Information and Guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act 
Winter 1998 Vol.2, No.1

This Issue Highlights Information and Resources for State and Local Governments

What's Inside?

Feature Stories

• Family Wins School Settlement in Maine
• U.S. Access Board Publishes New Guidelines

DOJ Update
Employment Update
Regional News
Publications
Frequently Asked Questions
Great Web Sites
Design Solutions
Building Your Rolodex
Events/Announcements
 

FEATURE STORIES

Family Wins School Settlement in Maine

A Winthrop, Maine girl with a disability who attended inaccessible schools for more than 10 years received $80,000 from the town in the settlement of a federal lawsuit. The settlement has been described by her attorney as the largest of its kind.

"As far as a case having to do with physical access, it is the largest award in the country ever, " said Russell Stryker, attorney for Maine Advocacy Services. Most Americans with Disabilities Act cases against the schools do not result in financial damages, Stryker said. Instead, courts often force schools to become accessible.

The settlement was reached in September, 16 months after George McKay filed the case in Bangor District Federal Court on behalf of his daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth McKay has Marfan’s syndrome, a progressive disorder that has left her legally blind and unable to walk. She hopes the settlement will act as a warning to other school districts and administrators of inaccessible public buildings. "I don’t want this to happen to anyone ever again," said Elizabeth McKay, 18, now a senior at Winthrop High School. She said inaccessibility problems made her feel unwanted, shut her out of many activities and even prevented her from going to the bathroom—from the beginning of school at 7 a.m. until after school at 2 p.m.—through much of her school career.

Plans for a new high school designed to meet all relevant codes may have delayed efforts to make the school accessible, George McKay said. But the town voted down the proposal in 1994, soon after Elizabeth started high school. In the spring of 1996, councilors approved a $1.8 million bond issue to fix accessibility, deferred maintenance and space problems. Improvements to all Winthrop schools were to be completed by December 1, 1997.

Stryker said many schools and public buildings around the state still are not accessible years after federal laws required them to meet accessibility codes. "My sense is that there are a lot of public officials who don’t believe they are liable for damages," he said. When contacted in early December, Stryker reported that all accessibility modifications to the Winthrop schools had been made.

Excerpted from the 10/11/97 Portland (Maine) Press Herald.

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U.S. Access Board Publishes New Guidelines

Final Rules Issued for Building Elements Designed for Children’s Use and for Detention and Judicial Facilities

The Access Board issued final guidelines to provide additional guidance to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) in establishing alternate specifications for building elements designed for use by children. These specifications, published in the January 13, 1998 Federal Register, are based on children’s dimensions and anthropometrics and apply to building elements designed specifically for use by children ages 12 and younger. This rule ensures that newly constructed and altered facilities covered by titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are readily accessible to and usable by children with disabilities. The standards established by the DOJ and the DOT must be consistent with these guidelines. Until they are incorporated in the DOJ accessibility standards, these guidelines are not enforceable.

The final rule provides alternate specifications based on children’s dimensions as exceptions to specifications based on adult dimensions. The alternate specifications are for drinking fountains, water closets, toilet stalls, lavatories, sinks, and fixed or built-in seating and tables. As exceptions, these specifications are discretionary, not mandatory. This represents a change from the proposed rule, which provided mandatory requirements applicable to facilities or portions of facilities constructed according to children’s dimensions. Also, the final rule focuses more clearly on elements used primarily by children than the proposed rule, which applied to "facilities or portions of facilities constructed according to children’s dimensions."

The Access Board also issued final guidelines for certain state and local government facilities. The guidance provides specifications for the new construction and alteration of detention and correctional facilities and also for judicial, legislative and regulatory facilities. As with the guidelines for children’s facilities, these guidelines are not enforceable until incorporated by the DOJ in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

Copies of these guidelines as published in the 1/13/98 Federal Registers may be obtained at no cost b calling the Access Board’s automated publications order line 800-872-2253 V or 800-993-2822 TTY and by pressing 1 on the telephone keypad, then 1 again and requesting publication S-30, Building Elements Designed for Children’s Use Final Rule or by requesting the State and Local Government Facilities Final Rule. Please record a name, address, telephone number. Or, download these guidelines from the Access Board’s website, linked from ours at www.adaptiveenvironments.org.

Following are highlights from the Access Board’s rulemaking schedule for 1998 and 1999.

Water Vessels

OVERVIEW: This rulemaking will address access to ferries, cruise ships, excursion boats, and other vessels. The Board’s initial ADAAG rulemaking on transit vehicles asked questions on issues related to water transportation. Comments confirmed that further study was necessary before access requirements could be developed.

Since that time, the Access Board has worked with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to fund research on the feasibility and impact of providing access to a variety of vessels. This research, along with a jointly held information meeting on the topic with representatives of people with disabilities and the marine industry, has helped to determine the scope and complexity of the rulemaking.

STATUS & NEXT STEPS: The Board will co-sponsor an advisory committee with DOT to assist in developing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). An NPRM and final rule are expected in 1999.

Over-the-Road-Buses

OVERVIEW: The ADA requires the Board and DOT to issue guidelines and regulations for access to over-the-road buses. In October 1993, the Board andDOT co-sponsored an information meeting on over-the-road bus issues.

In November 1993, the Board voted on and adopted an NPRM containing technical guidelines for access to these vehicles. Since that time, the Board has been waiting for DOT to develop an NPRM on over-the-road bus service so that the NPRMs can be issued together, as required.

Access to over-the-road buses was a highly controversial issue when the ADA was being debated in Congress. Concerns continue to be heard from private intercity bus operators about requiring access to these vehicles without sufficient federal financial support. This issue is also the source of controversy and disagreement between disability advocacy groups and private transit organizations as evidenced by recent ADAPT actions throughout the country.

STATUS/ NEXT STEPS: DOT plans to publish an NPRM on access to over-the-road bus service in 1998. The Board will move ahead with publication of its NPRM at the same time.

Acoustics

OVERVIEW: The parent of a child with a hearing loss petitioned the Board to include new provisions in ADAAG for acoustical accessibility for individuals who are hard of hearing. The petitioner asserted that acoustical guidelines are necessary because the acoustical environments found in many schools today are barriers to communication—and therefore to learning—for children with hearing impairments.

STATUS & NEXT STEPS: The Board is preparing a notice for the Federal Register requesting information on a variety of issues regarding acoustical environments, including possible scoping and technical requirements.

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DOJ UPDATE

New Civil Rights Leader Announced

The President announced the appointment of Bill Lann Lee as Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and Counselor to the Attorney General for Civil Rights Enforcement. Mr. Lee, in accepting the position, stated, "The solemn duty of the Civil Rights Division is to enforce the letter and spirit of the civil rights laws. Without proper enforcement, these laws are merely empty promises. Every time the division prosecutes a civil rights enforcement case, America strives to make real the promise of equal opportunity for all."

Courts Find ADA Suits Against States Constitutional

In Clark v. California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Congress has constitutional authority to subject states to lawsuits under title II of the ADA. The Department of Justice intervened in this case to defend the constitutionality of the ADA. The court held that Congress had the power to abrogate the state’s sovereign immunity under its authority to enforce the equal protection rights of the Fourteenth Amendment. The suit was brought by a group of prisoners with developmental disabilities who allege that California prison officials discriminated against them on the basis of disability. Similaly, in Autio v. AFSCME, in which the Department also intervened, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ruled that Congress has Fourteenth Amendment authority to make states answer to employment discrimination lawsuits under title I of the ADA.

DOJ Settlements

A formal agreement between the Department and the Board of Commissioners of Stowe Township, Pennsylvania, resolved a complaint alleging that the Board of Commissioners’ public meetings were not accessible to people with disabilities because they were held on the inaccessible second floor of the municipal building. The commissioners agreed to establish a policy by which members of the public can request modifications to policies, practices, and procedures of the Commission. In addition, the settlement agreement requires the Commission to move its public meetings to an accessible location upon reasonable notice (no more than one week), and to utilize an existing audiovisual system on the accessible first floor on all occasions when the public meetings are not moved.

