Planning and Hosting Accessible Events

Taking care to create an accessible event benefits not only individuals with visible or known disabilities, but also helps to ensure that all participants/attendees, including individuals with non-obvious disabilities and/or chronic health conditions, and people of all ages and body types, are able to fully engage in the program.
The information on this page, provided by Accessibility Services, is meant to provide basic guidance on planning accessible events.

Accessibility Guidance for Event Planners

Initial Considerations/Prior to the Event

Check Venue in Advance
Look for these features when inspecting your meeting/event space:

• Visibility – Consider those with impaired sight
  Clear signage (identifying location and directions); well – lit meeting space and adjacent areas; projections screen visible from all seating (if using projection).
• Acoustics – Consider those with hearing impairment
  Public address (PA) system; roving microphone; limit unnecessary background music; seating available near presenter for lip reading; availability of assistive learning devices. Is there well-lit space for an interpreter if needed?
• Mobility and Location- Consider those who may be in a wheelchair or have other mobility impairments
  Accessible parking near venue; proximity to bus stop; ramp and/or elevator access; accessible bathrooms; barrier-free pathways; wide doorways and aisles to accommodate wheelchairs/scooters; no loose cables across walking areas.

Ask Participants What Accommodations are Needed

When advertising the event and/or sending out the invitation, include an accessibility statement to provide the participants with information about requesting accommodations. Suggested statement:

“If you have any questions about the accessibility of this event, or you wish to request assistance, support, and/or accommodations for a disability-related need, please reach out to the event planner. We ask that you make any accommodation requests as far in advance of the event as possible.  Thank you.”

Be sure to follow up on all requests received. If you are unsure you will be able to meet a specific request or if you have questions about a request, please contact Accessibility Services. resourcehub@lafayette.edu

At Event

Designate
At larger events or events with scheduled accommodations, designate someone to be responsible for accommodations as well as help with seating, ensuring captioning and other technology is working, maintaining clear pathways, or other needs.

Q&A
Make sure to repeat questions posted by audience before responding, especially if there is not a roving microphone available. Presenters or audience members may express confidence that they are loud enough and do not need a microphone. Regardless, ask them to speak into one.

Seating
Set up the meeting room to provide access to all participant seating locations, the speakers’ area and refreshments. Aisles should be at least 36 inches wide and have sufficient turning space in key locations throughout the room.
These dimensions allow people using mobility devices (wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, crutches) to independently enter and exit the room and move throughout the space, sit with other participants, participate as speakers and get refreshments. 

Registration Table
If a table for registration is being used, ensure that the table is placed in an area that provides sufficient space for attendees to approach it and turn around easily. Avoid long table cloths that drag on the floor and place handouts at the front edge of the table.

Speaker Area/Podium
If possible, provide an adjustable-height podium for all presenters. If one is not available, either eliminate the use  of a podium for everyone and instead have speakers sit a head table with a tabletop microphone. 

Q&A Sessions
Mics – Provide mics for audience members to ask questions. Try to provide someone to travel with the mic, so the audience does not have to travel.

Repeat Questions – Ask the presenter or panelist to repeat the questions so all may hear

Additional Resources

Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL) –  24/7 sign language referral service