Universal Design: Why Policy Matters? William Peterson, M.S. Director, Section 508 PMO Department of Homeland Security

WWI Only 10% of severely wounded soldiers survived first year

WWII More than 300,000 U.S. soldiers wounded Roughly 80% of severely wounded soldiers survived first year Improved medical treatment Antibiotics

Korean War Roughly 100,000 U.S. soldiers wounded

Viet Nam War Over 300,000 U.S. soldiers wounded

Polio epidemic (early 1950s) One of the most dreaded diseases of 20 th century Infected more than 20,000 people/year Many became paralyzed for life

Disabled Survivors (thousands)

Soldiers Rehabilitation Act (1918) – Focused on disability & rehabilitation for soldiers Smith-Fess Vocational Rehabilitation Act (1920) – First legislation to focus on disabled workers – Amended in 1943, 1954, 1965

Mary E. Switzer ( ) Director of OVR (1950) – Became the driving force in broadening federal and state disability programs – By 1955 every state, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands had VR programs – Encouraged PWD to become self-sufficient and involved in planning programs affecting their lives – $300 million budget in 1950 – $6 billion budget in 1969

Social Changes of 60’s & 70’s Minority groups were demanding change Americans with disabilities started to realize they too were dealing with some of the same prejudices and stereotypes that other minority groups were experiencing and so they too began demanding change

Civil Rights Act (1964) Prohibited discrimination based on race, color, or national origin Guaranteed all Americans the right to vote, the right to equal employment, and the right to access public accommodations Served as basis for future civil rights legislation

Three Important Concepts Emerged Program Accessibility Independent Living Mainstreaming

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Built on Civil Rights Act Provided first statutory definition of discrimination towards PWD Shifted emphasis of disability away from a social service perspective to one that includes politics and civil rights Introduced concept of program accessibility Provided funding for RECs Survived two presidential vetoes

Centers for Independent Living Philosophy: All PWDs have a right to live in the same manner as their non- disabled peers First CIL opened in : Funding made available (Rehab Act) for consumer-controlled CILs By 1985, almost 300 CILs operating in every state

Educational Mainstreaming Education for Handicapped Children Act of 1975 – Mandated free and appropriate public education for CWD – Introduced concept of mainstreaming

The Built Environment

1958 The President’s Committee On Employment of The Physically Handicapped National Easter Seal Society American National Standards Institute

1961 “Making Buildings Accessible to and Usable by the Physically Handicapped” (A117-1) – Eight page document – First scientifically developed guidelines on accessibility in the world – Defined minimum features required to remove major barriers to buildings – Acceptance was voluntary/not enforceable unless adopted by states/local governments – By 1966 – all but one state had passed some form of accessibility legislation

1968 Architectural Barriers Act Mandated that all buildings and facilities designed, constructed, altered, or leased with federal dollars must be fully accessible to PWDs There were no federal accessibility guidelines Compliance was sluggish

1973 Access Board Created under Section 502 of Rehabilitation Act Made up of both public and federal members Initial mandate: – Ensure federal compliance with the Architectural Barriers Act – Propose solutions to environmental barriers

1984 Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) – First federally approved accessibility standards for the built environment

1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act – Expanded coverage of Civil Rights Act to include families with children and PWDs – Requires accessible units to be created in all new multi-family housing with four or more units – public & private – For the first time PWDs could reasonably expect to find accessible housing in the open market

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Attended by more than 2000 people By far the broadest and most far-reaching piece of civil rights legislation to touch the lives of PWDs

ADA Cuts across all sectors of society Extends full civil rights protections for PWDs Prohibits discrimination on basis of disability – Employment (Title I) – State and local government (Title II) – Public accommodations and services – including transportation (Title III) – Telecommunications (Title IV)

ADA Borrows language/concepts from: – Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 – Rehabilitation Act of 1973 – Telecommunications Accessibility Enhancement Act (1988) ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) – Provides scoping and technical requirements for accessibility to buildings and facilities covered under Title II and Title III

Information Technologies

Telecommunications Telecommunications for the Disabled Act (1982) Hearing Aid Compatibility Act (1988) Telecommunications Accessibility Enhancement Act (1988) ADA: Title IV (1990) Telecommunication Act (1996)

Television Decoder Circuitry Act (1990) Requires all television sets 13” or larger to be equipped with built-in closed-caption decoders – Spoken dialog – Sound effects – Background music – Music lyrics – Laughter

Section 508 of Rehabilitation Act (1988) (1998) Federal agencies must ensure that the electronic and information technology (EIT) they develop, procure, maintain or use is accessible employees and consumers with disabilities.

