Accessibility and language inclusion
Event hearing support requirements
A delegate has asked for hearing support, and the AV brief, the seating plan and the speaker briefing all need to reflect it.
Opens WhatsApp with a draft you can edit before sending. Nothing is sent automatically.
The short answer
Hearing support requirements are a list of the supports delegates have asked for, matched to questions for the venue, the AV supplier and a qualified access adviser. Typical items include sound reinforcement, assistive listening options, seating position, live captions and speaker habits.
You do not decide which solution suits a person. You gather requests, ask what the venue and supplier can provide, and confirm back with the delegate.
Collect requests without profiling anyone
Use one optional question on registration: is there any support that would help you follow the sessions? Add a named contact and a reply date, and record answers as support categories, not as health information.
Where a delegate gives a preference, such as a seat near the front or captions, note the preference and who agreed to it.
From request to question
| Support asked for | Question to ask | Ask whom |
|---|---|---|
| Clearer sound | What sound reinforcement is installed in each room, and who can check coverage in the seats? | Venue and AV supplier |
| Assistive listening | What assistive listening options can be provided and how are they issued and returned? | AV supplier |
| Seat position | Which seats can be reserved, and how is the reservation shown without labelling the person? | Organiser and venue |
| Captions | Can live captions be provided in the room and online? See the live captioning brief. | Organiser and caption provider |
| Speaker practice | How are speakers briefed to face the audience, use the microphone and repeat questions? | Moderator and speaker briefing |
| Interpretation | If interpreters are used, how are sound feeds and sightlines arranged? See interpretation modes. | AV supplier |
Sequence
- Open the optional question at registration and set a reply date well before the AV brief is frozen.
- Group requests by room and session so the AV supplier sees what is needed where.
- Send the questions to the venue and AV supplier; ask a qualified access adviser to review where the set-up is complex.
- Confirm back to each delegate what will be provided, or what alternative is offered.
- Add the confirmed items to the AV run sheet and brief the technician and moderators.
Things to settle in writing
- Who is on site to fix a sound or equipment problem during sessions, and how a delegate reaches them.
- Whether assistive items are checked before each session.
- What happens if equipment fails mid-session, and who decides on a pause.
- Who sees the request, so it does not travel beyond those who need to act.
Worked example · Fictional example
Hearing support planning for a two-track forum
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
A fictional logistics association runs two tracks for about 220 delegates. Three registrants tick the optional support question: two ask for captions and one for a seat near the front.
The secretariat sends the AV supplier a table of rooms, sessions and support types, asks the venue about sound coverage, and confirms each request with the delegate. The run sheet lists a technician for each room and a pre-session check.
Use this yourself
Hearing support requirements register
Copy this table. Record support categories only, and who confirmed what.
| Room and session | Support requested | Question sent to | Answer and date | Confirmed back to delegate | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main hall, opening plenary | Seat near front | Venue | |||
| Main hall, all day | Live captions | Caption provider | |||
| Breakout A | Assistive listening | AV supplier | |||
| All rooms | Speaker briefing: face audience, repeat questions | Moderators |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Few requests and one or two rooms with a responsive AV supplier.
- The venue has documented sound support and a technician on site.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several rooms, hybrid delivery or interpretation make sound and caption feeds interact.
- You need a qualified access adviser to review the set-up.
- Requests arrive late and need coordinating across venue, AV and moderators.
Want hearing support folded into your AV plan?
An Event Blueprint can bring the support requests, the AV and venue questions, the caption and interpretation interfaces, and the run sheet entries into one plan with named owners. Send your programme outline and room list.
Questions organisers ask
Can we recommend a specific device to a delegate?
Offer what the venue and supplier can provide and ask the delegate what works for them. Do not prescribe a solution.
How do we collect requests privately?
Use an optional registration question with a named contact and record support categories only, not health details.
What if a request arrives on the day?
Have a named person and a short list of options ready, such as seat changes and speaker reminders, and log the request and outcome.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.