ADA Frequently Asked Questions
Category: Title III: Places of Public Accommodations
Question: #47
Are Assistive Listening Systems (ALS) required in Assembly Areas?
Answer:
Yes, an assistive listening system (ALS) is required in each assembly area where audible communication is integral to the use of the space (Section 219 of the 2010 ADA Standards).
Section 106.5 Defined Terms:
Each ALS has different advantages and disadvantages that can help determine which system is best for a given application. For example, an FM system may be better than an infrared system in some open-air assemblies since infrared signals are less effective in sunlight. On the other hand, an infrared system is typically a better choice than an FM system where confidential transmission is important because it will be contained within a given space.
The technical standards for assistive listening systems describe minimum performance levels for volume, interference, and distortion. Selecting or specifying an effective assistive listening system for a large or complex venue requires assistance from a professional sound engineer.
Resource(s):
Section 106.5 Defined Terms:
- Assembly Area: A building or facility, or portion thereof, used for the purpose of entertainment, educational or civic gatherings, or similar purposes. For the purposes of these requirements, assembly areas include, but are not limited to, classrooms, lecture halls, courtrooms, public meeting rooms, public hearing rooms, legislative chambers, motion picture houses, auditoria, theaters, playhouses, dinner theaters, concert halls, centers for the performing arts, amphitheaters, arenas, stadiums, grandstands, or convention centers.
- Assistive Listening System (ALS): An amplification system utilizing transmitters, receivers, and coupling devices to bypass the acoustical space between a sound source and a listener by means of induction loop, radio frequency, infrared, or direct-wired equipment.
Each ALS has different advantages and disadvantages that can help determine which system is best for a given application. For example, an FM system may be better than an infrared system in some open-air assemblies since infrared signals are less effective in sunlight. On the other hand, an infrared system is typically a better choice than an FM system where confidential transmission is important because it will be contained within a given space.
The technical standards for assistive listening systems describe minimum performance levels for volume, interference, and distortion. Selecting or specifying an effective assistive listening system for a large or complex venue requires assistance from a professional sound engineer.
Resource(s):
- Great Lakes ADA Center archived webinars:
- US Access Board 1999 Large Area Assistive Listening Systems: Review and Recommendations
