hearing-impaired tour participants
 

Hi all,

Have any tour operators out there accommodated hearing-impaired tour participants? If so, how did you handle it?

We have a request from a hearing-impaired person to do our tour. Per ADA regulations, we must accommodate the person and we're looking forward to doing so. But training could be a bit of a challenge - let alone communicating the tour content. We're planning on employing a sign language interpreter for and modifying the way we do the tour.

It should work out OK, but I'm curious how others have dealt with the situation and how it turned out.

Thanks

Hi Bob,

We do not let anyone go on a tour who fails to demonstrate an ability to safely participate. Disability or not, that's the policy for everyone.

We had a group of deaf adults (and one sign language interpreter) ask to take our tour and that's what I told them. I explained that it is mandatory that the staff be able to quickly and effectively communicate sudden safety issues (e.g., traffic, road hazards, etc.) or to correct a rider who is having problems (e.g., the speed limiter). We simply can't rely on the fact that an interpreter will be in the right place (i.e., visible to every rider at every moment) and will be able to relay that information in a timely and effective manner while the group was moving -- to say nothing of the risks to the interpreter who would have to turn to face the other riders and remove her own hands from the handlebar in order to communicate with them. I politely explained to the group leader that they would be unable to safely participate. She was disappointed but understood my reasoning.

Again, these customers were deaf. We _have_ taken "hearing impaired" (but not deaf) customers on tours if we were able to adequately address the safety issues through volume control, special earphones (e.g., over hearing aids), or external speakers. It depends on the exact nature of their disability.

Others here are much more educated about the ADA but I can't imagine that it would require me to "accommodate" customers to point of putting their safety at risk. And, frankly, if it did then I still wouldn't do it.

[After a few minutes of research, I believe that our policies are well within the safety exceptions of the ADA, as well as the limits to "reasonable accommodation," and the protection against fundamentally altering the nature of our service as outlined here: http://www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm#Anchor-Public-49575 ].

Last year I turned away a group of 20 Japanese tourists (only one of whom spoke English) because of similar safety concerns.

Thanks
 

Hi Bob,

Thanks. Good info. Somehow the section on safety factors didn't register when I read it. That does change things. But I still might take on the challenge at some point - after a good bit of thought and preparation. Having that capability may be a useful marketing advantage. :)

Thanks again.

We have found great success in taking those out who lack the ability to speak or understand the english language or who are unfortunately deaf and/or mute. We find that they have a better ability to focus on how the segway works as opposed to those that listen to a guide/instructor speak or video. It has been a great surprise and we have been able to communicate with all of them very very well about warnings and ride instruction. We also allocate more time for these individuals to practice and to understand our visual advisements when out on the road, street, promenade, bike lane, etc.

It's also worth noting most of these folks have few or no translators. Good luck to all with this type of arrangement, it's never easy but we fortunately have found great success over the years.