[blindkid] ADA Question Re: Music camp? Another alternative!

Marianne Denning marianne at denningweb.com
Wed Mar 12 14:11:23 UTC 2014


Arielle, I believe the ADA states that buildings do not have to be
retrofitted to comply with the law but if the building is remodeled
then it must comply with the ADA.  I also believe we need to do a
better job of requiring braille signage.  Everyone knows about
wheelchair accessibility but I am not sure they know about braille
signage. The law also states that it doesn't matter if a person with a
disability ever comes into the building or not.  Just because there
isn't a blind student in the building doesn't mean there has never
been or ever will be a blind person in the building.  I am a blind TVI
and before that I gave talks at schools all over the city.

On 3/11/14, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Carol,
>
> Thanks for the clarifications about ADA covering the camp. Going
> slightly off-topic here, but does ADA mandate Braille signs in school
> buildings? If so, why do the vast majority of school buildings I've
> frequented lack Braille signs?
> Arielle
>
> On 3/11/14, Carol Castellano <carol_castellano at verizon.net> wrote:
>> That is absolutely right.  At first parents fight for their child,
>> but they also must be training the child to stand up for him or
>> herself.  Self-advocacy is a critical skill and knowing our rights
>> and responsibilities is a part of it.  When parents speak about
>> blindness, laws, and civil rights our kids are listening and
>> learning.  We are teaching them the vocabulary and modeling attitudes
>> that they can then use to advocate for themselves.
>>
>> Carol
>>
>> Carol Castellano
>> Parents of Blind Children-NJ
>> Director of Programs
>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>> 973-377-0976
>> carol_castellano at verizon.net
>> www.blindchildren.org
>> www.nfb.org/parents-and-teachers
>>
>> At 07:27 PM 3/11/2014, you wrote:
>>>Carol, this is great information for parents and students.  Those of
>>>us who are blind adults advocate for ourselves regularly because of
>>>discrimination and I believe it is a critical skill students need to
>>>learn.  Parents are very important advocates for their children but as
>>>your sons anddaughters grow up they need to participate in and
>>>eventually take over advocacy.  The Americans With Disabilities Act is
>>>a very important law that covers us in and out of public schools.
>>>Please learn all you can about this law and help your children
>>>understand it.
>>>
>>>On 3/11/14, Carol Castellano <carol_castellano at verizon.net> wrote:
>>> > Summer camps are places of public accommodation that fall under the
>>> > ADA (except religious camps).  They are not allowed to discriminate
>>> > on the basis of disability.  It is against the law.  A person who is
>>> > "otherwise capable," meaning who meets the other qualifications of
>>> > the camp, such as age or grade or musical interest, cannot be kept
>>> > out solely on the basis of his or her disability.
>>> >
>>> > Often when an entity such as a school or camp is discriminating,
>>> > those in charge do not realize it.  They might think that they are
>>> > only being practical or ensuring safety.  But the law is crystal
>>> > clear and the camp administration needs to learn that.  I have used
>>> > the phrase, "I'm sure you don't mean to be out of compliance with
>>> > federal law..."  I sometimes mention that the family doesn't WANT to
>>> > file a complaint with the Office on Civil Rights, but if they have
>>> > to, they will...
>>> >
>>> > Ideally, when a disabled person seeks entrance to this kind of place
>>> > of public accommodation, a conversation is supposed to take place in
>>> > which the camp and the parent/disabled person discuss the
>>> > accommodations or modifications that could be made.
>>> >
>>> > There are 3 instances in which the disabled person may be
>>> > rejected:  1) if acceptance would cause "undue hardship," defined as
>>> > "significant difficulty or expense;" 2) pose a direct threat to the
>>> > health or safety of others; or 3) alter the fundamental nature of the
>>> > program.
>>> >
>>> >  From a government website http://www.ada.gov/t3hilght.htm :
>>> >
>>> > "Safety requirements may be imposed only if they are necessary for
>>> > the safe operation of a place of public accommodation. They must be
>>> > based on actual risks and not on mere speculation, stereotypes, or
>>> > generalizations about individuals with disabilities."
>>> >
>>> > "A public accommodation must make reasonable modifications in its
>>> > policies, practices, and procedures in order to accommodate
>>> > individuals with disabilities."
>>> >
>>> > "A public accommodation must provide auxiliary aids and services when
>>> > they are necessary to ensure effective communication with individuals
>>> > with hearing, vision, or speech impairments.
>>> >
>>> > "Auxiliary aids" include such services or devices as qualified
>>> > interpreters, assistive listening headsets, television captioning and
>>> > decoders, telecommunications devices for deaf persons (TDD's),
>>> > videotext displays, readers, taped texts, brailled materials, and
>>> > large print materials."
>>> >
>>> > "The auxiliary aid requirement is flexible. For example, a brailled
