Effective Communication Public Entity Date Contact Person Email Phone Many people who are blind or have low vision, who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have other communication disabilities are prevented from participating fully in programs, activities and services because of communication issues. To address this title II requires that communication with people with disabilities be "as effective" as communication with others. Often good communication practices will suffice, such as not turning away when speaking with a person who is hard of hearing or taking the time to listen to a person who has a speech impairment. Other times a public entity needs to provide "auxiliary aids and services" to ensure that communication is effective. Auxiliary Aids and Services-Use the Comments column to indicate how aides and services are provided. For example: Arranged through State Commission for the Deaf, rented from XYZ Company, available from County Disability Office. Question 1. - Does the public entity know how to provide the following for people who are deaf or hard of hearing: a. Sign language, oral, and cued speech interpreters; b. Video remote interpreting (VRI) services; c. Computer-assisted real-time transcription (CART) services; d. Assistive listening devices; e. Open and closed captioning of videos; f. Real time captioning of television programs; g. Other Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 2. - Does the public entity know how to provide documents in the following formats for people who are blind or visually impaired and others with print disabilities: a. Braille, b. Large print, c. Audio recordings, d. Accessible electronic formats that that can be accessed by screen reading software, for example, documents in plain text or HTML, e. Screen reader software installed on a computer that is used by the public, for example in a library, f. Magnification software installed on a computer that is used by the public, for example in a computer lab, g. Optical readers, h. Other Yes or No Comments Next steps Policies and Procedures Question 3. - Does the public entity have a policy or procedure to handle requests for auxiliary aids and services? Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 4. - Are employees and officials aware of the public entity’s obligation to provide auxiliary aids and services? Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 5.- Do employees and officials know how to arrange for auxiliary aids and services? Arrangements could be made directly or through the ADA coordinator or another staff person Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 6. - Does the public entity give primary consideration to the person with a disability when determining what type of auxiliary aid or service to provide? Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 7. - Are employees and officials aware that it is inappropriate to request that family members and friends of people who are deaf serve as sign language interpreters, except in emergencies or if the individual wants the family member or friend to interpret and it's appropriate to do so? Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 8. - Are employees and officials aware that a companion of a program participant has a right to auxiliary aids and services if the companion has a communication disability and is an appropriate person with whom the public entity should or would communicate? Example: A deaf family member of a hospital patient might need a sign language interpreter to communicate with the doctor. Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 9. - Are captions and audio description provided on videos and television programs the public entity produces and videos on its website? Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 10. - Does the public entity have a policy or procedure for determining if an auxiliary aid or service would be an undue financial and administrative burden? The decision of undue hardship must be made by the head of the public entity or his or her designee. There must be a written statement explaining the reasons for reaching that decision. Yes or No Comments Next steps Telecommunications Question 11. - Do employees and officials know how to respond to telephone calls made through Video Relay Services and Telecommunication Relay Services so that the calls are responded to in the same manner as other telephone calls? Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 12. - Where telephones are available to the public for making outgoing calls, such as in hospital waiting rooms, are TTYs available for people with hearing and speech disabilities? A TTY Is an electronic device for text communication over a telephone line that is designed for use by people with hearing or speech disabilities. Yes or No Comments Next steps Question 13. - Do telephone emergency services, including 911, provide direct access to people who use TTYs and computer modems? Yes or No Comments Next steps Other New England ADA Center, a project of the Institute for Human Centered Design ADA Self-Evaluation - Effective Communication www.NewEnglandADA.org ADAinfo@NewEnglandADA.org