Accommodations for Events & Activities
Home » Resources » Access & Accommodations » Accommodations for Events & Activities
Institutions should ensure equal opportunities for students in the classroom, for class-related activities outside the classroom, and in non-academic programs such as housing, counseling, student organizations, and student activities.
Programs and public events — such as campus tours and orientation, commencement, sporting events, performances and conferences — should also be accessible to deaf people who are not students, faculty, or staff, including friends, families and visitors.

Planning for Accessible Events
When planning for accessible events, institutions should:
- Determine funding policy and procedures for accommodation requests prior to receiving any requests. Equitable Access Guide: Section 5: Beyond the Classroom: Non-Academic Programs has information on centralized and decentralized funding structures.
- Designate an office or staff members responsible for coordinating event accommodations.
- Have disability inclusion statements and language in event advertisements which explain how to request accommodations and provide contact information.
- Have working assistive listening devices available at events with information available at the venue about how to access these devices. Some of these devices should be hearing aid compatible.
- Provide both speech-to-text and interpreting services for large public events without the need for formal requests. This will provide greater access by considering the audience’s wide range of communication needs.
- This proactive approach will also minimize last-minute requests, as providers are less likely to be available on short notice.
- For live-streamed public events, a single video of an event with captions and a picture-in-picture interpreter is a common practice.
- Have all media used during an event or program captioned, since captions benefit everyone.
Additional Resources
- Equitable Access Guide: Section 5: Beyond the Classroom: Non-Academic Programs
- Creating Access: Campus Visitors
- Creating Access: Graduation Events
- Campus Accessibility Guide
- Improving Campus Access
- What are some considerations when planning for an accessible, virtual commencement for deaf participants?
- What are some strategies to create an accessible virtual orientation and/or campus tour for new incoming deaf students?