Appendix C

Communicating with Persons with Disabilities in a Multimodal Transit Environment: A Synthesis of Transit Practice

Additional Information on Planning and Design and Training

Planning and Design

An important component of the literature on improving communication with persons with disabilities provides detailed information on planning standards, design guidelines, and best principles on how to construct, implement, and operate the various communication methods, techniques, and devices discussed in this document. The detailed design guidelines and standards are not within the scope of this synthesis paper. For reference, the report, Design for All: Ergonomic Guidelines for Information, by Katharine Hunter-Zaworski, and Caroline Bricheux, for the Transportation Research Board (TRB ITS-IDEA Project No. ITS-40, 1997), presents a synthesis of the research that has been done, and delineates guidelines for the improvement of information in transportation vehicles and terminals to enhance accessibility for people who are older or have disabilities. The contents of the report comprise:

Introduction

Chapter 1: System of Information

Chapter 2: Visual Information

Chapter 3: Audible Information

Chapter 4: Tactile Information

See the bibliography for additional reports on design guidelines and standards.

TRAINING

Transit Ambassador Program

The Transit Ambassador Program provided by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) is a customer-service training package designed to give transit employees skills and concepts to improve customer relations significantly and to assist management in developing a strong internal commitment to teamwork and customer service.

The 10 modules of the program include the following topics:

Module #1: Fundamentals

Awareness and understanding the importance of customer service

Professionalism

"Value added" service.

Module #2: Communications

Blocks to effective communication

Reading body language

Interpreting tone

Speaking effectively

Asking questions.

Module #3: "Your Attention Please"

Public announcement skills

Routine, nonroutine, and emergency situations

Using the Landset (microphone).

Module #4: Special Needs

Identifying "cues"

How to offer assistance

Use of diplomacy and intuitive skills.

Module #5: Complaints or Opportunities

Turning complaints into opportunities

Verifying understanding

Providing a resolution

Avoiding future occurrences.

Module #6: Difficult Situations

Passenger rule infractions

Fare and transfer disputes

Active listening

Maintaining safety.

Module #7: Stress

Explanation of stress

How stress affects performance

Recognizing symptoms

Stress-handling techniques.

Module #8: Management Support

Understanding and supporting the values of the Transit Ambassador

Giving recognition

Coaching.

Module #9: Everybody's Business

Teamwork and interdepartmental relations

True customer orientation for all employees

Recognizing other employees as "internal customers."

Module #10: Review

Evaluation of personal skills

Review of what was learned

Renewing commitments.

ADA Stop Announcement Program

Easter Seals Project ACTION developed a stop announcement training program that is documented in the report, ADA Stop Announcement Program, Training Transit Operators and Supervisors on Calling Out Stops (February 1998). The report identifies and describes the essential components for developing and carrying out an ADA stop announcement implementation, as well as a training program for operators and supervisors on calling out major stops.

The training curriculum includes the following four modules:

Module I: The ADA and Calling Out Major Stops as a Civil Right--The objective of this module will be to get operators and supervisors to understand why calling out major stops was declared a civil right in the ADA and why calling out major stops is a mandatory requirement under the ADA Legislation.

Module II: Roadblocks and Obstacles to Calling Out Major Stops--The objective of this module is to enhance operator and supervisor understanding of the real roadblocks and obstacles to calling out major stops. The facilitator will guide operators and supervisors in a free and open discussion on "what is going on" with regard to calling out major stops and what is preventing operators from doing this.

Module III: Simulation Experience of Standing in the Shoes of the Consumer--The objective of this module is to give operators and supervisors an "on the street" experience of the kinds of obstacles and barriers encountered by persons who are blind or visually impaired and other persons with disabilities who are left off at the wrong stop or who are not given the route and destination information requested when boarding.

Module IV: Practice on Calling Out Major Stops--The purpose of this module is to provide operators with experience in the calling out of major stops. In addition, each operator will get feedback on how well they call out major stops from other operators and supervisors.

Serving Passengers with Cognitive Disabilities

A training program for fixed-route bus operators on serving passengers with cognitive disabilities was developed by Easter Seals Project ACTION. The material presented will assist operators in their communication with passen-gers regardless of an individual passenger's type of cognitive disability. The training program includes the following five modules:

Module 1: Attitude and Perception--The objectives of this module include:

Introducing the training program;

Introducing "cognitive disabilities" and personal functions that can be affected by such disabilities;

Identifying and sharing personal attitudes and perceptions regarding people with disabilities; and

Becoming familiar with using "people first" language.

Module 2: Cognitive Disabilities (Part A)--The objectives of this module include:

Learning basic information about mental retardation and autism; and

Learning tips on interacting and communicating in an appropriate, helpful manner to assist passengers with cognitive disabilities.

Module 3: Cognitive Disabilities (Part B)--The objectives of this module include:

Learning basic information about mental illnesses, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy;

Identifying ways of interacting in an appropriate, helpful manner to assist passengers with any type of cognitive disability; and

Learning tips on asking questions.

Module 4: Cognitive Disabilities (Part C)--The objectives of this module include:

Learning basic information about learning disabilities, cognitive disabilities associated with aging and cerebral palsy;

Identifying ways of interacting in an appropriate, helpful manner to assist passengers; and

Becoming aware of the importance of nonverbal communication (body language).

Module 5: Review Session--The objectives of this module include:

Reviewing functional difficulties that may exist for individuals with cognitive disabilities; and

Reviewing key elements in effective interaction and communication.