1. Common Sense: Beyond the ADA Building Guidelines
Ingrid Hendrix, M.I.L.S.
Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM

2. Objectives
Have a clearer understanding how ADA Accessibility Guidelines do not address many of the needs of the disabled population.
Give examples of accessible building design.
Give examples of its impact on an individual with a disability.

3. My Credentials Disabled since 1981 with muscular dystrophy
Wheelchair user since 1997
Cane Forearm crutches Power chair
Adapted van
Work full time
UNM Accessiblity Services Advisory Committee
UNM Facilities Access Committee
Active in community

4. Focus Group Professional Women with Disabilities
Feedback on their experiences
1 deaf, 2 blind, 3 power chair users, 1 scooter user, 1 little person
Not a statistically significant sample size, but a diverse audience

5. Importance of Going Beyond ADA Accessibility Guidelines
It’s not just a good idea, it’s the law:
Architectural Barriers Act 1968
Rehab Act 1973 Section 504
American with Disabilities Act 1990
ADA Accessibility Guidelines 1991
ABA & ADAAG Revised 2004
Rehab act - American legislation that guarantees certain rights to people with disabilities. Section 504 is widely recognized as the first civil-rights statute for workers with disabilities. No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 705(20) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency or by the United States Postal Service.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of The ADA, a major civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, establishes design requirements for the construction or alteration of facilities. It covers facilities in the private sector (places of public accommodation and commercial facilities) and the public sector (state and local government facilities). Under the ADA, the Board is responsible for accessibility guidelines covering newly built and altered facilities. In 1991, the Board published the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) which serve as the basis for standards used to enforce the law. The new guidelines overhaul the original ADAAG.
The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968 The ABA requires access to facilities designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds. Similar to its responsibility under the ADA, the Board maintains guidelines under the ABA which serve as the basis for enforceable standards. The Board has updated its guidelines for ABA facilities jointly with the new ADA guidelines so that a consistent level of access is specified under both laws.
Key goals of this update include:
updating specifications so that they continue to meet the needs of persons with disabilities
improving the format and usability of the guidelines to facilitate compliance
harmonizing the guidelines with model building codes and industry standards
making the requirements for ADA and ABA facilities consistent
When will the new guidelines take effect? The Board’s guidelines are not mandatory on the public, but instead serve as the baseline for enforceable standards (which are) maintained by other Federal agencies. In this respect, they are similar to a model building code in that they are not required to be followed except as adopted by an enforcing authority. Under the ADA, the Department of Justice (and in the case of transit facilities, the Department of Transportation) are responsible for enforceable standards based on the Board’s guidelines. These agencies will update their ADA standards based on the new guidelines. In doing so, they will indicate when the new standards are to be followed. Several other agencies (the General Services Administration, Department of Defense, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Postal Service) hold a similar responsibility for standards used to enforce the ABA.

6. Importance of Going Beyond ADA Accessibility Guidelines
More people with disabilities
54 million or 21% of the U.S. population
Growing wounded veteran population
Increasing aging population
Only minority group that anyone can join at any time
Reach ranges have been lowered 4 inches for high reach range
36.8 million over 65 (2205)
720,000 disabled vets from Iraq and Afganistan (2007) Disabled American Veterans Org
PWD $175 Billion discretionary income
Spending by travelers with disabilities $13.6 billion annual

7. Who needs expanded building guidelines?
Persons with disabilities (PWD)
Permanent or temporary
Parents with strollers
Students with rolling backpacks
Anyone and everyone
People will usually take a ramp, handicapped bathroom stall, curb cut if available – check it out
Universal Design

8. Misconceptions PWD don’t come here We’ll help them when they come
We can’t afford it
We’ll do it when we renovate
Our architects will take care of it
Yes, if your building isn’t accessible PWD won’t go there. But do you want to get that rep of being discriminatory. PWD’s have friends and they have friends and word spreads. And like Field of Dreams – build it and they will come.
ADA barrier removal requirements intended to minimize situations where PWD have to ask and WAIT for accomodations – do you have time/money/resources to remove barriers quickly
Tax breaks?
Leaves open to liability. One of the definitions of discrimination in ADA is failure to remove architectural barriers in existing facilities

9. Elements of ADA Guidelines to be covered
Parking
Entrances
Bathrooms
There are 37 different accessible elements and spaces in ADAAG – can’t address them all in 1 hour.

