[DeafDeaf]

It was shocked to read an article found on The Villages Homeowners Association Voice, September 2011, page 9 "Recreation Department seeks National Accreditation."

I am Deaf and live in The Villages, Florida since 2007. I am frustrated not being able to participate in any of 1800 programs the Villages Recreation Department offers to us, the Villagers, because I cannot understand the instructor or speaker without the interpreter for the deaf. This recreation department still refuses our requests for sign language interpreters many times - thus creating barriers for all the Deaf persons living at The Villages. There are times, when this issue was brought up about making programs accessible for the Deaf as defined by Americans with Disability Act (ADA), The Villages have not or refused to address them for those non-governmental programs on their own premises. They claim that their premises are physically accessible, but not communication accessible for the Villagers with hearing loss and those whose hearing ability is reduced due to age. I wrote to the National Parks and Recreation Association, that unless, The Villages Recreation Department reconsider on making its programs accessible for the Deaf, they should turn down TVRD's application to become one of the qualifying applicants for the Agency Accreditation