Planning an Accessible Event

Best Practice Guidelines for Planning an Accessible Event

Chico State strives to make all its programs and activities accessible to those who want to attend. Accomplishing this goal requires coordination across campus, as well as the participation of those seeking an accommodation. However, primary responsibility for accessibility rests with the event organizer.

Proactive planning for access and inclusion optimizes the opportunity for a well-planned accessible event and minimizes the need for individuals with disabilities to request accommodations to participate in the event.

The following information will help you plan for and provide accommodations that will make your event accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities.

Accessible Event Checklist

• Designate a person responsible for ensuring accessibility of the event and for facilitating requests for reasonable accommodation.
• Consult with Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) staff.
• Schedule events in accessible locations.
• Make all accessibility arrangements well in advance of the event.
• Consider proactively providing ASL interpreting or CART (communication access realtime captioning) services for the event, particularly larger events, conferences, live-streamed events, etc.
• Decide whether to proactively provide other accessibility measures such as materials in alternative formats.
• Plan for accessibility expenses (e.g., ASL interpreters, CART, materials in alternative format) in the event budget.
• Include a disability access statement in all event announcements, flyers, advertisements, registration websites, or other materials distributed before an event. 
• Add a text box on the registration form for accommodation requests. Provide multiple avenues for registration if registration is required (e.g., online, paper, in person). 
• Make all virtual event features accessible.
• Provider presenters with communication guidelines.
• Ensure dietary needs are met if serving food.

Advertising

Accessibility Statement: To inform guests and participants about how to request a disability accommodation, it is critical that information be included in flyers, advertisements, registration websites, or other materials distributed before an event.

The statement should include:

1. Who the accommodation request should be made to (person or office organizing the event).
2. How a person can request an accommodation (phone, fax, TTY, or email).
3. Deadline for submitting an accommodation request (typically this should be at least two weeks in advance). 

NOTE: Any digital advertising (PDF, Word, etc.) should be sent to the Technology Equity and Inclusion (TEIN) office for content remediation. Once your document is complete, you may submit a support ticket(opens in new window) for accessible content remediation.

Accessibility Statement Sample:
"Disability Accommodations and Services: If you need a disability-related accommodation, please contact [insert name or office], at [insert phone, fax, or email]. Requests should be made by [insert date, at least two weeks in advance of the event]."

If you have any questions about requests or resources for accommodations in response to your announcement, please contact the Accessibility Resource Center.

Event Materials

Materials for distribution at the event or on the website should include an accessibility statement. Encourage participants to plan ahead for access. For example, “To request this publication in an alternate format such as large print, e-text, or Braille, contact (insert host office phone and email).” Help is available at Accessibility Resource Center or visit Technology Equity and Inclusion(opens in new window) to learn how to create accessible documents in PowerPoint, MS Word, PDF, etc. 

If you are using multimedia, be sure that you are using captioned versions of online audio, films, videos, etc.

Event Location

When selecting a location on campus, ensure that the location is physically accessible. Confirm that accessible parking, entrances, paths of travel, emergency exits, and restrooms are unlocked and unblocked during the hours of your event, and ensure that elevators are functioning. Is the primary entrance wheelchair accessible? If not, see "Signage," below.

• Signage: If the wheelchair-accessible entrance is not the primary entrance, put a sign on the primary entrance saying where the accessible entrance is.
• Restrooms: Be familiar with where the nearest wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located.
• Path of Travel: Is there a step-free route from the parking lot (accessible parking spaces) to the building entrance? Is this pathway clear of obstructions and barriers and suitable in all weather conditions (i.e., rainy or slippery)?
• Rooms and Auditoriums: Are all meeting rooms wheelchair accessible (i.e., elevators to upper levels)?
• Aisles: At least 36" wide for maneuverability, and up to 44" wide if goods and services are available on both sides of an aisle.
• Cables: Covers should be used over electrical cables or cords that must cross over aisles or pathways. Cable covers should be no more than 1/2" thick for wheelchairs to traverse across them.
•  

If there is a guest presenter, confirm with them in advance if they need any accommodations. In some cases, the presentation area might also need to be wheelchair accessible. 

If for any reason a non-accessible meeting room is chosen, and the event organizer receives a request from an individual with a disability, the organizer must make every effort to work with its respective room scheduler to find an alternate accessible location.

If the event is outside (on grass), are the activities accessible from pavement allowing people with mobility issues to have equal access?

Wheelchair Seating Locations:

Chair Setup: When a room does not have fixed seats, keep in mind two principles for setting up.

1. The number of chairs removed depends on the total seating (see table below); and
2. Wheelchair locations should be integrated with other seating areas (thus, chairs removed should be interspersed -- front, middle, back, sides of the room, etc.).

Tables:
Tables used for registration, interviewing, information display, or other services or goods should be between 28"-34" from the floor to the top of the table. If guests will be seated at the tables, knee space should be at least 27" from the floor to the bottom of the table.

Other Issues

Parking:
The event organizer must ensure that there is ADA parking along the path of travel to the facility and that the path of travel is the main path of travel to the accessible entrance. If not, there needs to be an alternative route that is well marked.

Event staff should know that each Chico State lot has designated accessible parking spaces, and should also understand which parking lot is the closest to the event.

Legal Requirements:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require that Chico State ensure that its programs, services, goods, and facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities.