We know you want to abide by accessibility requirements to ensure your visitors have a comfortable check-in experience. While each company is different and we encourage you to view documentation related to your country’s accessibility laws, we can provide starting points to help ensure that your check-in process remains accessible to the people your team sees.
Accessibility standards when it comes to physical kiosk accessibility are varied. We recommend keeping the following in mind while assembling your kiosk, stands, or other hardware you may be using. The Receptionist is a US-based company; while these suggestions are widely operable, they will focus on requirements particular to the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the ADA.
If your visitors can access an unobstructed kiosk, the maximum height of the touch screen is 48 inches, and the minimum height is 15 inches. Our floor stands fit these requirements, but if you purchase a wall mount, it will be up to your team to ensure it is mounted at an appropriate height.
If there is an obstruction in front of a kiosk, like a desk, and the depth of the obstruction is 20 inches or less, the maximum height of the touch screen is 48 inches. The obstruction must not block the floor at an equal or greater depth than the obstruction.
If the obstruction’s depth is more than 20 inches, the maximum height of the touch screen is 44 inches, and the full depth of the obstruction is 25 inches. Again, the floor must be clear at a greater or equal depth.
If a kiosk is instead accessible via reaching the side and the side reach is unobstructed, the maximum height of the touch screen is 48 inches, and the minimum height is 15 inches.
If there is an obstruction of fewer than 10 inches in depth, the maximum height of the obstruction is 34 inches, and the maximum height of the touch screen is 48 inches.
If the obstruction depth exceeds 10 inches, the maximum depth of the obstruction is 24 inches, the maximum height of the obstruction is 34 inches, and the maximum height of the touchscreen is 46 inches.
Suppose your kiosk is wall-mounted with nothing below it to ensure that someone with visual impairments navigating with a cane would be aware of its presence. In that case, it can have a maximum depth of 4 inches from the wall, a minimum height of 27 inches, and a maximum height of 80 inches.
The company must also provide adequate floor space around the kiosk for visitors who use mobility aids, such as wheelchairs or canes.
There are further rules regarding peripherals, such as printers if your company is using badge-printing devices. The lowest allowable height of that peripheral is 15 inches.
The Receptionist app runs well in the iPad’s accessibility mode; this includes features such as voiceovers for visually impaired visitors. We recommend having an employee to assist with check-in in case questions arise and switching the accessibility mode on and off. You may want to use two iPads (one in accessibility mode and one out of it) for ease.
For more information on accessibility when using check-in kiosks, please consider referencing this document from the Kiosk Group and this document from ADA.gov.
Please note that, while we do our best to provide up-to-date and accurate information, it is the reader's responsibility to ensure full compliance with ADA regulations.