National Association of the Deaf
NAD Settles Ellis Island Complaint
A News Release from the National Association of the Deaf
Release Date: October 31, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Anita B. Farb
Director, Outreach and Communications
National Association of the Deaf
Email: [email protected]
NAD Settles Ellis Island Complaints
Silver Spring, MD –
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is pleased to announce settlement of a complaint against Ellis Island. In 2004, the NAD Law and Advocacy Center filed a disability discrimination complaint with the United States Department of the Interior (DOI), after the DOI refused to provide interpreter services to ensure effective communication for approximately 40 deaf and hard of hearing individuals planning to tour Ellis Island.
The Senior Deaf Group of the Northwest Bergen Senior Activity Center in Midland Park, New Jersey planned the tour. The driving forces behind this complaint were Ms. Rose Pizzo, a deaf individual and a member of the Senior Deaf Group, as well as the Senior Deaf Group itself. This discrimination complaint followed numerous, unsuccessful efforts by Ms. Pizzo and the Senior Deaf Group to secure sign language interpreters for their planned visit to the historic national site.
Although many aspects of their tour would require interpreters to ensure equal access and participation by deaf and hard of hearing individuals, the staff of Ellis Island told the seniors they could just read the descriptions on the walls of the exhibits. Ms. Pizzo did not accept this suggestion from the staff because, “It made me mad when Ellis Island refused to provide interpreters. Many of our immigrant parents came to America and went through Ellis Island. I knew the rangers had lots of information to share and they offered tours.”
The DOI has an obligation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 and the federal regulations implementing Section 504, to provide appropriate auxiliary aids, including sign language interpreters, when necessary for effective communication. Ellis Island nonetheless refused to provide and pay for the interpreter services necessary to accommodate the needs of Ms. Pizzo and the other Senior Deaf Group members. The forty seniors went to Ellis Island and paid the interpreters out of the group’s funds. “We learned so much from the rangers in their talks with our interpreters. Without the interpreters, we would have learned nothing,” reflects Ms. Pizzo.
As a result of the settlement agreement with NAD, Ellis Island recently reimbursed the group for the interpreter services. Ellis Island also agreed to comply with policies and procedures to ensure that free interpreter services and other auxiliary aids will be available to deaf and hard of hearing visitors in the future.
“Because of these remarkable efforts, the Senior Deaf Group has opened the doors of Ellis Island to deaf and hard of hearing people who are now welcome to visit and fully enjoy this famous national site, ” said NAD Attorney Marc Charmatz. “Furthermore, the Senior Deaf Group’s efforts go beyond their success at Ellis Island and will ensure that deaf and hard of hearing have equal access to all historic national sites in the future.”
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About the NAD
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), founded in 1880, safeguards the civil rights of deaf and hard of hearing Americans. As a national federation of individual members, state associations, organizational and corporate affiliates, the advocacy work of the NAD encompasses a broad spectrum of areas including, but not limited to, accessibility, education, employment, healthcare, mental health, rehabilitation, technology, telecommunications, and transportation. The NAD website (http://www.nad.org (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?ID=M721168314672781237168065)) has a wealth of advocacy information and resources.
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