• The Department of Justice entered into an agreement with Boone County, Indiana, to ensure access at the Boone County Courthouse to persons who are hard of hearing. The county agreed to purchase a portable assistive listening system for the courthouse; to have a number of receivers available equal to at least four percent of the total seating capacity of the courtrooms; to train court personnel in the set-up, use, and maintenance of the assistive listening system; and to post a notice in conspicuous areas of the courthouse notifying patrons of the availability of the system.
  
• The Department entered into a settlement agreement with the Sheriff’s Department of Colusa County, California, to resolve a complaint alleging that the facility was inaccessible to a wheelchair user who had come to visit an inmate in the county jail. Under the agreement the county will make the necessary modifications to provide accessible parking, an accessible path of travel to the front entrance of the building, an accessible front entrance, and accessible restrooms and water fountains.

Mediated Agreements

Awheelchair user complained that a large public outdoor swap meet in Texas did not have accessible restrooms. The person also complained that, in order to obtain a permit to use a wheelchair at the event, a person with a disability had to present a letter from his or her physician. The manager of the event agreed to issue permits to wheelchair users when requested without asking for any proof. The manager also agreed to rent an appropriate number of accessible portable restrooms for people with disabilities.

In Michigan a person who is legally blind complained that a restaurant denied her access and service because she was accompanied by a service animal. The restaurant owner agreed to modify this policy and to display a sign in the establishment stating "No dogs allowed except those assisting people with disabilities." He agreed to discuss ADA issues with his managers and crew once a month at regular staff meetings.

A person with a disability complained that a Texas parking garage had no accessible parking spaces for people with disabilities. The parking garage manager agreed to provide valet parking in the garage for people with disabilities for the same price as regular parking in the outdoor parking lots.

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EMPLOYMENT UPDATE

United States v. City of Pontiac
The Department of Justice entered into a consent decree resolving its lawsuit against Pontiac, Michigan, which alleged that the city had violated title I by refusing to hire Dennis Henderson as a fire fighter because of his monocular vision. Despite his condition, Mr. Henderson had performed successfully as a fire fighter for 14 years with a neighboring jurisdiction before applying to Pontiac for a position. Pontiac relied on hiring standards established by the National Fire Protection Association that disqualify individuals with monocular vision. Under the consent decree, Pontiac agreed to hire Henderson into a full-time fire fighter position with retroactive benefits and seniority to August 11, 1992. Pontiac also agreed to provide a financial package to Henderson of approximately $105,000, including full back pay and compensatory damages in the amount of $65,000 and full retroactive pension benefits totaling approximately $40,000. Pontiac agreed that in the future it would not apply standards that require automatic exclusions of applicants or employees because of physical or medical conditions. Instead, it will conduct an individual assessment of whether an applicant is qualified or poses a direct threat. Pontiac also agreed that, before rejecting an applicant on the basis that he or she poses a direct threat, it will advise the applicant of that fact and invite the applicant to demonstrate how he or she could safely perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Finally, Pontiac agreed to conduct training of its personnel staff and post notices of employee rights under the ADA.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal income tax credit that encourages employers to hire eight targeted groups of job seekers who begin work any time after October 1, 1997, and before July 1, 1998. As reauthorized and amended by the August 5 Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the WOTC can reduce employer federal tax liability by as much as $2,400 per new hire.

The WOTC is one tool in a diverse toolbox of flexible strategies designed to help job seekers most in need of employment gain on-the-job experience and move towards economic self-sufficiency. This employer tax incentive joins other employment program and targeted tax credit initiatives aimed at helping American workers and increasing American productivity and economic growth.

What new hires can qualify employers for WOTC?

• WOTC applies to new hires who begin work after September 30, 1997, and before July 1, 1998.
  
• The new hire must belong to one of eight WOTC target groups, which include Social Security Income recipients and vocational rehabilitation referrals.
  
• The WOTC for new hires employed 400 or more hours is 40% of qualified wages for the first year of employment; the credit for new hires employed 120 to 400 hours is 25%. Qualified wages are capped at $6,000 for all WOTC target groups except Summer Youth, whose wages are capped at $3,000.

How can employers participate in the WOTC?

