Welcome to the Accommodations Series, where we have been discussing the different forms that accommodations can take across a variety of settings. 

In Part 1, we discussed accommodations at a K-12 school level and moved on to postsecondary education in Part 2. In Part 3, we honed in on accommodations in the workplace, and today we are rounding out the series by talking about accommodations in the community. 

Like all of the other settings in which we receive accommodations, the reasons we might seek accommodations in the community do share some overlap with the reasons we might seek them at school or at work. But like all those other settings, the process of actually securing those needed accommodations has its own wrinkles when it comes to community spaces.

In particular, while our school or place of work might represent a static space where we can work on securing accommodations with a sense of consistency, the community represents a wide umbrella of spaces and it may be a struggle to prepare ahead of time for always having the accommodation we need exactly when we need it. 

Despite that, securing accommodations can be more complicated in a community setting, they are still an essential component of community living for many Autistic people. The way we approach securing those accommodations might require more planning. So let’s take a closer look at some of the forms accommodations can take across different community settings.

As we have noted elsewhere in this series, accessing a space is as much about being able to function within that space as it is about being able to physically reach it. 

Some spaces can be especially crowded, or have very harsh lighting or intense smells, or might simply be too loud to navigate without some help! This is an area where the “reasonable” part of the term “reasonable accommodations” really stands out, as there is often a reasonable solution to many accessibility challenges, even if the most obvious solution isn’t necessarily possible. 

A great example is the mall, which can be overcrowded and overwhelming during busy hours. We can’t expect the mall to be less busy on a Saturday afternoon, but we can talk to mall staff about a quieter time to come visit and work that into our schedule. 

Some other examples of accommodations, depending on the space, might include:

• Being allowed to use sensory-dampening items such as sunglasses or headphones

• Coordinating a restaurant reservation for a quiet time of day

• Coordinating a special time to visit a space with lower lighting

• Helping to identify a suitable nearby decompression space if needed

• An alert to employees in that space to use a specific mode of communication for you

As great as it can be to exist out in the community and simply enjoy the space we are in, the fact of the matter is that we are often in a community space because there is something specific we want to do! 

Whether it’s grocery shopping, going to the doctor, or eating at a restaurant, our trip into the community will likely involve completing some necessary tasks to get the things we want. And with the sheer volume and variety of tasks that are out there in the community there also comes a variety of challenges that might be helped by some form of accommodation. 

What do we do if we struggle with figuring out what to buy at the grocery store? Or knowing what to ask at the doctor’s office? Or making sure we get a meal we can actually eat?

• A shopping assistant to help sort through all the options

• Assistance with practicing a necessary procedure, such as depositing money or ordering from a menu

• Communication boards specific to certain spaces

• Coordinating what a visit will look like ahead of time

• Direct assistance with completing certain components of a given task

Transportation is at the heart of our community experience, often dictating what parts of our community we have access to and when. 

An easy, convenient transportation system can make an enormous difference in a person’s life, and accommodations are an important component of whether a given transportation system is easy and convenient for everyone. 

Accommodations related to transportation or a given transportation option might include training to practice using a specific route, special assistance from employees, or alternative modes of transportation when reasonable accommodations in a primary mode of transportation are not possible. 

Some examples of accommodations might include:

• A quiet car on a train

• A special rideshare program offered by a local transit authority for people who cannot use the bus

• Coordinating with the regular bus drivers on a route to offer specialized assistance when needed

• Reserving a specific seat at a certain time

• Allowing specific sensory accommodations such as headphones and sunglasses

The sheer volume of spaces out in the community means that there is no end to the variety of what we can do in our community spaces, and no telling exactly what accommodations a given person might need in a given situation. We hope this post has offered a baseline of what some of those accommodations might look like and spurred some thinking as to what accommodations you or a person you are supporting might need would look like in the settings most important to you. In the meantime, if you wish to share your experience seeking out accommodations, then we would love to hear from you! Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com and let us know what’s on your mind.