people using assistive listening devices hear the question.
Based on the needs requested in registration forms, offer orientation to those who requested it. Instruct your meeting staff, volunteers, and hotel personnel on how to greet and orient guests with visual, cognitive, and/or environmental disabilities. Orientation should include location of meeting rooms, restrooms, emergency exits, etc. as well as assistance with registration forms, procedures, and emergency procedures.
Members of the planning committee should meet with facility personnel prior to your event. Review arrangements with each department head. Get a list ofnames and extension numbers for all staff you may need to reach during your meeting. Take a final walk through of the facility. The following areas should be covered with staff:
On the day of your meeting, have everything and everyone in place before starting time. As guests begin arriving, welcome them and make sure they have their materials and directions. Offer assistance to anyone who asks or who may seem to need it. Do not assume that everyone with a visible disability wants help, but it's OK to ask.
This article was written by:
AXIS Center for Public Awareness of People with Disabilities
4550 Indianola Ave.
Columbus, OH 43214
(800) 231-2947 voice/tty
(614) 267-4550
AXIS is a statewide project of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to bring disability issues and accomplishments to the attention of the public.
This article cannot begin to list all the accessibility guidelines. Use it to acquaint yourself with the process used to check for accessibility andas an overview of what to look for. Get assistance as needed from reliable resources. Whether you have a disability, work with people who have disabilities, or simply plan meetings for the general public, you need to make sure your meetings, seminars, conferences, trainings and other events are accessible.
For more information on planning accessible meetings, specific dimensions and layouts, preparing alternate formats, sample letters and checklists, and much more, consult these resources:
A Guide to Planning Accessible Meetings, June Kailes and DarrellJones, $25. ILRU, 2323 S. Shepherd, Ste. 1000, Houston TX 77019; (713)520-0232.
Accommodating All Guests: The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Lodging Industry, John Slamen, AIA, $7. The American Hotel and Motel Association, 1201 New York Ave, NW, Washington D.C. 20005; (202) 289-3100.
Access for All: An Illustrated Handbook of Barrier Free Design for Ohio, Schooley Caldwell Associates and the Ohio Governor's Council on People with Disabilities, 1994. Free while quantities last. Contact AXIS (number on back cover) or Governor's Council, (614) 438-1371.
Disability Etiquette Handbook, published by the City of San Antonio. (available on line) www.ci.sat.tx.us/planning/handbook/deh4.htm
Call AXIS with questions about making conferences accessible, (800) 231-2947 v/tty. Or visit: www.axiscenter.org to print an order form for these additional resources:
Effective Presentation Techniques: How to develop and deliver a successful presentation, AXIS Center, $5
Tape Talk: Audio recordings of printed messages, AXIS Center, $2
Person First: A language guide to help you put the person first whencommunicating about people with disabilities, AXIS Center, 1-25 copies, free.