+ Recommendations

• Research best practices for accessibility for classes and community events, both online and in person.

• Include an accessibility statement in your syllabus and program materials. Consult with your DSPS office for guidance and/or work with colleagues to research and craft a statement that goes beyond the boilerplate.

• Ask students/participants for anonymous feedback on how you can improve your course/program accessibility throughout each term.

• Invite participants to communicate any accessibility needs in advance of class or community events, with or without official school forms/processes.

• Believe participants when they share that they have an accessibility need. Do not ask invasive questions.

• Never police or monitor what you believe to be someone's "real ability." The only authority on someone's ability, level of safety, and capacity is the person themselves. Someone's capacity may vary from day-to-day. 

• Keep all medical information confidential.

• Routinely share information on how to access disability services and assessments on your campus. De-stigmatize both being disabled and needing accommodations. Consider a class visit from disability services.

• Design with accessibility in mind; try to meet needs in advance.

• Use as many infection risk-mitigation strategies as possible during a pandemic:

  • • When possible, hold events outdoors.

    • Increase ventilation.

    • Encourage + model masking. 

    • Provide testing for multi-day events.

    • Communicate clearly any reported illnesses that arise during events.

    • Be intentional about which events can happen successfully online, and which are better suited to in-person formats.

• Dedicate a planning meeting specifically to addressing accessibility needs. Consider not just physical accessibility, but also issues such as lighting, noise, fragrances, and more.

• Where possible, routinize accessibility moves into the planning process.

• Include ASL translation for all events when it is possible a Deaf community member may be in attendance. If holding a large event, include translation and/or live captioning as a default.

• Do not hold events at locations that are not, or can not be made, accessible to wheelchair users or participants with mobility disabilities.

• Always turn on captions and only use video with captions.

• Incorporate Sign Language Interpreting into event planning considerations.

• When possible, provide live captioning even for in-person events.

• Provide frequent breaks in programming and identify spaces where people can take a break.

• Consider volume and sound and how to allow for customization.

• Use sans serif fonts.

• Avoid cluttered visual presentations/documents.

• Allow participation or group work to be opt-in.

• Provide many ways to participate that do not require physical touch, eye contact, or talking to strangers--such as electronic, text, and other means of sharing ideas with the group.

• Welcome, but do not compel or "call on" people to speak or share out

• Affirm that moving around the room and "stimming" are okay and do not be bothered by harmless behavior, even if it seems unusual to you.

• Always ensure that people can opt-in to potentially triggering discussions/topics, and provide other options.

• Ensure that locations have ramps for all areas that need to be accessed.

• Check that there are accessible restrooms.

• Provide rest/transition breaks that account for the time required to move around the space.

• Ask for accessibility needs from participants at the first opportunity or point of contact, so that you may plan ahead.

• Even if no one expresses a need, plan for it. Someone can develop a need at any time.

• Use verbal descriptions of visual content during presentations.

• Include image descriptions and  headings for screen readers.

• Work with your DSPS office to learn the best ways to ensure full access to all events and materials.

• Check accessibility of image using contrast checking tools, such as Web AIM.

• Provide accessibility information on forms and flyers.

• Survey the specific needs of each participant in registration forms or signups.

• Contact participants in advance with any questions about accommodations.

• Always maintain confidentiality around specific individuals’ disabilities.

• Engage in a disability audit with your team. We recommend: Disability Justice Audit Tool by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha Make revisions to your organizational practices as a result of your reflections.