ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

Chapter 3 Addendum: Title II Checklist (General Effective Communication)

PURPOSE OF THIS CHECKLIST: This checklist is designed for use as an assessment of a state or local government’s provision of effective communication.

MATERIALS AND INFORMATION NEEDED: To assess compliance with the general effective communication requirements, you will need:

• a copy of any policies or procedures related to providing sign language interpreters, oral interpreters, cued speech interpreters, notetakers, computer-aided transcription services, etc., when requested by members of the general public. If different departments have different policies, you should review each of the policies.

• a list of printed materials provided to the public by the locality and an indication of whether these materials are provided, upon request, in an accessible format, such as in large print, Braille, or audio recording.

• a list of any videos or television programs produced by the locality and an indication of whether these videos or programs have captioning and audio descriptions.

• a list of where teletypewriters (TTYs) are provided by the locality.

• a copy of any training materials used in training government employees about providing effective communication to members of the general public whose disabilities affect communication.

Interpreters (Sign Language, Oral, and Cued Speech)

1. Does each department of your state or local government have a policy and procedures in place to deal with requests from the general public for sign language, oral, and cued speech interpreters?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

2. If policies and procedures are in place, do they:

a.    Specify that sign language, oral, and cued speech interpreters can be obtained within a short period of time when necessary? (For example, when needed for hospital emergency rooms, interpreters should be available either in person or by using video relay systems within a reasonable period of time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – in this setting, reasonable usually means within an hour of a request. In non-emergency situations, a public entity can require reasonable advance notice for interpreter requests.)

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

b.    Make clear that it is generally inappropriate to request family members and companions of deaf persons to serve as sign language interpreters?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

c.    Specify that deaf persons requesting interpreters should not be charged for the cost of the interpreter?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

d.    Specify that the public entity’s decision to deny an interpreter based on undue financial and administrative burden must be made after considering all resources available for use in funding the operation of the program and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching the conclusion?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

e. Specify that, in any instance where the provision of an interpreter would result in an undue financial and administrative burden, the entity will take any other action that would not result in an undue financial and administrative burden but would nevertheless ensure that the individual with a disability receives the benefits or services provided?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

3.    Does your state or local government have employees on staff who are qualified interpreters or have arrangements with one or more vendors to provide interpreting services when needed?

 ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

4.    Have the employees who interact with the public been trained on the correct procedures to follow when a person requests an interpreter?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

5.    Review documentation and speak with agency personnel responsible for responding to requests for interpreter services. When requests for interpreters have been made in the past, were they granted:

a.    For events such as meetings, interviews, hearings, medical appointments, court proceedings, and training and counseling sessions?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

b.   Without the state or local government asking the individual who requested the interpreter charged to pay for the services?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

Other Auxiliary Aids and Services

6.   Does your state or local government have policies and procedures in place to deal with requests from the general public for documents in Braille, large print, audio recording, and accessible electronic format (that is, an email or compact disc containing the document in plain text, word processing format, HTML or some other format that can be accessed with screen reader software)?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

7.   Does your state or local government have policies and procedures in place to deal with requests from the general public for notetakers, computer-assisted real-time transcription services, and other auxiliary aids and services for providing effective communication?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

8.   Does your state or local government have the equipment or arrangements with vendors so it can provide written materials in alternative formats (e.g., Braille, large print, audio format, electronic format)?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

9.   Does your state or local government provide written materials in alternative formats when asked to do so? (For example, does your entity communicate with blind people by using Braille, large print, or email when asked to do so?)

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

10.   Does your state or local government give primary consideration to the requests of the person with a disability when determining what type of auxiliary aid or service to provide?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

11.   Does your entity ensure that all videos and television programs it produces and all videos it makes available to the public on its internet website are available with captioning and audio description?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼ No

TTYs

12. Where telephones are available to the public for making outgoing calls, are TTYs available for people with hearing and speech disabilities?

  ◼ Yes

  ◼  No

13. Does your state or local government handle calls placed using a Telecommunications Relay Service or a Video Relay Service in the same way as other telephone calls?

  ◼  Yes

  ◼  No