Employers must apply for and receive certification from their state employment agency that their new hire is a member of a WOTC target group before they can claim the WOTC on their federal tax return. To apply for WOTC certification, employers must:

1. Complete the one-page IRS Form 8850 (instructions) "Pre-Screening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity and Welfare-to-Work Tax Credits," by the date the job offer is made, and
   
2. Complete either the one-page U.S. Department of Labor
   
   • ETA Form 9062, "Conditional Certification Form," if provided to the job seeker by a participating agency, e.g., the Job Corps, or
   • ETA Form 9061, "Individual Characteristics Form," if the new hire has not been given a conditional certification, and
     
3. Mail the signed IRS and ETA forms to their state employment agency WOTC Coordinator. The IRS form must be mailed within 21 days of the new hire’s start date.

• For more information about the WOTC: Call Holly O’Brien, Regional WOTC Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Labor at 617-565-2268 V

• For information on the tax-related aspects of the WOTC, call Robert Wheeler at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 202-622-6060
  
• Visit the WOTC website at www.doleta.gov/wotc.htm

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REGIONAL NEWS

Maine Code Certified as Equivalent to ADA

On December 12, 1997, the U.S. Department of Justice certified that Maine’s state building code—the Maine Human Rights Act, as implemented by the Maine Accessibility Regulations – is compatible with the federal requirements under the new construction and alterations provisions of title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

"Now building inspectors will be able to check compliance early in the process, when mistakes can be easily corrected," said Isabelle Katz Pinzler, Acting Assistant Attorney General. "In addition, because certification provides rebuttable evidence of ADA compliance, builders in Maine will have some additional legal protection if they build in compliance with the certified code but are sued under the ADA."

Maine is only the third state in the country to have a certified building code. The Justice Department previously certified codes in Washington and Texas.

Rhode Island Establishes a Disability Access Credit for Small Business

Governor Almond recently signed into law an Act Relating to Disability Access Credits For Small Businesses, sponsored by Senator Leo Blais of Coventry. This law provides a tax credit for small business taxpayers to enable them to comply with federal or state laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. The credit would be equal to ten percent of the total amount expended in the state of Rhode Island during the taxable year, not to exceed $1,000 for:

1. removing architectural, communication, physical, or transportation barriers;
   
2. providing qualified interpreters or other effective methods of delivering aurally delivered materials to persons with hearing impairments;
   
3. providing readers, tapes, or other effective means of making visually delivered materials available to persons with visual impairments;
   
4. providing job coaches or other effective methods of supporting workers with severe impairments in competitive employment;
   
5. providing specialized transportation services to employees or customers with mobility impairments;
   
6. buying or modifying equipment for persons with disabilities; and/or
   
7. providing similar services, modifications, material, or equipment for persons with disabilities.

For more information, call the RI Commission on Disabilities at 401-277-3731 V/TTY.

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PUBLICATIONS

Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments and Supplement on Employment

A practical manual and workbook designed to guide state and local government entities through the title II compliance process. In addition to technical assistance and implementation strategies, the guide and supplement offer a series of worksheets that assist in reviewing policies and practices, communication access, facilities access, and all aspects of the employment process, including reasonable accommodation. Written and produced by Adaptive Environments Center, Inc., through a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, with content reviewed for accuracy by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 201 pages, $24.

Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Materials

PERF in Washington D.C. has developed numerous ADA training and informational publications under grants from DOJ. These include the Take Another Look Series: Seizure Recognition and Management - brochure; Police Response to Seizures and Epilepsy - curriculum guide and video; Mental Illness: Police Response - brochure, video and trainer’s guide; Police Contact with People who have Hearing and Speech Disabilities - trainer’s guide; Recognizing and Responding to People who have Mental Retardation - trainer’s guide. PERF brochure and order form available from our Center by calling 800-949-4232 V/ TTY. Or call PERF at 888-202-4563 V.

The Arc Publications

The Arc offers publications about the ADA as it applies to people with mental retardation. Among the many developed under grants from DOJ are: Know Your Rights if You Get Arrested and When People with Mental Retardation Go to Court. Order directly from The Arc at 817-261-6003 V or 817-277-0553 TTY.

