NAD Files Complaint Against Conference That Refused To Provide Interpreters

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a disability discrimination complaint against Future Horizons, Inc., which held an Autism Conference on October 21, 2005. The complaint, filed with the United States Department of Justice, claims that Future Horizons refused to provide sign language interpreters for deaf or hard of hearing people to attend a conference about autism.

Future Horizons held an “Autism Super Conference,” in Wichita, Kansas, to help educate people about autism. Conference presenters included several leading experts in the field. The Future Horizons conference brochure/pamphlet said “we do not provide a sign interpreter.” This policy is a per se violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The NAD asked that the Department of Justice find that Future Horizons discriminated against deaf or hard of hearing individuals on the basis of disability in violation of Title III of the ADA. The NAD also asked the Department to mandate that Future Horizons provide qualified sign language interpreters at all Future Horizons conferences and public events in the future in accordance with the ADA.