State of Michigan Accessibility Resource Guide

The State of Michigan Accessibility Resource Guide offers department coordinators, managers, and directors information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, ensures that all citizens have access to:

• Reasonable Accommodation
• Meetings and Events
• Information, Documents, and Material in Alternative Formats

The Accessibility Resource Guide helps departments provide employees, applicants, program participants, and the public with these accommodations. It also offers design and formatting guidelines for the Internet, intranet, and electronic and information technology resources.

Much of the Accessibility Resource Guide is presented in .pdf (portable document file) format.  These files require Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view and print. A free copy of this software may be downloaded from Adobe. The sample policies and procedures found in the Guide are in Microsoft Word document formats to allow customization to each department's needs.

Due to its large file size, the Accessibility Resource Guide is broken up into small sections for easy searching and downloading.  Please use the table of contents below.

Table of Contents

Purpose. This section summarizes federal and state accessibility acts and offers examples that departments may use in developing policies and procedures.

Printed Materials and Documents (Alternate Formats). Information in this section helps staff ensure that printed materials can be reconfigured in alternate formats such as audio recordings, braille, electronic formats, and large print and for use with readers and other assistive technology.

Meetings and Events. This section helps staff prepare for accessible conferences, educational and training sessions, press conferences, staff meetings, and other events. Every attendee should be able to participate in all activities at meetings or events.

Video and Other Media Production. This section discusses how media such as audiotapes, videos, and DVDs can be produced or used in ways that are accessible to all employees and the public. It also explains how preproduction planning is the most affordable method of providing accessibility.

Electronic and Information Technology. This section offers guidance on information disseminated on the Internet and the State of Michigan intranet as well as accessibility software and electronic office equipment.

Purpose
This Accessibility Resource Guide provides information for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the State Deaf Persons' Interpreter Act (PA 204 of 1982), the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (PA 220 of 1976) and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended).  The Guide assists departments in identifying resources and provides information to comply with the above acts for printed materials and documents, meetings and events, video and media production, and electronic and information technology.

Departments should consider drafting an accessibility policy or individual policies and procedures on printed materials and documents, meetings and events, video and other media production, and electronic and information technology.  The links below are to sample policies, procedures, and checklists that may be used as guides.

Sample Accessible Printed Materials and Documents Policy
Sample Accessible Meetings and Events Policy
Sample Accessible Meetings and Events Planning Procedures
Sample Guidance on Making PowerPoint Presentations Accessible
Sample Accessible Video Production Policy
Sample Accessible Electronic and Information Technology Policy

For a general reference on accessibility visit Michigan Disability Resources and the U.S. Department of Justice's ADA Home Page .

ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments teaches how to identify and fix problems that prevent people with disabilities from gaining equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities.  The tool kit is being developed in stages.  The current sections include ADA Basics, Notice and Grievance Procedures, Effective Communications Requirements, Emergency Procedures and 9-1-1, Website Accessibility, and Curb Ramps and Pedestrian Crossings plus checklists for most of these topics.

Printed Materials and Documents (Alternate Formats)
When submitting requests for printed materials to DMB Printing Services Group, retain a copy in an electronic format such as a Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or an Adobe Acrobat document.

If a department cannot provide an electronic version, it may request that an electronic copy be created by the Department of Management and Budget's (DMB) Printing Services Group at 517-322-1889.

Departments should also indicate in their printed materials and documents that the documents are available in alternative formats and how and whom to contact.  People need to know that they can make an alternative format request.

Reader programs.  Reader programs are special software used by individuals who are visually impaired or blind which read out loud text (.txt) documents created with Microsoft Word or WordPerfect or .pdf documents created with Adobe Acrobat version 7.0 or higher.  Older versions of Adobe may cause technical problems for reader programs.  Adobe Acrobat version 7.0 or higher can check the .pdf document and indicate if a reader program will encounter problems.  The portion of the document with any problem is indicated.  All .pdf  documents should be run through the Adobe Acrobat check before being provided to the requestor or placed on an internet or intranet site.

Most problems encountered by reader programs originate in the printed material or document formatting before being converted to a .pdf or .txt format.  Reader programs read from left to right across the entire page and then down to the next line.  When reader programs encounter columns similar to those in a newsletter or newspaper they read across all columns and then go down to the next line.  An author can use several means so that the reader program can properly function.

