Over 400 architects, designers, advocates and other professionals interested in accessible design attended the Universal Accessibility Conference sponsored by the Access Board and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in Washington, D.C. on June 12 and 13. Attorney General Janet Reno provided the keynote address at the conference. In her introduction, Reno drew heavily upon personal experiences with her mother, who designed the family home in south Florida where Reno grew up. Seeing the house take shape from her mother's plans, she said, inspired her every day and gave her "a very great regard for architects across this land." Despite her love for the house however, Reno remarked, her mother "was in a wheelchair quite often" in the last year or two of her life. Since she hadn't designed the house to be accessible, said Reno, "I cursed it every single day."
"There should be no doubt what's at stake here. It is nothing less than assuring that our nation's future is barrierfree and open to all. ...Universal accessibility is not about special designs to accommodate people with disabilities. It is about designing buildings so that everyone can use them... When buildings are designed from the ground up with universal accessibility in mind, we all benefit in so many ways at such very little cost." The Attorney General also recognized the value of the event as a federalprivate partnership. "This conference," said Reno, "is a fine example of what our nation's disability rights laws are all about. Private parties and government working together to ensure that all Americans, regardless of their disabilities, have full and equal access to all that America has to offer."
Access Board Chairman Patrick D. Cannon agrees. "More than just another conference, this was a truly historic event," said Cannon at the Access Board meeting July 13. " Building on the good will, cooperation and understanding developed in the Board's twoyear ADAAG review effort, the outcomes of this conference will point the way to a future of successful and effective collaboration for the Access Board and professionals throughout our nation." In her remarks, Reno also stressed the Department of Justice's intent to vigorously enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act. "You have an obligation," said Reno to the audience, primarily composed of architects and designers, "to produce designs that provide full and equal access to all." While stressing the administration's commitment to education, technical assistance and negotiation, Reno also made clear that ultimately, the Department of Justice was equally committed to enforcement. "If we have to," said Reno, "and I don't want to, but I am prepared to, we will litigate, and litigate as vigorously as possible."
Source: Access Currents
Christopher Reeve has joined the Board of Directors of the National Organization on Disability and will serve as Vice Chairman. Reeve stated, "I am proud to join the leadership of this fine organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans with disabilities". Like many of America's 49 million persons with disabilities, Christopher Reeve entered the disability community in an instant. Immediately after his catastrophic equestrian accident in May, 1995, he took up the disability cause in a dynamic way," stated Deland.
N.O.D. President, Alan A. Reich commented, "Christopher already has made enormous contributions furthering N.O.D.'s goal of full participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Most notably, he has brought hope to disabled persons worldwide by highlighting and accelerating research in regeneration of the central nervous system. This intensified research toward a cure for spinal cord injury and related disorders promises ultimately to bring millions of people more fully into the mainstream of life. Thanks to Christopher, this research is now attracting greater funding, and more neuroscientists are entering the field." Not long after his accident, Mr. Reeve met with President Clinton at the White House and secured a commitment from the President for an additional $10 million in regeneration research.
Mr. Reeve also has provided leadership on other matters of concern to people with disabilities. In May, 1996, he convinced President Clinton to call for depiction of President Roosevelt's disability in the National Memorial to FDR in Washington, D.C. And, he currently is leading the fight to increase the limit on catastrophic injury health coverage from $1 million to $10 million.
Source: NOD
The President announced on June 12, his intent to nominate Bill Lann Lee to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. Bill Lann Lee of Los Angeles, California, has devoted his career to civil rights law. As a litigator, Mr. Lee is known as a pragmatic attorney and a skilled coalition builder for the past twentythree years, he has worked with a wide variety of organizations and citizens in order to achieve consensus and obtain justice for victims of discrimination.
He has served since 1989 as Western Regional Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). From 19831988, Mr. Lee was Supervising Attorney for Civil Rights Litigation at the Center for Law in the Public Interest in Los Angeles. From 19741982, Mr. Lee was Assistant Counsel at LDF in New York City. Mr. Lee has been active in a wide range of civil rights cases, including employment discrimination, school desegregation, health care accessibility, public transportation equity, and federal financial assistance cases.
Mr. Lee was raised in New York City as the son of Chinese immigrants. His father, who volunteered for the U.S. Army and fought in the Pacific theater, endured bigotry upon his return and taught his children the value of scholarship and opportunity. He attended public schools, won a scholarship to Yale College, graduated with honors, and received a Juris Doctorate degree from Columbia Law School.
Source: U. S. Department of Justice
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The EEOC is the enforcing body for Title I of the ADA. A total of
81,595 charges of discrimination were filed with the Commission as of
3/31/97. 70,140 of these have been resolved with over $150 million in
monetary benefits awarded. The following are recent cases in which
the EEOC has been involved or issued briefs regarding:
EEOC v. Prevo's Family Market, Inc.
The EEOC has recently filed a brief as an appellee in this case
involving HIV discrimination. The defendant in this case (Prevo's Family
Market) has filed an appeal from a final judgment finding by the District
Court of Western Michigan that they violated Title I of the ADA.
In the first hearing, summary judgment was granted and the jury awarded $10,000 in compensatory damages and $45,000 in punitive damages. Also awarded was $9,400 in back pay and an order to reinstate the plaintiff (Sharp) in the first available part-time position and pay him his former wage until he was reinstated.
The issues of the appeal are whether the district court correctly ruled that: Sharp, as a produce clerk, posed a direct threat to the health of his coworkers; the demand for medical examination was not reasonably necessary; and, there was sufficient evidence to support that the defendant acted with reckless indifference to Sharp's federally protected rights.
Sharp voluntarily disclosed that he was HIVpositive to the defendant, but did not ask for any accommodations. This information prompted the employer to transfer Sharp out of produce to work as a receiving clerk in the back of the store. They feared that concern about an HIVpositive person handling fresh produce might keep customers from shopping at the store.
Sharp worked in receiving for only two days. He disliked the position
because of the low level of public contact. After that time he was put on
paid leave. Sharp requested to be returned to produce and accused Prevo's
of discrimination. For the following 10 months they argued over the
provision of medical documentation. During this time Prevo's continued his
medical benefits. When Sharp did not show up for his appointment with an
infectiousdisease specialist and refused to reschedule, Prevo informed
him he was terminated. The district court entered its final judgement on
October 30, 1996. The defendant filed its appeal on December 27, 1996.
Armstrong v. Turner Industries, Ltd.
The EEOC has recently filed a brief as amicus curiae in this case
about who is protected from preemployment offer inquiries about
disability.
In this case, the district court ruled that Mr. Armstrong (plaintiff) was not a qualified individual with a disability and therefore could not assert a violation of the ADA. In this brief, the EEOC seeks to offer its view, which is that "Congress intended to prohibit preemployment medical inquiries of all job applicants without regard to whether they have disabilities, and hence to create a cause of action for violations of that rule." In this case, Armstrong applied for a pipefitter position with Turner Industries. During the application process, he filled out a medical history form and submitted to a physical examination. Turner conducted a background check and was informed that Armstrong may have been exposed to asbestos four years earlier. Turner noted that Armstrong did not mention the asbestos exposure on his medical form and decided not to hire him because it believed he falsified his forms.
In their brief, the EEOC asserts that the plain language of the law absolutely prohibits covered employers from subjecting an applicant, and not just qualified individuals with disabilities, to medical examinations and inquiries before a conditional job offer is extended. They also state that Turner's failure to hire Armstrong was caused by its adverse reaction to his medical information.
Matczak v. Franford Candy & Chocolate Co.
The EEOC has recently filed a brief as amicus curiae in this case
regarding the ADA's definition of disability. The district court in this
case held that the plaintiff was not substantially limited in a major life
activity, even though he has epilepsy and has suffered a seizure that
rendered him unconscious.
The EEOC's brief argues that the district court erred in not finding the condition to meet the definition of a disability due to the following reasons:
The history of the ADA and court decisions under that statute indicate that epilepsy is an impairment that generally will substantially limit one or more of an individual's major life activities;
Eplileptic seizures can and had rendered the plaintiff unconscious, which implicates a number of his major life activities;The fact that the plaintiff may be able to control the onset of seizures through medication should not negate a conclusion that epilepsy is a disabling condition; and The district court concluded that the plaintiff's epilepsy is an impairment of short duration.
New EEOC Guidances
The EEOC has issued the following two new enforcement guidances which
outline their position on issues specific to the interpretation of the
guidelines for Title I of the ADA.
