Auxiliary Aids and Services

Most individuals with disabilities communicate the same way people without disabilities communicate. But people who have disabilities that affect hearing, seeing, speaking, reading, writing, remembering or understanding may use different ways to communicate than people who do not. Affective communication depends upon the complexity of the information being exchanged. There are many ways to provide equal access to communications for people with disabilities. Often referred to as “auxiliary aids and services,” these are devices or services that enable effective communication. Generally, the requirement to provide an auxiliary aid or service is triggered when a person requests it, though there may be some circumstances where it would be appropriate to at least proactively notify an individual, for example a person who is blind, that they have a right to request auxiliary aids and services since that individual could not be expected to read of such a right on their own. Different auxiliary aids and services may be required for the same person at different times depending upon the complexity of the communication.

Here are some examples of different auxiliary aids and services that may be used to provide effective communication for people with disabilities. Not all ways work for all people with disabilities or even for people with one type of disability, so consult with the individual to determine what is effective for her or him.