Disability Etiquette & Communications

Click on the image above to open Seattle Channel coverage of the NW Universal Design Council forum on accessible events.
Thank you to Age Friendly Seattle for developing the following materials for event planners:
- Meeting the Needs of People with disAbilities: Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings
- Top 10 Tips
- Communication Access for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
- Accessibility and Accommodation Notice (sample)

The Hearing, Speech, and Deaf Center is one source for local American Sign Language interpreters as well as pro-tactile interpreters for people who are DeafBlind.
Related articles in AgeWise King County, a monthly e-zine published by the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging, include:
- How to Plan an Age- and Disability-Friendly Accessible Event (July 2018)
- Understand Hearing Loss—And Take Action (May 2018)
Other useful information includes:
- Consumer Awareness and … Guidelines for Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Providers
- Communicating With and About People with Disabilities offers examples of “people first” language and language to avoid (Centers for Disease Control).
- Engaging People with Disabilities in Evidence-Based Programs includes disability etiquette and tips for interacting with people with all types of disabilities (National Council on Aging).
- How to Plan an Accessible Public Meeting (AgeWise King County, July 2015)
- A Planning Guide for Making Temporary Events Accessible to People with Disabilities (ADA National Network)
- Renewing the Commitment: An ADA Compliance Guide for Nonprofits includes sections on communication, emergency procedures, meetings and special events, and health care (The Chicago Community Trust).