If you are deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing, you must advocate for your communication needs. 
When you advocate for your needs, you are taking charge of your life! You are empowering yourself by expressing your communication needs and what works best for you.
To be successful you will need to:
Some helpful tips for requesting accommodations:
We've created a sample advocacy letter you could use.
NAD’s website also offers sample advocacy letters that can support your communication access request. NAD's advocacy letters should be used as supporting documents; you should still write your own request for accommodations.
Accommodations at work help everyone fully participate and communicate effectively. They are not just for the person who is deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing; everyone benefits from what is possible with full accessibility!
What to include in your request:
Assistive listening devices may help a person with hearing loss to hear and understand what is being said more clearly. These devices amplify the sound and reduce background noise. Devices can be used with or without hearing aids or cochlear implants.
There are four types of assistive listening devices:
To learn more about assistive listening devices you can visit our Assistive Listening Devices webpage.
You can also visit National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders' Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders webpage.
Real-time captioning (also known as Communication Access Realtime Translation or CART) can provide access in many settings. Real-time captioning is a reasonable accommodation under the American with Disabilities Act. Trained, certified professionals use stenography to turn spoken words into text. The captions appear on a laptop or tablet supplied by the business or entity. Captions can be shown on a screen for groups or large audiences to read. The text size and color can be changed to meet a person’s specific needs.
Learn more about Real-time captioning.
Sign language interpreters are an accommodation under American with Disabilities Act. American Sign Language interpreters help people who use American Sign Language (ASL) and people who use spoken English communicate. Certified ASL interpreters have passed a skills test. They can interpret in most general settings. They must also follow a code of professional conduct that says they will act ethically, interpret information accurately and keep information private. Some interpreters have extra skills and training and specialize in different settings.
Learn more about Interpreting Services.
Federal and state laws protect your right to communication access. These laws say that governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations must provide access to people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. The access they provide must meet the person’s needs and how they communicate. It is important to understand these rights and where they apply.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law passed in 1990. It protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination. It ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. It also protects people with disabilities from retaliation.
The ADA is divided into five parts, called titles. Each title focuses on a different area of life where discrimination might occur. Here's what each title covers in plain language.
What it covers: Prevents discrimination against employees with disabilities in the workplace.
Key points: Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, if it doesn’t cause undue hardship to the business.
What it covers: Protects people with disabilities from discrimination by state and local government services.
Key points: Public services (like schools, public transportation, and government buildings) must be accessible to people with disabilities.
What it covers: Access to private businesses (like restaurants, hotels, and theaters) for people with disabilities.
Key points: Businesses must remove barriers that prevent access to their services, whether it's physical access (like ramps) or other types of access, like communication.
What it covers: Access to the phone for people with hearing, physical or speech disabilities.
Key points: Requires phone companies to provide relay services so people with hearing or speech disabilities can communicate by phone.
What it covers: Rules that apply to all ADA titles, including that businesses can’t retaliate against people who assert their rights under the ADA.
Key points: Covers things like technical assistance and enforcement. It also says that the ADA cannot be used as an excuse to not follow other laws.
The Minnesota Human Rights Act says that organizations that provide employment, housing, public accommodations, public services and education cannot discriminate against people based on their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability or age. This law requires public places, including clinics and hospitals, to make sure their services are accessible to people who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, and late deafened.
Learn more about your rights under the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
Read the Minnesota Human Rights Act Statute 363A .
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination in employment, education and services that receive federal funding. The goal is to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to education, employment, and services funded by the government.
What it covers: This law stops discrimination against people with disabilities in federal government jobs.
Key points: Federal agencies must hire and promote qualified people with disabilities and provide reasonable accommodations when needed.
What it covers: This law says companies that work with the government must try to hire people with disabilities.
Key points: Businesses that have contracts with the government must try to hire people with disabilities.
What it covers: This law stops discrimination against people with disabilities in programs or activities that get federal money (like schools, hospitals, and social services).
Key points: These programs must provide equal access and accommodations for people with disabilities.
What it covers: This law makes sure federal agencies make their websites and software accessible to people with disabilities.
Key points: People with disabilities must be able to use government websites and digital tools.
Please contact us if you have questions or need support with communication access and self-advocacy.
