From: cedisabl@sprynet.com
Subject: Accessible Information
CE Disabled Services
Dr Clyde Shideler, Director
There has been some interesting comments on this group.  The material below 
should answer some questions.  These technical assistance guides were put 
out by the Department of Justice and address primarily federal agencies, 
however, section 504 also applies to all those obtaining federal funds.  This 
includes State and Local governments and many in the business community.  It 
also includes many organizations and agencies that serve those with 
disabilities.  What I have included here is only the cover page of a few of 
the many tags that are available.
          Department Of Justice
           Civil Rights Division
           Coordination and Review Section
           Washirigion. D.C 20330
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE
TAG-5-84-3, R3-88
1. Title:
Obtaining Tape Recorded or Braille Transcriptions of Documents for Use by 
Visually-Impaired Persons
2. Purpose:
The purpose of this Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) is to provide Federal 
agencies with a list of some organizations that provide tape recordings or 
Braille transcription for use by visually-impaired persons. This listing does 
not constitute an endorsement of the organizations by the Department of 
Justice. 
If Federal Executive agencies can find suitable resources elsewhere they are 
encouraged by the Department of Justice to use those resources as well.
3. Background:
In 1978, Congress enacted section 119 of the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive 
services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 
2982), which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
794) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or 
activities conducted by Federal Executive agencies.  The Department of 
Justice 
has generally interpreted the amendments to require Federal agencies to take 
appropriate steps to ensure effective communication with visually-impaired 
applicants, participants, personnel from other Federal entities, and members 
of 
the public. Therefore, in order to provide persons with impaired vision 
information as to the existence and location of accessible services, 
activities, 
and facilities, a Federal agencv may find it necessary to tape record or 
transcribe in Braille information concerning its programs or activities.
U.S. Departmenf of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Coordination and Review Section
  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE
TAG-5-85-1, R3-88
1. Title:
               Access to Public Meetings*
2. Purpose:
               This Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) provides information on 
steps that will enable hearing-impaired, visually-impaired and 
mobility-impaired 
persons to have access to public meetings. This TAG does not address the 
architectural accessibility of the facility in which the meeting is held. The 
facility in which a public meeting is held must be accessible to the extent 
necessary to permit access to the meeting room. Public meetings are those 
meetings to which access is not restricted except by the topic of the meeting 
or 
the size of the facility.
 3. Notice of Public Meetings and Requests for Special Services:
      Notifying the public about meetings through the newspaper or any other 
single general medium may not be effective in providing notice to persons 
with 
sensory impairments. When giving public notice agencies should ensure that 
the 
notification will reach individuals with handicaps who may be interested in 
attending the meeting. Agencies planning to conduct public meetings should 
include in all announcements about the meeting, a notice indicating that 
services of the kind discussed below for disabled persons will be made 
available. The notice should include the name, address and telephone numbers 
(both voice and TDD) of a person to contact. about these sevices. The 
announcement should request that individuals with handicaps inform the 
meeting 
sponsor of their need for special services far enough in advance of the 
meeting 
to enable the sponsor to secure these services.
     The amount of advance notice required and feasible may depend on the 
nature 
of the meeting and how much notice the sponsor provides the public.
     A subsequent Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) will discuss the steps 
necessary to ensure that special purpose meetings such as formal hearings are 
accessible.
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