Disability Awareness
Americans with Disabilities Act
Methods of Providing Program Accessibility
Equally
Effective Communication:
A public entity must ensure that its communications
with a QIWD are as effective as communications with individuals without a
disability. Auxiliary aids
and services are devices that accommodate a functional limitation of a
person with a communication related disability.
The type of auxiliary aid or service necessary for effective
communication will vary depending on the length and complexity of the
communication involved. Primary
consideration must be given to the choice of auxiliary aids and services
requested by the QIWD. Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that auxiliary aids and services
provided to QIWDs must afford them with an equal opportunity to obtain the
same results, gain the same benefits, or reach the same level of
achievement as those of other individuals without a disability.
The following is a list of examples of auxiliary
aids and services available for QIWDs:
1. Qualified sign language interpreters
2. Real time captioning
3. Assistive listening devices
4. Open and closed captioning
5. Materials in braille or large print
6. Audio recordings or taped texts
7. Qualified readers
8. TTY’s (Teletype devices)
9. TDD’s (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf)
10.
Extra time
Please see the component titled, “Guidelines for Reasonable Accommodations and Disabilties “ (GRAD) for more details regarding accommodations.