Accessibility policy statement and services

Your convention should absolutely have an accessibility policy and a policy statement, and publish it on your Web site. What does that mean? 

Your accessibility policy statement is just that: a statement on your policy and position of disability inclusivity. This is similar to a non-discrimination policy or an anti-harassment policy, and may be published as part of a general Code of Conduct. Your policy statement may also include a statement such as “we wish we could provide everything, but at this time we cannot afford to offer all the services we wish we could offer.” Since this is a policy statement, it may need to go through your convention’s management or Board of Directors. 

Now you have a policy statement. Great! Next, you need a plan for actually doing it; the nuts and bolts of offering services, and how to handle them.

Hopefully you have an accessibility staffer already hired to your team. (If not, getting someone in to handle access issues is a very good idea. A small convention may need to double up and have someone do several jobs; so long as the buck stops at just one person for accessibility, and that person has some relevant training or experience, it should be fine.) Your access person will do a site survey, talk to budgeting, and so on, and start to make proposals for actions your convention might take. When you’ve got this list, you should start posting about what you are doing to ensure accessibility on the access page on your convention Web site. 

Questions you will need to be able to answer include: 

How will you identify your disabled attendees? How do disabled attendees qualify for services?

The system most larger conventions use (and which I recommend) is for your attendees to self-identify as diabled at the Accessibility desk, if you have one, or to a Registration supervisor. Once they have done so, they should receive an identifier—usually a sticker which they can put on the back of their badge. (Don’t insist that people out themselves as disabled by making the identifier be visible at all times.) Anyone with a sticker should be able to use disability services, and anyone who self-identifies as disabled should get an identifier. Under the ADA and other laws, it’s never allowed to ask for “proof of disability” in any way. We can ask “What sorts of access services are you interested in?” or “How can we best help you?”; we cannot ask about specific diagnoses or problems. 

Remember that panelists, volunteers, staff, and guests may also need disability access and services! (Always make sure guest speakers have physical access to the speaking area! Nothing is more embarrassing than inviting a speaker in a wheelchair and then putting them on a podium that doesn’t have a ramp.)

You can incorporate accessibility into pre-registration. (Make sure the Web forms for that are accessible!) Have your attendees check a box on the registration form saying “I would like to receive information on Accessibility Services” or even a multiple choice “I am interested in: mobility assistance / captions and ASL / visual assistance / other” if you want to get fancy. This gives you a head-up on how many disabled attendees you may be serving, and if you’re the kind of convention that pre-makes badges and/or info packets, their accessibility identifier (and perhaps a copy of the policy) can be included in their packet. If you sub-divide attendees by type of impairment/services, this can help you with assigned seating in larger venues as well; folks who need to see the ASL translator may not need to sit in the same place as the folks who need to be near the speakers, for instance. 

How does the convention handle service animals?

Service animal inclusion is legally required by the ADA, so you must allow service animals in all areas, no exceptions. Depending on your venue rules or your convention’s own decisions, you may or may not choose to allow emotional support animals or companion therapy animals which are not covered by the ADA. Whole articles have been written on how to determine what is or is not a service animal, but that’s another topic. For now, my recommendation is to say that your convention accepts all service animals, but reserves to right to ask an animal or its handler to leave if the animal is misbehaving. Most service animals are very well trained and will not cause problems in public, so this rule is a good way for a convention to protect itself against pet owners who claim their pet is a service animal and then cause trouble. Service animal or not, if an animal bites, excretes, makes excessive noise, and so on, you are within your rights to demand that it be removed. 

How do you handle companion humans? 

Just like kids may have parents and vice versa, some disabled folks will want to bring a companion who is a caregiver in order to meet their needs so that they can attend and enjoy the convention. An easy way to think of caregivers, for those unfamiliar, is to think of them as being a lot like service animals—it’s just that instead of being animals, they’re service “people”. In much the same way as a service animal, a caregiver usually needs to be with their “person” at all times. And like companion animals, a convention may sometimes find itself faced with the question of whether or not a ‘companion’ is following the rules, or behaving appropriately to their situation. While it is much rarer to see “companion fraud” than “service animal fraud” at this time, it’s wise for a convention to have a policy in place just in case of abuse of privileges. Just as we would ask someone to remove the animal or leave if an animal’s behavior was violating the rules of the venue, the county/state, or the convention, human caregivers don’t get a free pass to behave however they want.

Another way to consider caregivers is to look at the policy of “kids in tow” or even “parent in tow” badges. Most of these badges specify that the “companion” must be with the paid attendee at all times. Nobody’s going to raise a fuss if someone sneaks off to the bathroom or the coffee shop to get a break, but if the “companion” wants to go to the Big Event and their person isn’t there, it might be time to ask them to pay for a badge, at least for the day. Letting “adults in tow” into evening panels when the kid is in bed seems like a kindness, but if an attendant wants to attend all the “special events” and there’s no ticketed companion in sight, the con may want to ask them to pay for a day pass or event ticket. 

My recommendation: give caregivers a free “companion” badge that allows them entry as long as they are with the person they are caring for, but which does not allow them entry to events or convention space without that person. 

Will disabled persons receive priority seating? What about standing in lines? 

People with an accessibility identifier should be given priority seating at major events, and should be allowed to enter first and given time to settle into their seats before the crowds. If you have a category of attendees who have paid extra for early entry, those folks and the folks with a disability identifier may enter at the same time/wait in the same line. If the disabled seating is set aside, that helps solve problems; folks with vision and hearing impairments need to be close to the stage or any assistive gear, and folks with mobility needs need “parking spaces” big enough for mobility gear, usually a taped-off area on the floor. 