World-Wide Web Federal funds supported development of Web accessibility guidelines by the W3C-WAI

Assistive Technology

Technology for the Disabled For Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible. - Mary Pat Radabaugh “Study on the Financing of Assistive Technology Devices of Services for Individuals with Disabilities”

Technology for the Disabled Need to focus on the WHOLE PERSON as they interact with society and the environment

Assistive Technology Enables people with disabilities to be as functionally independent as possible.

Question? What is the most popular and widely used assistive technology today?

Answer Prescription Glasses and Contact Lenses

Functional Activities Seeing Walking Talking Listening Writing Learning Eating Drinking Driving a vehicle Using a computer Using a telephone Turning lights on/off Opening/closing doors Cooking meals Playing sports

Assistive Technology Systems Level Vs Individual Level

Systems Level Enhance community integration, independence, and productivity by eliminating barriers found in large social systems such as public transportation, telecommunications, information technology, and the built environments

Individual Level Enhance the physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities of people with disabilities and assist them to function more independently in the home, at work, in recreational settings, and at cultural and religious events

AT Legislation Rehabilitation Act (1973) Tech Act (1988) (1994) ADA (1990) Assistive Technology Act (1998) (2004) IDEA

Rehabilitation Engineering

RERC Program Authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Largest Federally supported program responsible for advancing rehabilitation engineering research and development Major force in the development of technologies that enhance the independent function for PWDs of all ages and in all aspects of their lives

RERC Program Currently 21 RERCs $20 million program 5 Year Awards $900,000/Year Average Advanced Research and Development – Biomedical & rehabilitation engineering applications – Assistive technology – Universal design – Technology transfer – Requires dissemination efforts

RERC Program RERCs have been the driving force behind the development of universal design principles that can be applied to: – Built environment – Information technology – Telecommunications – Transportation – Consumer products

Universal Design

Ron Mace ( ) Moving force in the development of accessibility standards & accessible housing “Godfather” of universal design True star among the disability community

Universal Design …. a concept whereby environments and products are designed with built-in flexibility so they are usable by as many people as possible, regardless of age and ability, and at no additional cost. Ron Mace

“Normal” Distribution

– Designers design for 95 th percentile – People on one end of a bell curve may be on the other end of another bell curve. Hearing –Superior observation skills Vision –Superior listening skills

Principles of Universal Design 1) Equitable Use 2) Flexibility in Use 3) Simple and Intuitive 4) Perceptible Information 5) Tolerance of Error 6) Low physical Effort 7) Appropriate Size and Space

Principle 1: Equitable Use The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities – Provide same means of use for all users – Avoid segregating/ stigmatizing users – Provide for privacy, security, and safety when available to others – Make design appealing to all users

Principle 2: Flexibility in Use The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities – Provide a choice in methods of use – Accommodate right/left- handed users – Facilitate accuracy and precision – Adapt to the user's pace

Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive The design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level – Eliminate unnecessary complexity – Consistent with user expectations and intuition – Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills – Provide effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion

Principle 4: Perceptible Information The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities – Use different modes for presenting information – Provide adequate contrast – Make it easy to give instructions or directions – Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations

Principle 5: Tolerance for Error The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions – Minimize hazards and errors – Provide warnings of hazards and errors – Provide fail safe features – Discourage unconscious actions when vigilance is required

Principle 6: Low Physical Effort The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue – Allow users to a maintain neutral body position – Require reasonable operating forces – Minimize repetitive actions – Minimize sustained physical effort

Principle 7: Appropriate Size and Space Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility – Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for seated or standing users – Are all components easily reached by users - both seated and standing – Accommodate variations in hand and grip size – Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance

Accessible Design: – For people with disabilities – Accessible building codes Universal Design: – For everyone, including people with disabilities – Consumer driven Assistive Technology: – Individual specific – Promotes functional independence

Critical Need Integration!!!

Does Policy Matter? Soldiers Rehabilitation Act Vocational Rehabilitation Act Civil Rights Act Rehabilitation Act Education for Handicapped Children Act Architectural Barriers Act Americans with Disabilities Act Fair Housing Amendments Act Telecommunications for the Disabled Act Hearing Aid Compatibility Act Telecommunications Accessibility Enhancement Act Telecommunications Act Television Decoder Circuitry Act Tech Act Assistive Technology Act Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

You Bet It Does!!!

Thank You!