Accessibility is much more than just a ramp. There are many ways a person may interact with your facility, programs, or events that might require accommodations. A great place to start is the self-assessment checklist. This checklist serves to help you consider all the ways you might make accommodations for people with disabilities. We also recommend taking time to work with people with disabilities in your community to learn more about all the ways you can provide access and accommodations.
Almost every space - even historic ones - can become accessible through temporary changes that don’t change the building permanently. Adding temporary ramps, relocating events, and providing programmatic access are all ways to improve accessibility without permanent structure changes.
Outdoor spaces also need to be accessible, and there are many resources to help with that. Click here to check out a helpful resource from the Great Plains ADA Center.
Even when renting a space, you must ensure accessibility for all programming/events funded through IAC funds. This includes both programmatic accessibility (can someone experience the event without barriers) and physical accessibility (can someone enter and move around the space physically).
Accessibility is important all the time. If a person with a disability requests to join your event and the event/program is on an inaccessible floor, you will need to have an alternate space ready to host your event and change the location. The best course of action is to plan ahead and always host in an accessible location from the start.
We recommend putting a small line-item in your budget every year for ‘accessibility.’ You won’t know what kind of accommodations might be requested for your programming/events, so it’s impossible to know exactly what the budget should be, but you should know the approximate costs of possible accommodations so you can plan ahead. Many accommodations are free or inexpensive. By planning ahead for some likely costs, you may be able find a sponsor specifically for accommodation expenses. We also recommend reaching out to disability advocacy groups in your area who may have information on programs that help subsidize costs.
The pricing below is accurate as of August 2021:
(none of these prices are guaranteed, and are only provided as an approximate guide)
- ASL interpreters - $55/hr - $100/hr Usually with a minimum of 2 hours. (Easterseals)
- Braille transcription - $1 per print page
- Temporary ramp - $1,000 - $3,000 (Easterseals Equipment Loans)
Other resources you may find helpful:
Many people’s first thought when they hear the word ‘accessibility’ is a ramp or a larger bathroom stall. However, these are only small parts of a much larger environment that should be made inclusive and welcoming to the diverse disability community.
Programmatic accessibility is the way in which we create program experiences that include people of all abilities. It can be as simple as dimming or brightening the lighting of a classroom, creating large-print documents, or providing details on sounds and lighting before a performance. They don’t have to be huge and expensive to be helpful.
Physical accessibility is the way our physical space meets the needs of everyone in our community. This could include ramps and bathroom stalls, but it can also include rearranging tables and chairs, lowering labels and signs, and making sure the front desk is at a comfortable height for wheelchair users to approach.
Both of these types of accessibility are important to being inclusive of the disability community.
