Skip to content

Planning Accessible Events

Why do Events Need to be Accessible? Why is Accessibility Important?

UC Merced is committed to providing accessible and inclusive programming to all participants on and off campus and is responsible for doing so under federal and state laws.  Accomplishing this goal requires coordination across campus, as well as the participation of those seeking an accommodation.  However, primary responsibility for planning and providing for the accessibility needs of participants with disabilities at any event sponsored on behalf of the University rests with the event organizer.

One in four attendees is likely to have a disability.  By considering accessibility from the start, you help create a more inclusive and welcoming experience for everyone.  Many accessibility features—like good lighting and sound, wide walkways, and captioning—not only support individuals with disabilities but also improve the event experience for all participants.  Event planners should be prepared for the possibility that presenters at your event may also require accommodations. Remember to also ask your presenters about their access needs in advance of the program.

Proactively planning for access and inclusion increases the chances of hosting a successful, accessible event and reduces the need for individuals to request accommodations in order to participate.  This guide is designed to help event organizers and campus administrators identify and remove barriers during event planning. Use it as a tool to ensure your events are accessible to all attendees.

The Accessibility Officer is available to answer any questions and provide guidance and support to help you plan an accessible event.

Plan and Ask Early

Budget

When planning your event, it’s important to include costs for disabilty-related accommodations in your budget. Departments are responsible for covering the costs of any disability-related accommodations.  Be sure to set aside funds each year for potential accessibility needs. This might include sign language interpreters, captioning services, assistive listening devices, or materials in alternate formats like large print or Braille. 

Plan early — some accommodations may be more expensive or take extra time to arrange.

Important: People with disabilities cannot be charged extra for accommodations.  If your event has a ticket fee, you can include accessibility costs in the overall ticket price for all attendees.

Designate an Event Accessibility Contact

Every event should have a designated person responsible for handling accommodations.  Designate a person on your event planning team to be responsible for ensuring accessibility and facilitating requests for reasonable accommodations.

This person can help with things like seating, ensuring captioning and other technology are working, maintaining clear pathways, and addressing other accessibility needs during the event. List their contact information in the event accessibility statement and on all event promotional materials and registration forms.

Advertisements and Announcements

One size never fits all, and no two events—or attendees—are the same.  There is no single way to provide access, so it's important to stay flexible, explore options, and talk directly with individuals about what they need.  The best way to plan is to ask participants early in the planning process if they have any accommodation requests.  

Accessibility Statement

All event announcements (online or print) for university-sponsored events and events held on or off campus need to include an accessibility statement informing the public of how to request accommodations for the event. 

It is essential to include an accessibility statement on all event registration forms, flyers, and electronic and print communications.

  • General statement:
    • UC Merced is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities.  To request a disability-related accommodation for this event, please contact [INSERT sponsoring department contact, phone number, and email address], by [INSERT specific date, typically one week in advance].

  • Abbreviated statement, if there is limited space:

    • Requests for disability-related accommodation should be made by [INSERT specific date] to [INSERT sponsoring department contact, phone number, and email address].

Additional Considerations for Pre-­event Communications

When preparing promotional and registration materials, be sure to consider the following:

  • Disclosing any plans to use flash photography, strobe lights, loud/amplified noise or music, or fireworks.
    • Theatrical fog, chemical air fresheners, and other strong scents can make the space inaccessible to those with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) or other intolerances.
  • If an accommodation has already been secured, such as a sign language interpreter or specific equipment, make sure to mention them in the advertisements. For example:
    • FM amplification systems are available.
    • Sign language interpreting will be provided at the April 15th performance.
  • Follow UC Merced Brand Guidelines, the downloadable templates have been designed to be as accessible much as possible
  • Printed advertisements should be legible with font sizes large enough to read from a distance and should ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background.
  • Consider how individuals who are blind or have low-vision can access printed advertisements.
  • Evaluate the accessibility of your social media advertisements, videos, images, etc.

Registration Forms

Registration materials should include a statement describing procedures for requesting accommodations.  To help with advanced planning, consider including the following on registration materials:

  • Wheelchair accessible lodging
  • Dietary restrictions
  • Electrical power source for recharging batteries (specify voltage)
  • Assistive devices (specify types)
  • American Sign language interpreter
  • Real-time captioning
  • Assistive listening devices (specify types)
  • Audio-taped materials
  • Sighted guides for assistance to and from specific sessions
  • Large print
  • Braille
  • Other (specify)
    • Please indicate the accommodation(s) that you need for your conference stay:

If lodging and/or meals are coordinated for the event, ensure there is an opportunity for attendees to request accommodations related to diet and lodging.

When working with hotels:

  • Confirm that hotels understand their accessibility features and have procedures in place to accommodate attendees with disabilities.
  • Plan alternatives for meeting rooms or facilities that may not be accessible.