Enforcement Guidance on NonWaivable Employee Rights Under EEOC Enforced Statutes.
Some employers attempt to limit an individual's right to file a charge
or participate in an EEOC proceeding by requiring him or her to sign an
agreement in which s/he relinquishes these statutory rights. Such language
may appear in contracts requiring the use of alternative dispute
resolution procedures (such as mediation or arbitration), waiver
agreements, employee handbooks, employee benefit plans, and "noncompete"
agreements. The EEOC makes their position clear in this guidance that such
promises made not to file a charge or participate in an EEOC proceeding
are null and void as a matter of public policy.
Enforcement Guidance on EEOC & Walters v. Metropolitan Educational Enterprises, Inc.
The Supreme Court held that an employer is defined by whether they have an employment relationship with 15 or more individuals for each working day in 20 or more weeks during the year in question. The Court adopted the EEOC's position that employees should be counted whether or not they are actually performing work for or being paid.
If you are interested in receiving either of the above publications,
you may contact GLDBTAC at 8009494232 or the EEOC Product Distribution
Center at 8006693362. Source: U. S. EEOC.
Shoney's Restaurant to Let Diners with Disabilities Bring in Service
Animals
Under a settlement reached with the U.S. Department of Justice,
Shoney's Inc. will ensure that its 544 restaurants welcome persons with
disabilities accompanied by their service animals.
The settlement resolves a complaint filed by a Charlestown, New Hampshire woman, who is deaf. She alleged that the Shoney's restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by refusing to allow her and her service dog into the restaurant.
Under the agreement, the 544 corporatelyowned restaurants will adopt a new national policy to ensure that people with service animals have access to all Shoney's restaurants. Shoney's also has another 300 franchises. "A service animal is not a pet, and plays an important role in the daytoday life of a person with a disability," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Isabelle Katz Pinzler. "By entering into this agreement, Shoney's is doing its part towards eliminating obstacles for individuals with disabilities."
According to the complaint, the woman was accompanied by her
"hearing" dog, "Gizmo," and several friends when she
was asked by the Huntsville restaurant management for a Department of
Health card for Gizmo. After a lengthy debate, the complainant and her
friends left the restaurant without being served. Source: U.S.
DOJ.
Wisconsin County Agrees to Make Courthouse Accessible
A Wisconsin county will renovate its courthouse and jail facility to
ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the county's law
enforcement services, under an agreement reached with the Justice
Department.
This agreement, reached under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), sets forth steps the county will take to comply with the law. It resolves a complaint which alleged that the Outagamie County's Justice Center, a five story building which houses courtrooms, a jail, the Sheriff's Office and other county services, was inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs.
The Justice Department's investigation revealed that Outagamie County had not prepared a transition plan or selfevaluation report for its Justice Center. As a result of the Justice Department's investigation, the county identified the accessibility problems in the building, and developed a transition plan to correct those problems.
"Today's agreement demonstrates that selfevaluations and
transition plans are not just paperwork, they are essential tools for
state and local gvernments to use to make their programs accessible,"
said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Isabelle Katz
Pinzler.
Two More Counties Enter Into Agreements To Provide Equal
Two More Counties Enter Into Agreements To Provide Equal Access to 911
Services People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech
impairments will be able to communicate effectively with 911 emergency
operators in the Buffalo, New York and Charleston, South Carolina areas,
under agreements settled in June with the Justice Department.
Because 911 services are so critical, the Justice Department has made access to services for users of telecommunications devices for the deaf (TTYs) a high priority. It has implemented a nationwide review program to determine if the services are complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). "Access to emergency services can mean the difference between life and death," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Isabelle Katz Pinzler.
Under these agreements, the counties will ensure that the services provided to individuals who use TDDs are as effective as those provided to others. The Department's nationwide compliance review program has resulted in similar settlements in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Indianapolis, Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Hempstead, New York; Arlington Heights, Illinois and the State of California. In addition, the Department has intervened in a private lawsuit involving the District of Columbia's 911 emergency services provider.
Court Approves Agreement Between Justice Department and South Dakota
Days Inn Hotel
The owners, architect and contractor of the Days Inn hotel in Wall,
South Dakota, will take steps to make the hotel more accessible to guests
with disabilities under an agreement reached with the Justice Department.
