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Planning Accessible Events


Accessible Meetings, Events, and Conferences July 2015, Digital updated version of June Isaacson Kailes and Darrel Jones' 1993 work, A Guide to Planning Accessible Meetings. The Mid-Atlantic ADA Center and TransCen Inc. sponsored this update and publication in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the transformational Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The updated version includes both regulatory updates (from the 2010 update to the Act) along with practical actionable guidance.

The Accessibility Planning and Resource Guide for Cultural Administrators is an online companion to the printed text Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook (2003). The Guide provides guidance to cultural administrators on how to achieve accessible and inclusive programming for everyone including individuals with disabilities and older adults. It is designed to help your organization not only comply with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act but also to assist in making access an integral part of your organization, including its staffing, mission, budget, education, meetings, programs and beyond. This document takes these laws and principles and applies them to cultural service organizations and other arts and humanities groups in both the public and private sector.

The Guide outlines a step-by-step "nuts and bolts" process for achieving accessible practices by setting the standard and illustrating how cultural organizations can make it happen. It features examples of “best practices” that illustrate specific methods for opening existing programs, services, facilities, and activities to individuals with disabilities and older adults, as artists, arts administrators, board members, volunteers, teachers, students and audience members. This online text takes advantage of Internet technology by presenting and linking to a wide variety of resources that assist cultural organizations. It is also provides necessary information to enable arts and humanities service organizations to assist their grantees/constituents in achieving accessible programming.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Guide for Organizations,  just the Table of Contents what to do /// http://www.jik.com/adacg.html///
1995, 225 pages, Hardcover.
<>Informal presentation on ADA compliance with chapters on: program access and nondiscrimination; physical access; communication access; and employment practices. Gives steps for completing an ADA compliance plan, contains checklists, planning sheets, samples of ADA compliance plans and lists many resources available for additional information and assistance. (Compliance with the transportation provisions of ADA are not covered).

Emergency Travel Safety Tips for Overnight Stays, Edition 1 – October 2017 - Tips for everyone. *Items are specifically for people with disabilities who because of a variety of disabilities (mobility, breathing, allergies, hearing, seeing, walking, understanding or chronic conditions) may have difficulty or be unable to: use stairwells, hear alarms, see or read exit signs and understand instructions. Safety tips include: check-in, personal support, in your guest room, other safety tips and more resources.

Inclusive Event Procedures for Emergencies, Edition I, October 2017 - Event procedures for emergencies should be incorporated into event planning. Emergency procedures should anticipate the needs of everyone. Planning should recognize that there will be attendees with disabilities who may need evacuation or other assistance in an emergency. These attendees have a variety of disabilities (mobility, breathing, allergies, hearing, seeing, reading, understanding) or chronic conditions and may have difficulty or be unable to: use stairwells, hear alarms, see or read exit signs and understand instructions. Contents include: applying emergency planning strategies, safety considerations for site selection, projecting numbers of attendees with disabilities, checklist for inclusive emergency safety briefings for attendees, emergency planning with event facilities staff and more resources. Readers should use this emergency event guidance in conjunction with  information found in “Accessible Meetings, Events, and Conferences Guide.” http://www.adahospitality.org/accessible-meetings-events-conferences-guide/book

Removing Barriers: Tips and Strategies to Promote Accessible Communication,
North Carolina Office on Disability and Health and Woodward Communications. 1999. 40 pages.Reference guide that addresses the basics on ways to effectively communicate and interact with people with disabilities. Accessed 11.10.09

Temporary  Events

Accessible Temporary Events, A Planning Guide
, Ron Mace, Rex Pace and Leslie Young, 2002, 103 pages, $5
How to plan, promote, and provide accessible temporary events such as fairs, festivals, exhibits, concerts, races, tournaments, shows, and rallies. Addresses temporary parking locations, portable toilets, signage, and sound amplification systems as well as issues from Disability Awareness to Advanced Planning, Access to the Site, Participating in the Event, Service and Support Facilities as well as Resources available in the community to assist with accessibility. Note: Publication also available from DBTAC – Call toll-free line at  (800) 949-4232 to be connected to the center serving your area. Information is also available on the DBTAC website at www.adata.org

ADA Guide for Small Towns: Temporary Events , Department of Justice – March 2000, accessed 10.31.09

Temporary Events, Indiana Protection and Advocacy, accessed 11.10.09 

Speaker Tips

Accessibility Guidelines for Presenters, Edition IV, July 2015, 

Provides how-to information for effectively including diverse audiences when presenting. Most of these guidelines will enhance the effectiveness and quality of your presentation for people both with and without disabilities.


Speaker Guidelines from American Public Health’s Association
Disability Forum’s Accessibility Committee, 2004:

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Created 11/8/97  |  Updated 10.25.17