§ 9420.7 Communications.

(a) The Commission will take appropriate steps to ensure effective communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal entities, and members of the public. (1) The commission will furnish appropriate auxiliary aids when necessary to afford a handicapped person an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity conducted by the Commission. (i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the Commission will give primary consideration to the requests of the handicapped person. (ii) Where the Commission communicates with applicants and beneficiaries by telephone, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDDs) or equally effective telecommunication systems will be used. (b) The Commission will ensure that interested persons, including persons with impaired vision or hearing can obtain information as to the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and facilities. (c) To the extent that the Commission controls signage at its facilities, the Commission will provide signage at a primary entrance to each of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which they can obtain information about accessible facilities. To the extent practicable, the international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary entrance of an accessible facility. (d) The Commission will take appropriate steps to provide handicapped persons with information regarding their section 504 rights under the Commission's programs or activities. (e) This section does not require the Commission to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. The Commission has the burden of proving that compliance with this section would result in such alterations or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the Commission after considering all agency resources available for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action required to comply with this section would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the Commission will take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or such a burden but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, handicapped persons receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.