The settlement, filed June 5 in U.S. District Court in South Dakota, resolves the February 1996 suit which charged that the hotel had not been built according to architectural guidelines set forth under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This case, filed together with similar suits against four other Days Inn hotels, was the first to be filed by the Justice Department challenging the construction and design of a building built after the landmark disabilities law went into effect.
The five suits alleged Days Inn of America, Inc., its parent company HFS Incorporated and the owners, architects, and contractors of each of five individual hotels in Wall, South Dakota; Willows, California; Champaign, Illinois; Evansville, Indiana and Hazard, Kentucky violated the ADA, which requires parties that "design and construct" new buildings to comply with specific architectural standards ensuring that persons with disabilities can gain access to hotels.
"Parties involved in designing and constructing a building that does not comply with ADA standards for accessibility should only naturally participate in the remedy," said Isabelle Katz Pinzler, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, who applauded the cooperation of the parties agreeing to correct ADA violations at the hotels.
Days Inns of America, Inc. and HFS Incorporated have refused to join in the consent order. That portion of the litigation is ongoing. In addition to the South Dakota agreement, the Justice Department earlier reached agreements to resolve the lawsuits against the owners, architects, and contractors in lawsuits in Willows, California; Champaign, Illinois; and Hazard, Kentucky. Litigation is ongoing in the Evansville, Indiana case.
This agreement stems from an 18month Justice Department investigation of 28 newlybuilt Days Inn hotels which revealed that all 28 hotels failed to comply with the ADA. The Justice Department immediately engaged in settlement negotiations with the parties that designed and constructed the hotels and reached settlements quickly in many cases.
Justice Department Settles with Wisconsin State Patrol
The Wisconsin State Patrol will ensure that members of the public who
are deaf or hard of hearing will be able to communicate effectively during
law enforcement situations, under an agreement reached June 27, 1997 with
the Justice Department.
Under the agreement, the State Patrol will provde qualified sign language interpreters when necessary during enforcement situations, ranging from traffic stops to arrests to criminal interrogations. The agreement stems from a complaint filed under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by a deaf man who alleged that state patrolmen refused to let him communicate during a 1995 traffic stop.
"Every American should be able to communicate with their local police officers," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Isabelle K. Pinzler. "We are pleased that the Wisconsin State Patrol has taken steps to ensure effective communication with individuals who have hearing impairments."
In July 1995, the complainant was detained by police in his car. According to his complaint, the officers initially refused his requests to provide him with a pen and paper to communicate, and would not let him try to use sign language.
The Justice Department's investigation revealed that the State Patrol did not have policies or procedures for dealing with members of the public with hearing impairments in typical police situations.
Justice Department Reaches Agreement To Settle Paramedic's
Discrimination Charge
The metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County will
change its hiring policies after it allegedly discriminated against a
partially deaf paramedic by denying him a job solely based on his
disability, under an agreement with the Justice Department.
The agreement, filed today in U.S. District Court in Nashville, was reached under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It resolves allegations that the Metro Fire Department denied Jeffrey Ola, who is deaf in one ear, a position as a paramedic based on a policy which categorically excluded individuals with certain medical conditions, regardless of their abilities to perform job functions.
"Public servants should be hired based on their qualifications, not on stereotypes," said Isabelle Katz Pinzler, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "Any other policy keeps qualified, talented people out of jobs they deserve."
Ola had been working for several years as an EMTparamedic in nearby Sumner County, where he had performed successfully and experienced no problems due to his hearing. However, according to a complaint lodged with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), in early 1994, his application for a similar position with the Metro Fire Department was refused without regard for his experience or abilities. The refusal was based on a policy which barred any consideration of individuals with hearing disabilities for EMT positions.
After making a finding of discrimination, the EEOC referred the matter to the Justice Department who then entered into negotiations with the metropolitan government.
Two Hotels Agree to Make Their Services Accessible to People Who are
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
A Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles hotel will provide special phones,
flashing smoke and fire alarms and television decoders for closed
captioning for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing, under agreements
reached this July with the Justice Department.
These settlements resolve a complaint filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreements set forth the steps the hotels will take to comply with the law, including providing closed captioning television decoders, telecommunications devices for the deaf (TTY's), and other services.
