Supporting Trainers in Meeting ADA Compliance
The Access and Outreach subcommittee, of the Professional Development Committee, was charged with ensuring that outreach efforts, activities and ongoing supports incorporate relevant cultural, ethnic, linguistic and disability needs.
The intention of this resource is to, assist adult educators and trainers in designing or adapting trainings to be inclusive and to accommodate a broad spectrum of participants with disabilities. The purpose is to improve access and foster positive interactions in training and education experiences for adult learners in the childhood care and education profession.
All the resources included in this document are available in English. Additional research should include other languages.
The information supplied in this publication is not meant to provide a comprehensive description accommodation practices. Instead, it is an effort to lead you toward resources useful for designing or adapting your training and education offerings for a broad spectrum of adult learners. Adult education experiences that are inclusive and accommodating can provide improved access and foster positive interactions.
As an adult educator, gather information about the individual needs of your participants. This is to help you understand your role in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
If you are part of a larger organization, find out if your organization has inclusion policies, staff or resources to assist with making accommodations for people who request them.
If you are an independent trainer or part of a smaller organization, you should familiarize yourself with the kinds of accommodations that may be requested by class participants.
Sample Statements for Brochures and Registration Forms
Your training brochures, announcements, and registration forms should communicate your willingness and ability to make reasonable accommodations for the diverse abilities of your participants. It is good training practice to inform your participants of measures you can take to invite full participation. Following are ideas for statements that you could include in your catalogues or brochures.
“If you have needs for reasonable accommodations for physical disabilities or learning disabilities, please let (name) know by (date) what will be helpful for you.”
“Accommodations for physical disabilities or learning disabilities may be made upon advance request.”
“We operate equal opportunity programs. Auxiliary aides and services may be available to individuals with disabilities upon advance request.”
“We support the right of equal access to this conference and will make every effort to ensure this access. Our building is wheelchair accessible. Requests for other reasonable accommodations must be received by (date) so we will have time to secure appropriate services. Call (phone #) or email us at (address).”
Accommodation Resources for Trainers
There are a number of sources of information on disabilities and general guidelines for accommodations, many available online. Those noted below are some that may help with planning for the types of accommodations that can be incorporated into the design of your trainings and those that might be requested by individuals.
1. The Center for Universal Design in Education “develops and collects resources to help educators apply universal design to all aspects of the educational experience.”
http://www.washington.edu/doit/CUDE/
2. Academic Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/accomm_ld.html
3. Equal Access: Universal Design of Conferences Exhibits and Presentations:
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Programs/equal_conf.html
4. ADA Requirements, Department of Justice – Effective Communication. Provides information on communication disorders and accommodations.
http://www.ada.gov/effective-comm.htm
5. Book: Teaching Adults with Learning Difficulties - Appalachian University, Knight. This manual contains information about teaching adults with learning difficulties including characteristics and teaching suggestions.
6. The Learning Disabilities Adaptations and Accommodations Guide - Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center. Provides information on organization and skills. Some activities that can be adapted for training sessions. http://www.proliteracy.org/downloads/oic/ld%20adaptations%20pp.pdf
7. Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone. Provides information on technology and adaptations for distance learning. http://www.washington.edu/doit/real-connections-making-distance-learning-accessible-everyone
8. Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment website includes these informational pages: A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations: http://askjan.org/links/atoz.htm
9. SOAR Searchable Online Accommodation Resource http://askjan.org/soar/
10. VSA Arts Access and Opportunities: A Guide to Disability Awareness. Somewhat dated but good introductory tips to “Improve Access and Positive Interactions”: http://www.vsavt.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dis_Aware_Guide_20061-1.pdf
11. National Service Inclusion Project website has Inclusion, Creating an Inclusive Environment: A Handbook for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in National and Community Service Programs. Designed for community service programs but contains some good basic information about the letter and spirit of the ADA, types of accessibility, etc. http://www.serviceandinclusion.org/handbook/index.php
12. National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability website has the following handbook online. It is designed for use by youth, but has good, basic information, especially Chapter 5 Accommodations. The 411 on Disability Disclosure: a Workbook for Youth with Disabilities
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/411/411_Disability_Disclosure_complete.pdf
13. Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation website, Reasonable Accommodations for People with Psychiatric Disabilities http://cpr.bu.edu/resources/reasonable-accommodations
Access and Outreach Subcommittee 10/2015 Page 2