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Access Matters: Simple Ways to Improve Accessibility of Your Space & Services

Community Foundation of Johnson County| January 2024

Illustration By: Courtney Almandinger

Presented By:

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Meet the Presenter

Molly Wuebker, OTD, OTR/L

Accessibility Professional | Uncurbed

Also: Iowa Liaison | Great Plains ADA Center

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Agenda

Orientation to Key Terms

Disability Counts

Easy Access Measures

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1 of 2)

Title I: Employment

Prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment. This includes hiring, promotion, job assignments, training, and more. Employers are also required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities unless there is undue hardship.

Orientation

Disability Counts

Easy Access

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (2 of 2)

Title III: Public Accommodations

Applies to businesses and other places that are considered public accommodations, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, theaters, and other types of facilities that are open to the public. This includes access to a business website, physical space, and service.

Orientation

Disability Counts

Easy Access

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Universal Design

Built on the belief that addressing disadvantages or exclusions experienced by one group of people often has a broader impact for the greater population – resulting in universal applications that can create one shared experience. There are 7 principles and 8 goals of universal design to follow in practice.

Orientation

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Easy Access

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Inclusive Design

Embraces the possibilities for multiple design options, adaptations, and experiences in one environment that is inclusive of age, abilities, gender, cultural background, or other characteristics.

Orientation

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Co-Design

A design approach that actively dismantles power structures in the design process through the collaboration of and shared decision-making between design practitioners and end-users or stakeholders to design and develop a space, product, service, or system that fits into real contexts. It is rooted in the principle ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’.

Orientation

Disability Counts

Easy Access

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Johnson County

University of Montana, Rural Institute (2024)

12,419 persons with disabilities (8.3%)
Vision | 2,368
Hearing | 3,380
Cognitive | 5,923
Ambulatory | 4,723
Self-Care | 1,850
Independent Living | 3,817

ADA-PARC (2024)

Orientation

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Engage

Incorporate periodic self-evaluations, and include organizations dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities.

Take advantage of other state and federal programs to provide job training, employment assistance, and salary payment for newly hired individuals with disabilities.

Identify win-win opportunities to trade. You may have things of value that you can’t sell but can probably trade for services you can’t afford.

Orientation

Disability Counts

Easy Access

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Journey Map

Digital Footprint

Transportation

Public Rights of Way

Business

Post Visit

Orientation

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Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Most Updated Version WCAG 2.2

Readable text

Image text alternatives (“alt text”)

Color contrast ratio

Visit: TPGi Colour Contrast Analyzer (external link) to learn more.
Pure red (#FF0000) with white (#FFFFFF

Multimedia alternatives

Orientation

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Transportation

ADA requires…

Specific requirements for fixed-routes, accessible vehicles, boarding and disembarking procedures, seating, and securement of mobility devices for public transportation services.

“Origin-to-destination” complementary paratransit services for individuals who are unable to use fixed-route transportation due to their disabilities.

What’s Your Responsibility?

Orientation

Disability Counts

Easy Access

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Public Rights of Way

Temporary or permanent pedestrian access routes

Accessible pedestrian signals

Crosswalks

Transit stops

On-street parking

Orientation

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2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design

Priorities for a business may include, but are not limited to…

Accessible approach and entrance

Access to goods and services

Access to public toilet rooms

Access to communication

Orientation

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Building Blocks (1 of 2)

Floor or ground surfaces (S 302 & 303)

Accessible route must be firm, stable, and slip-resistant to account for mobility challenges
No changes in level are greater than ¼”

Knee and toe clearances (S 306)

Allows individuals using wheelchairs or mobility aids to approach and use tables, counters, and other surfaces without discomfort or barriers.

Turning spaces (S 304)

Provides individuals using wheelchairs or mobility devices with the necessary room to maneuver and change directions comfortably within a space.

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Building Blocks (2 of 2)

Protruding objects (S 204 & 307)

Can be a danger to all visitors, especially children and people with physical, sensory, or cognitive conditions.

Objects should not protrude more than 4” into the circulation path.
Or, if it does protrude more than 4”, the bottom leading edge should be 27” or lower from the floor.
Or, the bottom leading edge should be 80” or higher from the floor.

Reach ranges (S 308)

Forward and side reach ranges are 48” max to 15” min.

Operable parts (S 309)

Operable with one hand, shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, and the force required to activate shall not be more than 5 pounds.

Orientation

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Beyond the Guidelines (1 of 3)

Generate inclusive content on digital platforms

Create an accessibility statement

Utilize built-in accessibility features for operating systems and software

Offer alternative access to services, such as virtual tours

Collaborate with transportation services, communicate online about the nearest bus stops, offer off-site events, pursue funding sources for transportation assistance

Orientation

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Beyond the Guidelines (2 of 3)

Host inclusive events at non-peak travel hours

Provide clear and easy-to-read signage that directs customers to the accessible entrance to prevent retracing of steps

Offer information in multiple formats (printed, digital, verbal)

Train staff on how to assist customers with different needs

Ensure that the physical space is well-lit, that lighting is even, glare-free, and that smaller mounted items are mounted (at their center line) no higher than 40 inches above the floor

Orientation

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Beyond the Guidelines (3 of 3)

Provide a variety of accessible seating options, such as benches with backrests, armrests, and adequate space for transfers.

Take advantage of tax credits for businesses that hire persons with disabilities, such as the architectural and transportation barrier removal deduction, assistive device credit, disabled access credit, small business income deduction, and work opportunity tax credit.

Regularly reassess and update your accessibility features. Seek feedback from customers and employees with disabilities to identify areas for improvement.

Orientation

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Want to Learn More?

ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP) | Great Plains ADA Center

Participate in 40 hours of self-paced, in-person, or live virtual trainings relating to accessibility topics. Hours can be obtained by attending the National ADA Symposium 2024 in Minneapolis, MN. Registration is opening soon!

Earn a certification as an ADA Coordinator (ADAC)

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Contact

adacenter@missouri.edu
1-800-949-4232

mollywuebker@uncurbed-access.com
1-515-216-0186

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References

Center for Universal Design. (1997). The principles of universal design Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University, The Center for Universal Design.

Center for Universal Design. (2008a). Ronald L. Mace. Retrieved March 27, 2022 from https://projects.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_us/usronmace.html

Clarkson, J., Keates, S., Coleman, R., & Lebbon, C. (Eds.). (2003). Inclusive Design. Springer London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0001-0

Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC). (n.d.). What is Inclusive Design. Inclusive Design Research Centre; OCAD University. https://legacy.idrc.ocadu.ca/about-the-idrc/49-resources/online-resources/articles-and-papers/443-whatisinclusivedesign

Joyce, A. (January 30,2022) Inclusive design. Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/inclusive-design/#:~:text=Universal%20design%20aims%20to%20create,for%20adaptations%20or%20specialized%20design

Sanders, E. B.-N., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. CoDesign, 4(1), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710880701875068

Steinfeld, E., & Maisel, J. (2012). Universal design: Creating inclusive environments. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

United States. Department of Justice. (2010). 2010 ADA standards for accessible design. Dept. of Justice.

Web Accessibility Initiative (October 2023) WCAG 2 Overview. Retrieved from https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/