DOJ and Detroit Lions Reach Seating Agreement
Under an agreement reached July 30, 1997, with the Justice Department,
the Detroit Lions will no longer require proof of disability for the
purchase of wheelchair seating and will provide $75,000 in compensation to
a group of young athletes with disabilities whose civil rights were
allegedly violated when they tried to attend a Lions football game.
This agreement, reached under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), resolves a complaint filed by the parents of children belonging to the TriCity Seals Disabled Sports Team in the Detroit area, which consists of approximately 50 athletes with a variety of disabilities, most of whom are children. The complaint alleged that in September, 1994, the Detroit Lions violated the ADA by charging full price to team members in wheelchairs instead of allowing them to use special $1 tickets they had won through a Lions lottery. The team members were ultimately accommodated.
According to the complaint, when the Detroit Lions organization learned that the children required wheelchair seating locations, the Lions sought to charge those using wheelchairs full price for the seats. The wheelchair locations were apart from the other seats and the children were unable to sit with teammates who did not use wheelchairs. After extensive discussions between parents and the team, the Lions ultimately accommodated the needs of the children, charged them $1, and seated them with their teammates. A subsequent investigation by the Justice Department determined that the Lions required proof of disability for the purchase of wheelchair seating, in violation of the law.
Under the agreement, the Lions will no longer require such proof and
will train their staff about the new policy. The Lions have also agreed to
provide the children's team with more than $75,000 in goods and services,
including 2,000 tickets to a preseason game, valued at $70,000. They
also will offer the TriCity Seals team official NFL clothing,
autographed NFL paraphenalia, and visits to the Lions' locker room and
training camp. The tickets will be sold at a fundraiser benefiting the
TriCity Seals team.
The Justice Department has entered separate agreements to make ticketing
policy of other sports teams comply with the ADA, including the San
Francisco FortyNiners and the San Francisco Giants. The Department also
has provided training to Major League Baseball stadium managers, through
the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, on a variety of
issues, including ticketing policies.
Friendly's to Make Restaurants Accessible
The Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, one of the nation's largest family
restaurant chains, will make its 704 restaurants more accessible to diners
with disabilities under a settlement reached with the Justice Department
this past May.
Under the agreement, Friendly's will embark on a sixyear program to make the chain of 704 restaurants more accessible to individuals with disabilities. In the first year of the program, Friendly's will alter the entrances at 93 restaurants removing steps, widening doorways, and redesigning vestibules to eliminate barriers to wheelchair access. This settlement affects more restaurants than any other agreement the Justice Department has ever reached under the ADA.
Access Board Establishes Reg Neg Committee for Outdoor Developed
Area
On June 4, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance
Board (Access Board) announced its decision to establish a regulatory
negotiation committee to develop a proposed rule on accessibility
guidelines for newly constructed and altered outdoor developed areas
covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural
Barriers Act. The regulatory negotiation committee will be comprised of
organizations who represent the interests affected by the accessibility
guidelines for outdoor developed areas. The first meeting of the
regulatory negotiation committee was scheduled for June 26 and 27, 1997 at
the offices of the Paralyzed Veterans of America in Washington, D.C.
For further information about the committee, contact: Peggy Greenwell,
Office of Technical and Information Services, Architectural and
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., Suite 1000,
Washington, DC, 200041111. Telephone number (202) 2725434 extension 34
(Voice); (202) 2725449 (TTY).
Source: Access Board
Proposed Rule on Play Facilities Approved by the Board
The Access Board approved, without changes, the proposed rule
presented by the Play Facilities Regulatory Negotiation Committee on
Wednesday, July 9. The Board hopes to send the proposed guidelines to the
Office of Management and Budget for review within the month. Following
what could be up to a 90day review, the Board will issue a notice of
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register. A public comment
period of 90 days will follow publication of the NPRM.
Children's Elements: Board Approves Final Rule
On Wednesday, July 9, the Access Board voted to approve a final rule
on accessible elements designed and constructed primarily for use by
children. As a next step, the approved final rule must go to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for a review. OMB has up to 90 days to
complete this review and request changes to the final rule.
There is at least one striking difference between the proposed rule
(published on July 22, 1996) and the final rule as it currently stands.
Most noticeably, the final rule deals with elements designed primarily for
use by children, whereas the proposed rule dealt with facilities designed
primarily for use by children.
