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Quick Reference Guide to Accessible All Candidates Meetings
Budgeting for Assistive Technologies and Services
This guide is intended to provide information on accessibility strategies and budgeting considerations for meeting organizers wishing to make their meeting accessible. It is important to note, however, that the responsibility for ensuring the accessibility of All Candidates meetings, including budgeting costs, lies with the meeting organizers.
Use accessibility as a budget line item when you begin the financial planning for the meeting. Provide enough funds to cover technology and services that will be required at the meeting to make it accessible, such as sign language interpreting, real-time captioning and attendant service. You will need to contact an appropriate supplier to get an actual estimate of the costs. Links to suppliers can be found in the ‘More Information’ section at the end of this document. The following are some general guidelines, based on current market prices at time of publication, which can help you out when determining your budget
Sign Language Interpreting
For sign language interpreting, the cost will be based on how long the service is needed and whether one or more interpreters will be required. Currently, the base rate for interpreting service is $110 per interpreter for up to two hours of service. After that, $55 is charged for every hour or part thereof.
Real-time Captioning
For voice-to-text captioning, also know as real-time captioning or CART, the cost will be based on how long the service is needed and whether one or more captioners will be required. Generally speaking, one CART provider can write for a 6-hour day with appropriate breaks.
Currently, while the rates for captioning vary depending on the skill set of the captioner and meeting content, rates begin at $125 per hour per captioner and usually require a 4-hour minimum, which includes a three hour minimum for the actual voice-to-text CART service and one hour of preparation before the meeting. After that, the rate is charged for every hour or part thereof. Rough draft transcripts may be available after the meeting, but there may be additional charges for this service.
Attendant Services
The costs for attendant services vary depending on which service provider is used, how long the service is needed and whether one or more attendants will be required. For public meetings, providing at least one male and one female attendant is recommended. Currently, the base rate for attendant services is $30.00 per hour per attendant.
Sample Budget
Based on the requirements for sign language interpreting, captioning and attendant services as outlined above, the base cost for a typical two hour meeting would breakdown as follows:
Sign Language Interpreting – 2 interpreters at $110.00 (2 hours each) $220.00
Real-time Captioning – 1 captioner at $125.00 (four hour minimum) $500.00
Attendant Services – 2 attendants at $30.00 (2 hours each) $120.00
Sub Total $840.00
Additional expenses may be incurred, depending on the number of assistive listening devices that may need to be rented and whether any print materials will need to be made available in alternative formats such as Braille and large print. As the candidates will be responsible for supplying their own campaign literature in alternative formats, it is unlikely there will be additional print information for distribution by the meeting organizers. The costs for providing an accessible meeting can be shared among the participating campaign teams.