For line management: if your convention includes a lot of standing-in-line for autographs, seats, tickets, etc. then you need a system whereby people who can’t stand in a line all day can opt out while still getting a chance to enter. Again, if you have a separate line for folks who paid extra, letting folks with access badges use that system is a good start—but even that line may be too long for someone who uses a walker or has a bladder condition. You’ll need a system—tickets with numbers, line place-holders, available chairs, etc. for disabled folks to manage lines. (And make sure your lines are wide enough for wheelchairs! Narrow stanchions mean wheelchairs, walkers, etc. can’t get through.)

Addendum to line management: What about elevators?

It’s a really good idea to have crowded elevators give priority to passengers with mobility or access needs, and to say so with signs, and any staffers doing elevator management. Elevators are a notorious chokepoint at many cons, and one that people with mobility needs can’t walk around. 

Do you have a calming room? What services does it offer, what are its hours, and where is it?

Commonly known as a “quiet room” (but some disabled folks dislike that name so I don’t recommend or use it), this is a room set aside (preferably well aside from noisy events) where attendees can relax and recharge. For people with sensory disabilities or needs, a space without excess noise, bright lights, crowds, lots of motion, et cetera can be helpful and even necessary. I can offer more detail on what one is and how to run one. For now, all you really need to be sure to have is a room that can be relatively quiet and dark during most con hours, and a note to have rules for it (things like “please be as quiet as possible and do not disturb others, don’t take things from here, don’t leave your things here, etc.) As a bonus, this room can double as a breastfeeding lounge and meet a few other quiet needs. 

What accessibility hazards or challenges will attendees face?

Your Accessibility staffer should do a site survey and look for physical barriers or other access issues in the venue and hotels. If you find hazards you can’t mitigate, or ones that you can only partly mitigate, mention them here. Disabled attendees would really rather be notified ahead of time of issues so they can be prepared, and will be encouraged that you even noticed that the garage is not tall enough for wheelchair vans or that the hotel restaurant can’t offer gluten free food. That shows you are looking out for their needs! If part of the venue is not physically accessible or requires an alternative path of travel, mention it here. (Will attendees in a wheelchair have to take another route? Is this route—a wheelchair lift or locked door—open at all hours? Having to call and ask for help is a real pain.) It’s also good to mention accessible bathrooms and gender-free bathrooms here. If any events are going to be using strobe or flashy lighting, mark those. 

Will you be offering captioning or translation services?

Smaller conventions or ones just starting their access journey may not have the budget or resources to offer ASL translations or CART or captioning. Others may offer these only for main stage events. As these are mandated by the ADA, however, you should look into whether and when you can offer these services. 

Will you be offering rental mobility equipment?

This is another one that is mostly for big conventions and ones for which attendees will travel very long distances. It’s a courtesy rather than a requirement. As we all know, conventions mean a lot of standing and walking, and that’s hard for some people. People who might normally be able to walk with a cane may need to upgrade to a wheelchair or scooter. A large convention may have enough members who would like to rent a scooter or wheelchair that a rental company might offer a slight discount. Some convention facilities may have a recommended rental partner for mobility and health equipment just like they do for extra chairs or signs. It’s certainly a question to be prepared for. If you choose not to take on managing the rental yourself, it is a courtesy to give your attendees the contact info for a local rental company. Hotels are accustomed to having a rental company like Scootaround drop off a scooter or wheelchair for a customer. Scootaround is the largest national chain that rents mobility gear and are available in most big cities. 

Are there ADA rooms at the hotel? What type? How do you ensure that attendees can get one in your room block if they need one?

Mostly a question for your hotel liaison to handle; I usually recommend that the con have disabled attendees contact that person directly. Your Access coordinator may wish to look these rooms over, take photos for reference, and note any accessibility failures (the room is wheelchair accessible but the bathroom door isn’t wide enough for a wheelchair, or has inadequate grab bars). Attendees may have questions about the rooms and whether their needs can be met.

Which accessibility services must be booked in advance? How far in advance must attendees contact us?

Rental equipment—especially captioning gear—and translators should be booked a minimum of 2 weeks in advance to ensure coverage. In small towns or areas with a shortage of translators, you may need to book farther out. Set a date by which bookings must be made for services that require rental equipment or hired assistance. One month before the convention is not unreasonable. 

What other assistance can the convention provide to disabled attendees?

It’s a good idea to have an Access desk or staffer on duty at all times when the con is running. (Smaller cons can combine this with Info desk if necessary.) Gophers/ordinary volunteers can help with tasks like: escorting a lost attendee to their room or a panel; reading a schedule update to someone with low vision; explaining the line management policy. Have the policies at the desk for reference. More advanced questions may need to go through someone trained in or familiar with access issues. The Accessibility staffer or their deputy should be reachable during convention hours to handle advanced difficulties, and their contact info should be at the desk.

How are convention staff and volunteers trained to handle access issues?

That’s a whole article in itself! A quick answer is: Yes, they should be trained. Always ASK, don’t jump in and push a wheelchair or take someone’s bag without permission! Ask how to best help someone, and accept a “no thank you” politely. Don’t shout; don’t lunge at people; don’t wave in the face of blind people. Don’t touch someone’s equipment, person, or service animal without explicit permission. Be aware of the accessibility policy on lines and elevator management. Know how to refer someone to the Accessibility desk, and how to contact the Access staffer for advanced issues. 

Consider “training” for attendees also, in the form of signs. People may leave the reserved seats alone if there’s a sign saying that those seats are for folks with disabilities. Elevator signage asking folks to give priority to people with mobility devices can help with crowding. Ask panelists to use microphones always when those are provided, speak clearly and without obscuring their mouths, and introduce themselves with their preferred pronouns.