This change was made to clarify when and where the provisions of this rule apply. It also provides designers with greater flexibility in designing with children's sizes and capabilities in mind in facilities that are used by both children and adults, such as shopping malls, museums, or restaurants. The final rule will allow exceptions for the mounting height of some elements-such as water closets, sinks, lavatories, or grab bars-that a designer may choose to provide at lower heights to accommodate children's needs.
The Board anticipates publishing the final rule by the end of September 1997. Copies of the final rule will be available free from the Access Board. To place an advance order, call the Access Board's publications line at (800) 8722253 (option 1) and request publication number S30, Children's Elements Final Rule. TTY: (800) 9932253. You may also send an email request to: pubs@accessboard.gov.
The Great Lakes DBTAC does not review the materials in the ADA Resources section for their accuracy. This portion of the newsletter contains new products or services that have been called to our attention. Their inclusion should not be construed as an endorsement.
ADA Compliance Guidebook: A Checklist for Your Building
Published by: BOMA ,Price: $50 list/$30 members Pages: 88. This
book provides guidance on ensuring your facility meets the ADA Title III
requirements. The checklist sections for both public accommodations and
commercial facilities help track compliance efforts. For more information,
contact BOMA at 8004266292.
The ADA Answer Book: Answers to the 146 Most Critical Questions About
the Americans with Disabilties Act, Title III
Published by: BOMA Price: $60 list/$35 members Pages: 82. This
guide provides BOMA's answers to the most critical and most frequently
asked questions about Title III of the ADA. Explains issues addressed in
DOJ letters of interpretation, rulings and Access Board technical
stipulations. For more information, contact BOMA at 8004266292.
ADA Selfstudy by the AIA
Published by: AIA Price: $142. This guide offers a
question and answer approach complete with explanations covering the ADA
and its implications for design professionals. This package also
highlights ADA terminology, concepts and links to World Wide Web sites.
For more information, contact the AIA at 2026267465
The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Practical Guide to its
Understanding and CostEffective Implementation
Published by: American Society of Interior Designers Price: $195 for
ASID members 30 day free trial. A complete home study
program, with an 800 number for questions. This comes with an ADA
Modifications Costing Workbook which details the costs of modifications
and includes a detailed accessibility evaluation survey form. For more
information, call 8009320191.
Common ADA Errors and Omissions in New Construction and Alterations
Published by: U. S. Department of Justice Pages: 13. This
document lists a sampling of common accessibility errors or omissions that
have been identified by the U. S. Department of Justice. For a copy,
contact GLDBTAC at 8009494232 v/tty or the Department of Justice at
8005140301.
The Fair Housing Act Design Manual
Published by: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Price: $10. The Fair Housing Act Design Manual takes you through
all seven federallymandated accessibility design and construction
requirements for multifamily housing. For more information, call the Fair
Housing Information Clearinghouse at 8003433442.
Program Accessibility Fact Sheet
Published by: U. S. Department of Justice Pages: 2. This
fact sheet provides examples and information on the Title II requirement
for Program Accessibility. For a copy, contact GLDBTAC at 8009494232
v/tty or the Department of Justice at 8005140301.
Supported Employment Handbook: A CustomerDriven Approach for Persons
with Significant Disabilities
Published by: Virginia Commonwealth University RRTC Price: $21.95
Pages: 246. This guide was designed as a contemporary training
resource on implementing supported employment using a customerdriven
approach. For more information, call 8048281851 or 8048282193 TTY.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Title III: Public Accommodations
and Commercial Facilities Video
Producer: BOMA Formats: Closed Captioned Length: 60 min. Price: $52
list/ $38 members. This video provides an overview of the scope,
implications and impact of the ADA on building owners and managers,
architects and engineers, consultants and many others in the building
industry. For more information, contact BOMA at 8004266292.
Video Series on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Producer: The Center for Universal Design Formats: Open and Closed
Captioning. Length: @1520 min each Price: $20 each ($150
set) for NonProfit groups $35 each ($260 set) for Businesses. This
nine video series combines live footage with detailed computergenerated
illustrations to explain how people with disabilities use the built
environment and how the Standards provide a framework to design for
accessibility. For more information, contact The Center for Universal
Design at 8006476777.
