28 CFR Part 35 Title II Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (published 2008)

Subpart E - Communications

11. Revise § 35.160 to read as follows:

§ 35.160 General.

(a)

(1) A public entity shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with applicants, participants, members of the public with disabilities, and companions thereof are as effective as communications with others.

(2) For purposes of this section, companion means a family member, friend, or associate of a program participant who, along with the participant, is an appropriate person with whom the public entity should communicate. 

(b) A public entity shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford individuals with disabilities and their companions who are individuals with disabilities, an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a service, program, or activity conducted by a public entity.

(c)

(1) A public entity shall not require an individual with a disability to bring another individual to interpret for him or her.

(2) A public entity shall not rely on an individual accompanying an individual with a disability to interpret or facilitate communication, except in an emergency involving a threat to public safety or welfare, or unless the individual with a disability specifically requests it, the accompanying individual agrees to provide the assistance, and reliance on that individual for this assistance is appropriate under the circumstances.

(d) Video interpreting services (VIS).  A public entity that chooses to provide qualified interpreters via VIS shall ensure that it provides -

(1) High quality, clear, real-time, full-motion video and audio over a dedicated high speed Internet connection;

(2) A clear, sufficiently large, and sharply delineated picture of the interpreter's head and the participating individual's head, arms, hands, and fingers, regardless of his body position;

(3) Clear transmission of voices; and

(4) Training to nontechnicians so that they may quickly and efficiently set up and operate the VIS.

(e) Sports stadiums.  One year after the effective date of this regulation, sports stadiums that have a seating capacity of 25,000 or more shall provide captioning on the scoreboards and video monitors for safety and emergency information.

12. Revise § 35.161 to read as follows:

§ 35.161 Telecommunications.

(a) Where a public entity communicates by telephone with applicants and beneficiaries, text telephones (TTYs) or equally effective telecommunications systems shall be used to communicate with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or have speech impairments. 

(b) When a public entity uses an automated attendant system for receiving and directing incoming telephone calls, that automated attendant system must provide effective communication with individuals using auxiliary aids and services, including TTYs or a telecommunications relay system.

(c) A public entity shall respond to telephone calls from a telecommunications relay service established under title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the same manner that it responds to other telephone calls.