Communication Access
Since successful communication is an essential part of participating in the global workforce, ODEP is committed to making the workforce accessible to all, including those who face a range of communication challenges. Under various civil rights laws, businesses need to communicate effectively with their customers, employees, and job seekers who have vision, hearing, or speech disabilities and are responsible for taking the steps needed for effective communication.
Communication access means that persons with sensory disabilities can communicate and be communicated with on an equal footing with those who do not have such disabilities. Various methods are available to facilitate conversations with individuals with communication challenges.
For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have speech limitations, Interpreting and Relay services are available. ODEP's Job Accommodation Network (JAN) also provides an Interpreter Referral service.
For individuals who are blind or who have low vision, ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network offers Accommodation Ideas for Vision Impairments. This resource provides information on how to accommodate employees with vision limitations, a five-step assistive technology resource, an EEOC Fact Sheet with questions and answers about blindness and vision limitations in the workplace and the ADA, and much more.