11. Spot the problem
Hazard in the way of dismount area

12. Stancheons
Prevent nasty surprises when you come back to your car

13. Spot the problem
Gravel dismount area, no striping

14. Problematic Parking Enough spaces Wide striped area for vans
Spots on end of rows ideal

15. Enervating Entrances Creature Discomforts

16. Enervating Entrances, continued
Push buttons problems
Coronado Mall – right in front and opens fast!

17. Spot the problem
I guess this would be good if you only had the use of your head…

18. Spot the problem
Push button placed high – difficult to reach – for woman OR beast!

19. Albuquerque Museum
Fix for unreachable push button

20. Enervating Entrances, continued
No push buttons
Heavy doors
Air locks – downtown Flying Star restaurant
Short, steep ramps

21. Spot the Problem
No push button or sliding doors. Heavy glass doors into the new wing of the hospital right off Lomas.

22. Traffic flow
Pretty, but narrow. And high wall obscures people in wheelchairs coming from the left.

23. Bothersome Bathrooms Heavy doors Soap/paper towel dispensers
Take the NO door approach – UNM Art & Architecture building, airports
Soap/paper towel dispensers
Toilet stalls
No turning radius
Not enough room to get in and close door

24. Spot the problem (bathroom entrance)
Air lock to bathroom

25. Spot the problem
Not enough room to pull open door and back up and door weighs a ton!

26. Spot the problem
Automatic paper towel dispenser too high

27. Spot the problem
Paper towel dispenser lever out of reach 27 27

28. Spot the problem
Soap dispenser out of reach 28 28

29. Spot the problem
Tiny locks on bathroom doors 29 29

30. Spot the problem
Hook and shelf too high 30 30

31. Bothersome Bathrooms, continued
Grab bars in random, unhelpful places
Light switches out of reach
Toilet paper out of reach
Toilet flush handle on inaccessible side
Trash receptacle – blocks door/button or paper towel dispenser
Automatic lights
Automatic flush for toilets and sinks 31 31

32. Small stall 32 32

33. Out and about Lecture halls - few cut outs
Movie theaters – off to the side or ‘crip corral’
Trash cans/planters/ashcans – in front of push button or elevator button
Elevator doors that close too quickly 33 33

34. Spot the problem
Trash can in front of light switch 34 34

35. Still out and about
Hotel rooms with one bed – do you want to sleep with your attendant?
Healthcare facilities – exam & waiting rooms, exam tables 35 35

36. Spot the Problem
Foot plates hit the door before I can reach the bar to push and open the door. Requires a long reach. 36 36

37. Spot the Problem 37 37

38. Spot the problem
Uneven pavement 38 38

39. Spot the problem Have to wheel into traffic to cross to the right 39

40. Spot the problem
Another view of the curb problem 40 40

41. How to get input Talk to PWD who use facility
Employees, students, faculty, public
Conduct focus groups
Hire a PWD to do a walk through
Independent living centers
Local commissions on disability 41 41

42. Be proactive, not reactive
Know requirements
Do a barrier audit and plan for removal
Invite PWDs to review plan
Review plan with legal counsel 42 42

43. Be proactive, not reactive, continued
Remove some barriers each year – using budgeted plan
Maintain reserve account and on call contracts to make modifications on demand 43 43

44. Be proactive, not reactive, continued
Create standards for maintenance and repair
Snow removal
Elevator downtime
Custodial work orders for keeping areas free of obstacles – trashcans, etc 44 44

45. Proactive not reactive, continued
Include ADA requirements in RFPs
Report annual ADA compliance progress to senior management
Publicize your access!
Adapted from McGuinness, K. Getting ADA right. Building Operating Management 45 45

46. Other things to consider
Reach ranges – mid range
High low fountains – those who can’t bend
Lowered them in the revised ADAAG ABA guidelines 46 46

47. Other things to consider, continued
Emergencies
Signage
Swing away door hinges 47 47

48. Accessibility=Inclusion
Don’t make people with disabilities feel like second class citizens:
Ramps that take you into back entrances
Past garbage bins
Through kitchens, etc. 48 48

49. A few resources
AbleData - Searchable database of assistive technology products.
Click on Products
United States Access Board
Sidewalk videos 49 49

50. More resources
Regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs)
This network of regional ADA technical assistance centers is a comprehensive resource for information, materials, technical assistance, and training on the ADA. The website and toll free number provide a means to connect to your regional center, ADA information, and an extensive list of publications.
ADA Technical Assistance Project
(800) 50 50

51. A final thought
“Consider the quote from the movie Field of Dreams – ‘If you build it, they will come.’ Build it right, and then tell people that you built it”
Joan W. Stein. ADA Ensures accessibility for all. Maintenance Solutions, Feb 51 51

52. Questions?
A Devilishly Handsome Dog Production 52 52