Choice Magazine Listening (CML)

A free service that provides audio tapes of current magazine material to people who are blind, visually impaired or unable to read because of other physical limitations. CML is a non-profit taped audio anthology offering outstanding articles, short stories and poetry selected from current magazines such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Gourmet, Sports Illustrated, Travel and Leisure, and Time. The unabridged articles are recorded on 4-track tapes to be played on the special tape players available through the Library of Congress. To subscribe or receive a brochure, contact CML at 516-883-8280 V or NUCABD@hofstra.edu.

Commonly Asked Questions About the ADA and Law Enforcement

Issued by the DOJ in 1996, this document answers and gives guidance on such common questions as: What are some common problems people with disabilities have with law enforcement? Do police departments have to arrange for a sign language interpreter every time an officer interacts with a person who is deaf? What is a TDD and does every police station have to have one? Includes resources. 13pg., $1.50.

Commonly Asked Questions about Service Animals in Places of Business

Another DOJ publication issued in 1996, this document provides specific information about the legal rights of people with disabilities who use service animals. 3pg.

Commonly Asked Questions about the ADA and Child Care

Written by the DOJ, this newly-issued document is geared to privately-run child care centers. It addresses such difficult issues as when a child poses a direct threat, whether a provider may charge for special services, whether providers must give medication and offer diapering and how to handle children with severe allergies, diabetes, and HIV. Making a child care facility accessible, tax incentives and important DOJ settlement agreements are also discussed. 13 pg., $1.50.

Enforcing the ADA: A Status Report from the Department of Justice (July-September 1997)

A report on the ADA activities of the DOJ, including new litigation, consent decrees, amicus briefs, formal and informal settlement agreements and mediation under titles II and III. Also includes updates on certification and technical assistance. 14 pg., $2.

Unless otherwise noted, the above publications are available from our Center by calling 800-949-4232 V/TTY. Many DOJ publications are also available at no charge by calling their ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 V or 800-514-0383 TTY or by visiting their website at www.doj.gov (linked from our website at www.adaptiveenvironments.org).

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: We want to make accessibility alterations to our city offices, which are located in an historic building listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Are we prohibited from making changes? Which rules apply to us? What if these alterations would destroy the historic nature of the building?

A: Alterations to historic properties must comply with the specific provisions governing historic properties in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design (the Standards) or the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), to the maximum extent feasible. Under those provisions, alterations should be done in full compliance with the alterations standards for other types of buildings. However, if following the usual standards would threaten or destroy the historic significance of a feature of the building, alternative standards may be used. The decision to use alternative standards for that feature must be made in consultation with the appropriate historic advisory board designated in the Standards or UFAS, and interested persons should be invited to participate in the decision-making process.

The alternative requirements for historic buildings or facilities provide a minimal level of access. For example —

Q: But what if complying with even these minimal alternative requirements will threaten or destroy the historic significance?

A: In such a case, which is rare, the public entity need not make the structural changes required by UFAS or the Standards. If structural modifications that comply ith UFAS or the Standards cannot be undertaken, the Department’s regulation requires that "program accessibility" be provided.

Q: Must tax bills from public entities be available in Braille and/or large print? What about other documents?

Source: Common Questions About Title II of the ADA

Q: What services are covered by telephone emergency services in title II?

A: The phrase telephone emergency services applies to basic emergency services - police, fire, and ambulance - that are provided by Public Safety Agencies, including 9-1-1 (or, in some cases, seven-digit) systems. Direct access must be provided to all services included in the system, including services such as emergency poison control information. Emergency services that are not provided by public entities are not subject to the requirement for direct access.

Q: What is direct access?

A: Direct access means that telephone emergency services can directy receive calls from TDD and computer modem users without relying on state telephone relay services or third party services.

Q: What is a telephone relay service?

Source: Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Telephone Emergency Services

Q: To what extent does the ADA require that Internet web pages be accessible to people with visual disabilities?

Source: Digest of Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick’s response to a senator’s letter of inquiry.

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ADA DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Doors

In this issue we excerpt another example from "Common Errors and Omissions in New Construction and Alterations," recently published by the Department of Justice. The error and resulting difficulty for someone with a mobility disability are listed, followed by the requirement as cited in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design (also known as ADA Accessibility Guidelines, or ADAAG).

