ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

1. Face-to-Face Communications

For brief or simple face-to-face exchanges, very basic aids are usually appropriate. For example, exchanging written notes may be effective when a deaf person asks for a copy of a form at the library.

For more complex or lengthy exchanges, more advanced aids and services are required. Consider how important the communication is, how many people are involved, the length of the communication anticipated, and the context.

Examples of instances where more advanced aids and services are necessary include meetings, hearings, interviews, medical appointments, training and counseling sessions, and court proceedings. In these types of situations where someone involved has a disability that affects communication, auxiliary aids and services such as qualified interpreters, computer-aided real-time transcription (CART), open and closed captioning, video relay, assistive listening devices, and computer terminals may be required. Written transcripts also may be appropriate in pre-scripted situations such as speeches.