Establish Communication: How to Handle Accommodation Requests
“Establish Communications: How to Handle Accommodation Requests.” The top left and bottom right corners of the image are gradient triangles.
As more legislation aiming to make society more accessible is increasing, there have been more ways to request accommodations for access needs. Governments, companies, and organizations have been providing space to request access needs as part of creating a more inclusive process to their work. However, providing the space can also be misleading putting more work and pressure on people who need accommodations in order to participate.
For example, I wanted to attend a virtual conference to learn more about the conversations that take place in the space I work in. When I register for the conference, it has a section to put down your accessibility needs along with all the information that the event organizers need to provide the experience of the conference. I submitted my access needs in the space they provided.
When the conference comes around, my access needs are not met. They did not even look at the accommodations requests to improve the accessibility of their events. When the feedback was given about how they were inconsiderate about the accessibility needs, blame was sent back due to not emailing them for accessibility requests.
Should I have emailed them for accessibility requests and follow up?
Why it is Not Working
I am taking the opinion that I should not have to email them to request and follow up if they provided the space. I should not have to do the same steps twice. If you provide the space and ask, you follow up to provide the information. It should not all be on the attendee to make the event accessible for them. Sadly, this is the experience that the majority of people with disabilities deal with on a regular basis if they want to participate.
People with disabilities have several barriers to even request for their access needs. It depends on if they can find the information, if they can even request the information in the format provided, and that is if they even have enough time to request the accommodations in time for the event. A lot of these barriers can be mitigated if you design the event from the start. My blog, "Time to Start Designing With Access in Mind: Designing from the Start,” goes more in depth on how taking a proactive approach to making events and programs accessible is crucial.
The barriers are not the only thing that is making this hard for people with disabilities to participate. People with disabilities and their support have to put so much time and effort into ensuring their access and potentially not having it work out. We do not live in an accessible and inclusive society. We need to stop assuming that the bare information about accessibility that has been given over the years is enough.
The Gaps to Accommodations vs Accessibility
The request box on a form tends to be in the perspective of accommodations. We designed the event so any requests for access needs are something that has to be adapted, added, or considered into the event. If accessibility was not considered from the start, extra time and work now has to be made to include people with disabilities or those who needs accommodations to participate, on top of event prep.
There are extra considerations in the process when you take the approach of accommodations requests and not consider the accessibility of your events beforehand.
Pressures for event/program organizers
The amount of time needed to do the requests, especially service requests
For example, if someone requests ASL Interpreters, you need at least 2 weeks, if not more to obtain them. If you only put out registration 2 weeks before the event, you do not have enough time therefore limiting someone’s access to the event.
The communications needed to ensure that the access needs can be met, sorted, and confirmed for the event.
If you did not plan for a person to ensure that the access needs are met or if issues arise during the event
Pressures for people who request access needs
Extra research to find out how to request access needs if it is not clear
The timing of when they find out about the event or program and taking in their knowledge of whether needs can be met
Being bold and brave to requests access needs expecting rejection or no response
The waiting and having to ask for follow-ups and updates when it has been too long
Never having the option to show up and participate
I explained gaps that did not become an option for me to utilize because there was no communication. No follow-ups. No real commitment to make the event accessible. Once the event was designed and set up, that was it.
It should not be this way.
How you should be handling accessibility
If you want to save so much time and effort, consider accessibility from the start. It does have a little more work upfront but it will save you time and stress. I explained it more in ”Time to Start Designing With Access in Mind: Designing from the Start.”
I am aware as someone who works in the nonprofit sector of the limitations of attempting to be fully accessible. This is in no way meant to reduce the importance of designing from the start when considering accessibility but, a process that is meant to build to that process to consider accessibility as part of your process over time.
So, here are some tips to make this process easier when using the accessibility request box/form.
Designate a contact person who is responsible for the accessibility requests and have a good idea about the logistics of the programs and events. Put there information on event information for easy access to request
If possible, give at least a month’s notice of the event or program to allow time for requests, especially service-based requests
FOLLOW UP! With registration, there is usually contact information. If you provide the space to request, follow up on whether or not you are going to fulfill the request, working on it, or unable to fulfill the request.
In that communication, if you are struggling to fulfill their request or unable to see if there can be any solutions, the person that requested their access needs to have a wealth of knowledge and can work with you if you maintain communication.
Collect feedback and knowledge to apply to your future work. You should be improving your work to provide better experiences. This includes accessibility. There are also gaps you may have not considered that participants can provide. Use it.
These tips are to make your work a little easier and the person requesting their needs have a better experience. Communication is key. It will be less anxiety-inducing, less pressure, less time would be wasted for both parties, increased engagement and participation if access needs are met, and a step into a more inclusive and accessible society. Instead of filling the box, hoping for the best, and expecting the worst, these steps can provide clarity and comfort in knowing that action is being taken.
Amanda