Accessible Meetings

EM: “We just talked about accessible communication. I’d like to move the discussion to accessible meetings, like emergency planning meetings. As you know, public meetings (like emergency planning meetings) must be held in physically accessible spaces.

Examples include accessible:

• Building ramps and parking areas

• Elevators

• Restrooms and eating spaces

• Meeting rooms and other spaces

• Rooms with enough space for walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and other equipment

It’s not just about space. Public meetings should also be programmatically accessible. This means that what happens in the meetings must be accessible and inclusive.

Examples include:

• Don’t assume everyone is familiar with jargon or acronyms. When someone is presenting, spell out acronyms.

• Use plain language materials so everyone can understand.

• Provide written materials in Braille and large-print formats.

• For audio presentations, describe any images and read presentation slides.

• Welcome people who bring care providers or support people with them.

• If someone is anxious, offer to have someone sit next to them to keep them company.

• Talk to person, not to their interpreter or aide

“I see Claire, who has participated in our past planning meetings. Let’s ask her.”

EM: “Hi Claire! Terrye here is learning about how we collaborate to make sure our whole community is prepared for emergencies, disasters and pandemics. Can you talk about your experiences with our meetings?”

Character #16 (Claire): “Sure EM! I have Down syndrome, and I really wanted to participate in the meetings. My aunt’s house flooded several years ago and it really scared me. She took me to an emergency planning meeting. There were a lot of fancy words I didn’t understand. So, I asked EM if he could make some changes. At the next meeting everyone explained big words.  They talked slowly. The handouts had big print and some pictures. These changes helped me, but they helped others too, like people who didn’t speak much English. At our last meeting, we made a flooding plan! I was so proud.”

EM: “Thanks, Claire!

“Terrye, I know you know a lot of this, but it’s a good idea to remind emergency managers and public health staff that meeting accessibility is important. And that a meeting needs to be physically and programmatically accessible. Reasonable accommodations are the law.”

Look at the list of meeting access needs and the possible meeting access solutions. Match each need to its solution.

Condition/Disability Type	Meeting Access Need	Meeting Access Solution
Physical/mobility disabilities (may use a cane, walker, scooter or wheelchair	Ample space to move around as well as space for equipment	Ensure meeting room is large enough. Leave open spaces without chairs around table for wheelchairs or scooters. Make sure aisles are wide enough for someone who uses a mobility device to move around the room.
Deaf/Hard of Hearing	Meeting communication that doesn’t rely on sound	Arrange for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or real-time captioning. On presentation materials, include presentation notes or script. Make sure all speakers are amplified by microphones.
Blind/Low Vision	Communication that doesn’t rely on sight	Describe all images used in a presentation. Have written materials in alternate forms (e.g., available via computer and accessible to people who use computer screen reader software) or via audio recording.
Cognitive disability (Traumatic Brain Injury, intellectual disability, learning disability)	Clear directions, visual contrast needed, plain language	Spell out acronyms and define specialized words. Speak more slowly and take breaks to allow the audience to process the information.

EM: In order to invite all members of the community, marketing and outreach for your meeting or event should be accessible, inclusive, and actionable. This meeting outreach should be in multiple formats, including social media, flyers and radio ads. You may need to visit organizations to ask staff and program participants to attend.

You may have to explain to the planners that if you’ve met one person with a disability, you’ve met one person with a disability. In other words, there is no one size fits all for people with disabilities.