ADAHelp 4.0
Developer: Keley Computer Software Format: 3.5 IBM Win 3.1, Win
95, or Win NT Price: $142. This Windows program guides you
through over 700 pages of the ADA Handbook. It also contains both text and
graphics for Titles I, II, and III, the ADAAG, Public Law 101336, and
the Technical Assistance Manuals for Titles II and III. For more
information, contact AIA at 2026267465.
BOMA ADA Compliance System
Developer: BOMA Formats: 5.25 IBM, 3.5 IBM, 3.5 MAC Price: Demo Disk
$25. Versions available for single building owner or manager
or for architects, engineers and consultants. These "Systems"
perform and document surveys and reinspections for any number of
facilities or buildings. Special features allow you to assign priority
codes and cost estimates to each compliance element. For more information,
contact BOMA at 8004266292.
Great Lakes ADA Center and Steering Committees Team Up to Provide
Advanced Title I Trainings
The Great Lakes ADA Center will be working with each of the Steering
Committees throughout Region V to provide an advanced training on Title I
of the ADA. Within each of these states, GLDBTAC has established a
steering committee that is comprised of representatives from the business
community, disability community and state/local government entities. These
committees are funded by GLDBTAC to identify local needs within their
state and address them. This Title I training program is designed to
meet the needs of an audience that has a solid understanding of the
employment provisions of the ADA. The tools used in these trainings were
developed by the Training Division of the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Topics addressed will include: ·
Definition of Disability/Regarded As; Determination of Essential Functions;
Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship; DisabilityRelated Questions
and Medical Examinations; Direct Threat; Definition of Disability/Mental
Impairment. This training is based on actual ADA cases received and
litigated by the EEOC since 1992. The format for the training is based on
utilization of case studies for small and large group discussion. The
dates and contact people for the trainings are as follows:
Illinois
Contact: Barb Uniek Great Lakes ADA Center 8009494232 v/tty. Dates: TBA. Location: TBA.
Indiana
Contact: Dawn at 8128556508 or 8128559396 tty. Dates: August 2526, 1997. Location: Indiana Government Center Downtown Indianapolis, IN.
Michigan
Contact: Tom Masseau MI Protection & Advocacy 8002885923 v/tty. Dates: September 45, 1997 & November 34, 1997. Location: Holiday Inn, Farminton Hills, MI & Lansing, MI.
Minnesota
Contact: Dave Larson Metro CIL. 6126032015 v/tty. Dates: September 89, 1997 Location: Ramada Plaza Hotel in West Minneapolis, MN.
Ohio
Contact: Jerry Droll ADA OHIO. 800ADAOHIO. Dates: TBA. Location: TBA.
Wisconsin
Contact: Jerry Vogt Wisconsin ADA Partnership. 6082616311. Dates: September 2930, 1997. Location: Wausau, WI
On June 1, 1997, West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) was awarded a fiveyear grant, renewable annually, to operate the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) for the President's Committee. The grant award for the first year is $897,000. JAN, a tollfree service of the President's Committee, provides technical assistance to employers and employees with disabilities on making job accommodations at the workplace. JAN also provides information on the employment provisions of the ADA.
In addition to answering the tollfree calls, the new grant calls for
the development of a searchable electronic database of disabilityspecific
accommodations. JAN operates from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through
Thursday, and has expanded its hours from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday
(EST). JAN can be contacted at 18005267234 or 1800ADAWORK.
TTY Capable Auto Attendant/Voice Processing System
HITEC Group International and the Ameritech Special Needs Center are
offering an affordable and fully capable auto attendant/voice mail system
with full support for TTY callers. PerfectVoice+TTY provides an inbound
TTY caller the same capabilities as a hearing caller to navigate through
menus to reach the desired person, leave a message, or retrieve available
audiotext information. Instead of hearing a voice delivery of a message,
the TTY caller will receive the same output as a baudot data stream via
their TTY. For information on PerfectVoice+TTY, contact HITEC at 6306549200
or via the internet at http://www.hitec.com.
DREDF Moves
The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. has moved their
office to 1629 K Street NW, Suite 802, Washington, D.C. 20006, 2029860375,
fax 2027757465, email pwright@dredf.org.
