APA booklet demystifies the ADA for psychologists

By Anju Khubchandani

Are you adhering to the rules set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

Do you even know what they are?

According to the APA?s Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology (CDIP), a surprising number of psychologists aren?t?and don?t. And not following the ADA?s guidelines can hurt patients, undermine a practitioner?s business and could cause serious liability problems for psychologists.

'Many psychologists continue to practice in physically inaccessible locations, do not use telecommunications devices for the deaf or telephone-relay services, and are unaware of community resources available for themselves and their clients with disabilities,' says Laurie Powers, PhD, CDIP member and professor at the Center on Self-Determination at the Oregon Health Sciences University.

Psychologists who fail to meet ADA standards can be sued by various agencies that enforce the law, including the U.S. Department of Justice.

Help from APA

An APA booklet on the ADA provides a succinct outline of how to comply with the law, whether psychologists are in teaching, private practice or research. The booklet was developed by CDIP.

Some of the most frequently asked questions are given below followed by suggestions for compliance.

As a professor of psychology, how can I make sure that my lab or classroom is accessible to people with mobility disabilities?

Mobility impairments vary greatly, yet there are many ways to provide accommodations. Talk with the student about individual need and accommodation. Make sure that the class?s laboratory is accessible to people who use wheelchairs.

In addition, the following tips can help:

? In the classroom, recognize that writing by hand may be difficult for students with mobility impairments. Allow them to use a tape recorder or make sure the student has arranged for a note taker, if necessary.

? In the laboratory, some helpful adaptations include having the aisle width be 42 inches to 48 inches to allow easy wheelchair maneuverability; installing controls for safety and utility equipment that are easy to reach and to use; having work surfaces no higher than 30 inches from the floor; and clearing spaces under work surfaces to allow sufficient room for a wheelchair.

How can I make the materials I use in instruction accessible to people with learning, visual or hearing disabilities?

Give students detailed course syllabi and make them available before classes start. Announce reading assignments well in advance for students who use taped materials or readers. Frequently verbalize what is being written on the board. Provide study questions for exams that demonstrate the format as well as the content of the test. Provide alternative formats for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (i.e., close captioning, sign language interpreters). Finally, offer as many sense modalities as possible: visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic.

As a practitioner, what can I do to make my services more accessible to persons with disabilities?

ADA Title III?s major impact on the practice of psychology is in the area of office accessibility. And since many psychologists lease office space, landlords will probably bear the burden of removing structural and communication barriers in common areas.

Therefore, in negotiating leases psychologists should be ready to address the issue of who is responsible for what under the ADA.

Modifications that would probably be 'readily achievable' in most cases include installing ramps and rearranging furniture to accommodate wheelchairs and installing bars in bathrooms.

Consulting experts with disabilities, groups that represent consumers with disabilities and experts on regulations, resources and pragmatic accommodation strategies can also greatly enhance accessibility efforts.

Remember that 'barrier free' is about attitude as well as physical accessibility. The therapist?s attitude can also be a barrier to the efficient delivery of services. 'Nondisabled psychologists must not jump conclusions about a disability?s psychological impact on a client,' says Rochelle Balter, PhD, a private clinician in New York City and former CDIP chair.

'Don?t assume that the disability is the problem unless you know the client very, very well or they tell you it is. Many psychologists misdiagnose people with disabilities as being depressed because of their own negative feelings toward disability,' Balter says.

Anju Khubchandani is the disabilities officer for APA?s Public Interest Directorate.

Further resources

For APA?s booklet on the ADA and more information on CDIP, call APA?s Office on Disability Issues in Psychology at (202) 336-6038.

Additional information on the ADA is also available from the U.S. Department of Justice at (202) 514-0301 or (202) 514-0381 (TDD); the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board at (800) USA-ABLE (Voice/TDD); and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at (800) 669-3362 or (800) 872-3362 (TDD).