Accessible Environment

Creating a Welcoming and Accessible Environment

We can create a welcoming and accessible environment in our departments and at events by proactively considering the environment around us and who can fully participate in these spaces. By learning more about accessibility we can make changes to our environment to improve access. Creating a welcoming and accessible environment also means extending an open invitation to request accommodations as needed.

General tips:

Lots of helpful information can be found at https://accessibility.ucdavis.edu!
Listing two different methods of communication (eg: phone number and email) allows a participant to choose the best method for them to communicate their accommodation needs.
Focus on the access issue and needed accommodation, not the disability of the participant.
When a participant requests an accommodation, respond as quickly as possible.
It may take several communications to work through the details of a particular request.
In some circumstances, several options may be available to address an access need. The option preferred by the participant should be given primary consideration.
If you host in-person events often, consider creating an Accessibility Info document that outlines key aspects of the space/events related to accessibility.
These Designing for Accessibility posters from the UK Home Office provide excellent suggestions for how to design your spaces, events and content to be accessible.

Example Statements:

For Events:

All participants are welcome. For questions regarding access and accommodation, please contact [insert program/event contact email and phone] in advance of the program.
Our space is [insert info about location including wheelchair accessibility notes, information about restrooms such as gender inclusive/wheelchair accessible, chemical sensitivity info such as air purification/requests to refrain from fragrances]. We will have [insert planned accessibility efforts such as sign-language interpreters, live-captioning.] If there are other accommodations that we can provide to make our events accessible to you, please contact [insert program/event contact email and phone].
XXX is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please contact [name, email, phone] to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

For Recruitment Processes/Onboarding New Employees:

Our interview process will be conducted [insert info on space, or virtual interview environment, physical/wheelchair accessibility, captions, etc.]. If there is anything you need to make the process fully accessible to you, please contact [name, email, phone].
Welcome to our staff! As we begin the onboarding process, if there are any accommodations you need to complete all of the essential functions of your new job, please let us know. You can also reach out to Disability Management Services at dmshelp@ucdavis.edu.

General statement on catalogs, brochures, other publications:

To request this information in an alternate format, please contact [insert departmental/event contact] at [departmental/event contact’s email and phone].