When planning an event, accessibility should be a top priority. It’s important to ensure that all attendees can fully participate in and enjoy the experience. While meeting the basic requirements of ADA compliance is essential, going beyond the minimum legal obligations can make a significant difference in attendee satisfaction.
Let’s explore practical strategies to enhance accessibility at your events, offering a welcoming environment for everyone.
What is ADA Compliance?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that public events be accessible to people with disabilities. ADA compliance involves ensuring event spaces have accessible entrances, bathrooms, parking, and seating areas, among other considerations. But ADA compliance should be viewed as a starting point, not a final destination. To make events truly inclusive, it’s essential to think about ways to go beyond the basics.
Accessible Venue Selection
When selecting a venue, consider additional factors that make the space more inclusive and safe for all attendees, including:
- Multiple Accessible Entrances: In addition to ADA-mandated accessible entrances, make sure there are multiple accessible paths into the venue, minimizing crowding or confusion.
- Wide, Clear Aisles: Ensure that all pathways are spacious enough for wheelchairs or mobility devices to maneuver easily.
- Elevator and Ramp Availability: While ADA compliance requires at least one accessible route, having more than one elevator or ramp, especially in multi-level venues, can provide flexibility for your attendees. Make sure ramps have appropriate slopes and that elevators are clearly marked and easy to locate.
Seating and Viewing Areas
ADA-compliant seating requires that a certain number of spaces be reserved for wheelchair users. Depending on your attendees’ needs and the specifics of your event, this may be a good starting point. But to go beyond compliance, focus on integration and variety in seating options:
- Inclusive Seating Areas: Rather than segregating accessible seating, intersperse accessible seating with standard seating. This fosters a more inclusive environment and allows attendees to enjoy events with friends and family.
- Companion Seating: Ensure that individuals with disabilities can sit with their companions, whether it’s one person or a group.
- Clear Sightlines: Consider the sightlines of accessible seating areas. People using wheelchairs or mobility devices should have clear, unobstructed views of the stage or performance.
Communication Accessibility
Depending on your event, ADA compliance may require the availability of auxiliary aids like interpreters or closed captioning upon request. To enhance this, you can consider offering:
- Live Captioning: Incorporate live captioning for speakers, panels, and presentations. This can benefit not only those who are deaf or hard of hearing but also attendees for whom English is a second language.
- ASL Interpreters: Provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for major event segments, like keynote speeches or Q&A sessions, even if not specifically requested in advance.
- Digital Materials: Ensure that digital materials, including event apps, websites, and virtual content, meet accessibility guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This includes ensuring screen reader compatibility and providing text alternatives for images.
On-Site Support and Training
It’s important that event staff are knowledgeable about accessibility best practices. Beyond ADA compliance, empower your team to support all attendees:
- Staff Training: Train staff to assist attendees with disabilities in a respectful and informed manner. This includes understanding how to operate assistive devices and providing guidance on accessible routes.
- Accessible Signage: Make sure all event signage is accessible, using large fonts, high contrast, and Braille. Signs should be placed at accessible heights and provide clear directions to key areas such as restrooms, elevators, and exits.
- Assistance on Demand: Offer on-demand accessibility services like mobility assistance or guided help for individuals who may require additional support during the event.
Accommodating Diverse Needs
While the ADA addresses physical disabilities, many individuals live with non-apparent disabilities, such as sensory processing disorders or chronic illnesses. As such, you may want to consider incorporating some of the following ideas into your event plan:
- Quiet Spaces: Create designated quiet areas for attendees who may need a sensory break. These spaces should be dimly lit, quiet, and away from the main event hustle and bustle.
- Flexible Food Options: Provide flexible food options to accommodate dietary restrictions, food allergies, or medical needs. This includes labeling ingredients clearly and offering alternative meals.
- Service Animals: Ensure that service animals are welcome and provide designated relief areas for them, complete with water stations and waste bags.
Gather Feedback
Going beyond ADA compliance is an evolving process and gathering feedback is essential to making your event more accessible over time.
- Pre-Event Surveys: Send out accessibility questionnaires before the event to identify potential needs in advance.
- Post-Event Feedback: After the event, gather feedback from your attendees. This helps pinpoint areas where changes were appreciated and/or improvements can be made in the future.
Conclusion
Creating truly inclusive events means going beyond just checking boxes for ADA compliance. By implementing thoughtful, comprehensive accessibility strategies, you can ensure that all attendees feel valued, respected, and able to fully participate in your programming.
As the ADA National Network notes, “planning in advance to address accessibility issues and to avoid potential barriers for people with disabilities” can make a significant difference in the success of your event. To learn more about ADA guidelines and how to make your event more accessible, check out the ADA National Network’s Planning Guide for Making Temporary Events Accessible.
Precon is a full-service event production company based in the DC metro area, serving clients around the world. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you plan and execute your next event.
