A Guide to Planning Accessible Meetings

Accessible Theater Style

This set-­up is appropriate for large sessions and short lectures that do not require desks or tables for extensive note-taking or frequent reference to handouts. Make sure all side and center aisles are at least three to six feet wide to allow adequate space for circulation. Aisle chairs can be removed in rows dispersed throughout the room to allow seating choices for people who use mobility devices or service animals. At a minimum, remove aisle chairs from the front, back and middle rows to create accessible seating locations. Increase the amount of accessible seating based on the known or anticipated number of people using mobility devices at your event. Remove two chairs for each wheelchair space. Make sure chairs are un­-ganged (not hooked together) to allow attendees to move them as needed. Click [here] ... for a full-page, printable handout.

Accessible Theater Set-Up

Remove two chairs for each mobility device space. Oer multiple choices of where to sit. At a minimum set the front, back and middle rows accessible to ensure attendee choice of seats in the room. Increase the amount of accessible seating based on the known or anticipated number of mobility device users expected at your event. Chairs to be un-ganged to allow attendees to move them as needed. Note minimum widths for center and side aisles, and for the distance between accessible and standard rows.

Detail View – Accessible Theater Set-Up

Remove chairs to create spaces within rows for people using mobility devices (wheelchairs, scooters, crutches, braces, or other assistive mobility devices). It is not appropriate to force them to sit in aisles. Click [here] ... for a full-page, printable handout.

Detail View – Accessible Theater Set-Up

It is important that chairs be removed to make spaces so that mobile device users are not forced to sit in and block aisles.