Ensuring Accessibility for Visually Impaired Mortgage Applicants
Question
The mortgage lending department of Bank XYZ received some inquiries from potential applicants who are visually impaired. The bank would like to comply with
ADA concerning these potential applicants, but it does not want to spend a significant amount of money. Which of the following statements is true?
Answers
Explanations
Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer
A. B. C. D.B
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires financial institutions to provide equal access and accommodation to people with disabilities. In this case, the Bank XYZ has received inquiries from visually impaired potential applicants and would like to comply with the ADA without spending a significant amount of money.
Option A, which states that the bank must have its loan application and disclosures translated into Braille, is not entirely accurate. While Braille translations are an option, the ADA requires financial institutions to provide "effective communication" with people with disabilities. Effective communication means that the communication must be as equally effective as communication with non-disabled individuals. Therefore, if the potential applicants can communicate using Braille, the bank may need to provide Braille translations. However, if the potential applicants communicate in other ways, such as through screen readers or with the help of a sign language interpreter, the bank may need to provide those accommodations instead.
Option B, which states that the bank may have a loan assistant read each loan application and disclosure document to the applicant and assist in completion of the forms, is a viable option. The ADA requires financial institutions to provide reasonable accommodations, and having a loan assistant read the documents to the applicant and assist with the forms is a reasonable accommodation.
Option C, which suggests that the bank may require the applicant to bring a sighted friend or relative to the bank to assist in completing the application, is not a reasonable option. The ADA requires financial institutions to provide accommodations to people with disabilities and not to rely on the assistance of a third party.
Option D, which suggests that the bank may make a policy not to lend money to blind persons, is not an option. Such a policy would be discriminatory and a violation of the ADA.
In conclusion, Option B is the most appropriate option for Bank XYZ. The bank may have a loan assistant read each loan application and disclosure document to the applicant and assist in completion of the forms, which is a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.