NHTSA Seeks Feedback From Disabled Auto Users
The National Highway Safety Administration is responsible for issuing
safety standards for vehicles and automotive equipment. The NHTSA is now
in the process of gathering feedback concerning passenger vehicles that
have been adapted for use by persons with disabilties. If you use such a
vehicle, as a driver or as a passenger, they are interested in your
opinions. Visit their website at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/feedback/ and
select the Adaptive Equipment Questionnaire. This will take some time, but
the information will be kept confidential and will help them serve you
better.
Pacer Center Launches New Web Resources for Families
PACER Center, a nonprofit organization for parents of children and
young adults with disabilities, has added a new feature to its web site.
Families and friends can now use the site to share strategies for helping
people with disabilities find, keep, or improve employment. The new
resource can be found in the Employment Strategies section of the site at
www.pacer.org. This site contains more than 250 individual documents,
including articles, resource directories, legislative updates, and
information on PACER projects and events.
Project ABLE Resume Bank
Project ABLE is a national resume bank which provides employers an easilyaccessible applicant pool of qualified jobready individuals who are ready, willing, and very interested in working. The resume bank operates though the joint efforts of State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Social Security Administration (SSA) and Veterans Affairs (VA). The goal is to provide employers convenient access to quality human resources while providing training and employment services to eligible people with disabilities.
Social Security beneficiaries who wish to enroll should contact their
local VR or VA agency. Counselors will assess them to determine if they
are ready for employment. Employers can access Project ABLE by calling
them at (757) 4413369 or 3362 or EMAIL them at projable@opm.gov.
Cleveland Construction Expo
Showcasing the latest in Commercial & Industrial Construction
Products and Services. January 21& 22, 1998. Cleveland
Convention Center
Other Construction Expos:
Cincinnati, OH December 3 & 4, 1997
Buffalo, NY February 11 & 12, 1998
Indianapolis, IN March 11 & 12, 1998
Call Jim Klaserner at 5135281550 for further information. Be sure to ask about complimentary admission!
Retrofitting for Accessibility
Dates: October 68, 1997 Location: NCA, Bradford Woods,
Martinsville, Indiana. Presented by: National Center on
Accessibility Price: $300 ($100 for prerequisite course). Retrofitting
for Accessibility is designed to educate maintenance professionals,
facility managers, site access coordinators, and planners on the barriers
that can be eliminated to promote full access to recreational facilities
for people with disabilities. Individuals involved in the retrofit review
and approval process will also benefit from the course. Emphasis will
include application of accessibility standards, safety issues associated
with accessibility and ongoing facility maintenance required to assure
access. Participants will learn how to identify barriers and initiate
appropriate solutions for facility renovations beneficial to user groups
of all abilities. There is a prerequisite course on disability awareness
on October 6. For more information, call NCA at 8004241877 v/tty.
Tash Conference "We the People, ALL the People"
Dates: December 1013, 1997 Location: Sheraton Boston, MA.
Presented by: TASH Price: $169 general member. This
conference will provide over 400 sessions and special events including preconference
full day workshops, exhibits, media festival, job fair, child care/youth
activities, and information specific to disabilityrelated issues. The
keynote speakers include David Hingsburger, Shafik Asante, Joyce Buell and
Reed Martin. For more information, check out their website at http://www.tash.org
or call them at 800482TASH.
Universal Design Course
Dates: December 812, 1997 Location: New Orleans. Presented
by: National Center on Accessibility Price: $600. Universal
Design: Methods to Include the Widest Spectrum of Users, People with
Disabilities and Older Adults in Parks, Recreation, and Interpretive
Environments is ideal for designers, architects, engineers, interpretive
specialists, curators and exhibit planners from park, recreation, museum,
outdoor education and historic environments. General sessions will lead
participants through the needs of people with disabilities and the
principles of Universal Design. Participants will have a choice of
attending: an Architectural Track concentrating on interior and outdoor
environment design; or an Interpretive Track focusing on access to
interpretive environments including exhibits, audio visuals, published
materials and communications. For additional information, call NCA at 8004241877
v/tty.
Universal Trail Assessment Process
Dates: October 910 Location: NCA, Bradford Woods, Martinsville, Indiana. Presented by: National Center on Accessibility Price: $125. The Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP), developed by Beneficial Designs, collects and formats data on trail conditions so that potential users can make informed decisions as to whether a particular trail is appropriate to their individual desire for challenge. UTAP has been adopted by several land management agencies as the preferred method for mapping trails. For more information, contact NCA at 8004241877.