>>> > menu is not required, if waiters are instructed to read the menu to
>>> > blind customers."
>>> >
>>> > Other informative websites:
>>> >
>>> > http://www.pacer.org/publications/adaqa/summer.asp
>>> >
>>> > http://www.acacamps.org/publicpolicy/ada-revisions
>>> >
>>> > Hope this information helps, and GO GET 'EM, Crystal!!!
>>> >
>>> > Carol
>>> >
>>> > Carol Castellano
>>> > Parents of Blind Children-NJ
>>> > Director of Programs
>>> > National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>>> > 973-377-0976
>>> > carol_castellano at verizon.net
>>> > www.blindchildren.org
>>> > www.nfb.org/parents-and-teachers
>>> > At 01:32 PM 3/9/2014, you wrote:
>>> >>I just don't think it is right that they are advertising this camp
>>> >>at his public school and then depending on the type of disability,
>>> >>pick and choose who can attend. Why this camp? Because his Band
>>> >>teacher is teaching at it and many of his classmates will be
>>> >>attending. Everyone is talking about it. The teachers made it a
>>> >>topic at his IEP meeting, so public school is indeed involved in my
>>> >>opinion. How can public school allow advertisement of a private camp
>>> >>that would discriminate against students with disabilities?
>>> >>
>>> >>What are the camps concerns? That he won't be able to navigate the
>>> >>camp, that he won't be able to participate in the recreational
>>> >>activities, and that the camp cannot meet his needs. In my opinion,
>>> >>they are afraid of blindness in general and have little
>>> >>understanding of what it means to be blind. I feel the camp would
>>> >>love for me to go away, that would make it easy for them. I
>>> >>understand that in order to get into the "club" I need to make them
>>> >>feel comfortable and play by their rules. Most importantly, Ben will
>>> >>be paving the way for another blind student in the years to come. As
>>> >>someone once said, it is he opportunity to be equal, and the right
>>> >>to be different. That's what were looking for.
>>> >>
>>> >>Crystal
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> > To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
>>> >> > Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2014 12:35:21 -0400
>>> >> > Subject: Re: [blindkid] Music camp?  Another alternative!
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Eric,
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Or should we go head strong into that camp and change perspectives
>>> >> > and
>>> >> > understandings? Thinking being an activist  for change is a great
>>> >> > thing
>>> >> > for
>>> >> > this young man to champion.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > If he is clear about what he is up against, and he is clear that
>>> >> > there
>>> >> > are
>>> >> > supports in place to at least let him take that chance, pushing the
>>> >> > issue
>>> >> > may be worth it in the end.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>>> >> > Founder and CEO
>>> >> > My Blind Spot, Inc.
>>> >> > 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>>> >> > New York, New York  10004
>>> >> > www.myblindspot.org
>>> >> > PH: 917-553-0347
>>> >> >
>>> >> > "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one
>>> >> > who
>>> >> > is
>>> >> > doing it."
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Like Us on Facebook  LinkedIn  Twitter
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> > -----Original Message-----
>>> >> > From: blindkid [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>> >> > Eric
>>> >> > Calhoun
>>> >> > Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2014 11:30 PM
>>> >> > To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
>>> >> > Subject: [blindkid] Music camp? Another alternative!
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Crystal, Eric, someone who knows Braille Music.  Four words for
>>> >> > this
>>> >> > Music
>>> >> > Camp: Get, out, of, here!  They don't want Ben to be independent,
>>> >> > don't
>>> >> > want him there without a chaperone?  Could we back away from this
>>> >> > camp
>>> >> > altogether?
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Eric
>>> >> > ..
>>> >> >
>>> >> > ..
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Sighted and blind people, Eric from Los Angeles.  Here's where you
>>> >> > can
>>> >> > find me: The all-new Stairs to Heaven Christian Line, 712-432-4808,
>>> >> > Room
>>> >> > 9;
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>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/albert%40myblindspot.o
>>> >> > rg
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> > -----
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>>> >>
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>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>_______________________________________________
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>>> >
>>> >
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>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>>>Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>>>(513) 607-6053
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
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-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053




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