EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION RESOURCES
The ADA requires government entities, employers, and places of public accommodation to ensure that clients and customers with disabilities are provided with “effective communication” so that they may fully benefit from services, programs, facilities, and products. These rules apply in employment situations, in situations where public services are rendered by government agencies, and when goods and services are provided by public accommodations. For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, effective communication can be achieved through the use of auxiliary aids and services, such as TTYs, sign-language interpreters, or captioning.

ADA Guidelines and Resources on Effective Communication for Government Agencies

Accessing Effective Communication
Illinois Attorney General Office
Website: www.ag.state.il.us/disabilities/communq&a.htm

ADA Title II-State and Local Government: Publications Distributed by the DBTACs:
ADA and IT Technical Assistance Centers
Website: www.adata.org/pubs/pubs-title2.html

Common Questions about Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
U.S. Department of Justice
Website: www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/pubs/t2qa.txt

Communication and the Americans With Disabilities Act: Effective Communication and Accessibility
New Hampshire Department of Education
Website: www.uwm.edu/Dept/HR/refmaterial/adayou/vol1num7.htm

Effective Communication: Providing a Sign Language Interpreter under the ADA
Job Accommodation Network
Website: www.jan.wvu.edu/media/comm.html

Effective Communication Techniques: Communicating with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Rocky Mountain Business and Disability Technical Assistance Center
Website: www.ada-infonet.org/ada-infonet/documents/communication/communication-
techniques.asp

Fact Sheet 2: Providing Effective Communication
ADA Compliance Materials
Website: www.adaptenv.org/neada/fact2.pdf

Fact Sheet 3: Communicating with People with Disabilities
ADA Compliance Materials
Website: www.adaptenv.org/neada/fact3.pdf

Guidelines for Meeting the Communication Needs of Individuals with Hearing Loss
Illinois Department of Human Services
Website: www.dhs.state.il.us/ors/brochures/dhs4584.asp

How to Establish Effective Communication Procedures for Persons with Limited English Proficiency and for Persons with Impaired Hearing, Vision, or Speech (Attachment B)
Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/pregrant/attachb.html

Questions & Answers: Communicating with Hearing-Impaired Individuals (Attachment B2)
Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/pregrant/attachb2.html
 

Effective Communication in Specific Situations
A sampling of resources on ADA and Effective Communication practices in specific settings. These resources can also provide models and suggestions for government agency ADA accommodation planning.

Effective Communication When Teaching the Deaf to Drive
Heights Driving School, Inc. (Ohio)
Website: www.heightsdriving.com/ecwd.htm

Americans with Disabilities Act and Hearing Interpreters
American Medical Association
Website: www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/4616.html

ADA and Effective Communication: Conventions and Conferences
Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Access Program/Technical Assistance Center
Website: www.odc.state.or.us/tadoc/ADAEC1.pdf

Effective Communication in Parks and Recreation
National Center on Accessibility
Website: www.ncaonline.org/ncpad/effect.shtml

Attorneys, Deaf Clients, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
National Association of the Deaf, Information Center
Website: www.nad.org/infocenter/infotogo/legal/ada3lawyer.html

ADA and the Courts: Frequently Asked Questions, ADA and Effective Communication
Website: www.ncsc.dni.us/KMO/Topics/AmDis/FAQs/ADAFAQ3.html#S3Q1 

Effective Communication for Deaf Individuals in State and Local Courts: Obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Website: www.synergy-emusic.com/ada.courts.html