One method is to use a table because the columns in a table are treated like a page (the reader program will read down the table column to the bottom and then proceed to the top of the next column).

Another method is to convert the document to .html format which both Microsoft Word and WordPerfect programs can do.

When converting Microsoft Word or WordPerfect documents to .txt format, all printed material should be left justified, with complete punctuation, no tab indents, and line breaks between paragraphs.

Tables and Forms are an area where reader programs encounter difficulty unless documents are properly designed.  When designing a form or table, the Department of Information Technology, e-Michigan Web Development group should be contacted for technical guidance.

Other areas of concern encountered by reader programs are images, pictures, photographs, and graphics.  These visual images require "alternative text" or a caption to describe the image.  Images such as maps illustrating demographics need to be accompanied by some form of database.

Readers.  The use of trained individuals to read materials aloud to a person who is visually imparied or blind or to a person with a learning disability is another viable means of making documents accessible.

Electronic formats. The use of electronic distribution systems for the disseminatio of materials in electronic formats, especially time-sensitive materials such as regulations is a viable means of helping ot meet access needs and requirements.  With an electronic copy, Departments are able to create an accessible formatted version of the printed material that can be accessed by employees and the public if requested.  the electronic copy may be used as an email attachemnt or copied to a CD, DVD, or other electronic format to forward to the requesting person.

Providing printed materials in electronic format may not meet the needs of every person with a disability.  The department must determine if it can provide general access for the requesting person.  The printed material does not always have to be in the format requested by the person, if another format will allow the person access.

Printed materials and documents may be produced in alternate formats.  The cost of providing an alternate format may not be charged to an employee or the public.

Braille.  A reading system used by some people who are blind is braille, a system of raised dots which are read through touch.  Several versions of braille are available.

Literary braille comprises two grades:

Grade 1 Braille, also known as uncontracted braille, is in full spelling and consists of the letters of the alphabet, punctuation, numbers, and a number of composition signs which are special to braille.

Grade 2 Braille, also known as contracted or "English Braille", consists of Grade 1 and 189 contractions and short-form words.  The majority of people who read braille use Grade 2.

The requestor should indicate the grade of braille desired when requesting an alternate format so the Department can request the proper grade from the braille vendor.

The U.S. Postal Service allows any publication printed for people who are blind or visually impaired that is 14-point or larger to be mailed: "Free Matter for the Blind." U.S. Postal Service Publication 347 "Mailing Free Matter for Blind and Visually Handicapped Persons"  answers the most frequently asked questions about this service. 
Several organizations can provide guidance and information on alternate formats for printed materials and documents and for audio recordings.

Meetings and Events
Events and meetings planned and sponsored by a department must be accessible.  This includes, but is not limited to meetings open to the public, conferences, educational events, training courses, press conferences, staff meetings, and retreats.  "Accessible" means that all who are qualified to attend can attend, participate in all activities, and access information in a timely manner that allows full participation during the event.  At a minimum, the site will be barrier-free, and additional accommodations will be provided upon advance request.

Communications (i.e., press releases, advertisements, or publications) regarding meetings and events, especially those aimed at those outside the department, require an "Access Statement" similar to the following:

Access Statement

"The meeting site is accessible, including handicapped parking.  Individuals attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using heavily scented personal care products* in order to enhance accessibility for everyone.

"Persons with disabilities, who need mobility, visual, hearing, or other assistance for effective participation should indicate such needs.  All such requests should be received at least ____ business days before the date of the meeting." 

The "Access Statement" should be followed with contact information.

* Note: Refraining from the use of heavily scented personal care products is not covered by the ADA and is not enforceable.  It should only be used as a request.

A person or applicant should be asked when they are contacted by the department if they need an accommodation to participate in the interview or meeting.
In summary, people need to know that they can make an accommodation request, how to make the request, and to whom it should be made.

Listed below are several sources of information and reference materials for meetings and events.

• Organizations that can provide guidance, information, and answer questions on meetings and events.
• The Division on Deaf and Hard of Hearing can provide guidance, information and answer questions regarding persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Video Remote Interpreting
• Additional Resources