Error/Omission:
Adequate maneuvering clearance is not provided at doors, including doors to accessible toilet stalls.

Result:
A person using a wheelchair cannot open the door without a clear level area in front of and adjacent to the door that provides a place to maneuver.

Requirement:
4.13.6 Maneuvering Clearances at Doors. Minimum maneuvering clearances at doors that are not automatic or power-assisted shall be as shown in Fig. 25. The floor or ground area within the required clearances shall be level and clear.

4.17.5* Doors. Toilet stall doors, including door hardware, shall comply with 4.13. If toilet stall approach is from the latch side of the stall door, clearance between the door side of the stall and any obstruction may be reduced to a minimum of 42 in (1065 mm) (Fig. 30).

To receive a copy of the ADA Standards call us at 800-949-4232 V/TTY.

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GREAT WEB SITES

National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT)
sso.org/natat/natat.htm
Links to local and international government HomePages and state and local government sites. Federal Web Locator provides access to wide range of federal agencies, documents, statistics, information.

Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov
Includes direct online services such as how to find a local office, determine benefits (including disability benefits), services for businesses, statistics, frequently asked questions and links to numerous government agencies.

Center for Universal Design
www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/
Many excellent, unique resources on ADA design, design of housing, Fair Housing Amendments Act and consumer and building products. The principles of universal design are illustrated here. Includes Annotated Information Packs on a variety of topics and lists of publications, slide shows and videos.

MA Assistive Technology Projec (MATP)
www.matp.org
A comprehensive site offering information and referral on assistive technology, as well as advocacy and funding tips, legal rights, and updates on pending legislation and training events. Links to Tech Act projects in other states.

Abledata
www.abledata.com
An electronic database of information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available in the U.S.

Unified Web Site Accessibility Guidelines
www.trace.wisc.edu/text/guidelns/html-gide/htmlfull.html
Key accessibility issues and solution strategies for reconstructing your state or local government web site to be accessible to all.

And don’t forget to check our Adaptive Environments web site, with its recently updated ADA and National Access for Public Schools page at www.adaptiveenvironments.org.

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BUILDING YOUR ROLODEX

National Association of ADA Coordinators
800-722-4232 V or 562-570-6706 TTY
Membership organization of state and local government ADA coordinators, with a special section for college and university coordinators. Produces a bi-monthly newsletter, has a training guide in the pipeline and hosts regional conferences with representation from federal agencies (EEOC and DOJ).

National Association of Counties (NACo)
202-942-4285 V
Jacqueline Byers
Will research questions about the ADA for any county elected official or ADA coordinator.

National Center for Small Communities (NCSC)
202-624-3550 V
natat@sso.org
Publishes the Small Community Quarterly and The ADA; a compliance workbook for small communities.

Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
To order publications: 888-202-4563 V
All other inquiries: 202-466-7820 V 202-466-2670 TTY
www.PoliceForum.org
A national membership association that publishes pamphlets, training materials and videos on police policy and response to individuals with disabilities.

Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC)
Questions: 800-669-4000 V 800- 669-6820 TTY
Documents: 800-669-3362 V 800-669-3302 TTY
www.eeoc.gov
Provides technical assistance on and enforcement of title I.

Department of Justice (DOJ)
800-514-0301 V 
800-514-0383 TTY
www.usdoj.gov
Provides technical assistance on and enforcement of, titles II and III of the ADA.

U.S. Access Board
Offers technical assistance on the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA).
800-872-2253 V
800-993-2822 TTY
www.access-board.gov

CORRECTION:
MA Assistive Technology Partnership Center
Marylyn Howe
617-355-7167 TTY
617-355-7820 V
800-848-8867 V/TTY
 
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EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

For a more comprehensive listing of ADA related events, check the calendar or our web site at www.adaptiveenvironments.org

National Association of ADA Coordinators Workshops
March 24-26, 1998, Seattle, WA
June 9-11, 1998, Raleigh, NC
Contact: Paul Hegel at 800-722-4232 V or 562-570-6706 TTY

Assistive Technology ’98
AT work – AT school – AT home – AT play
May 29,1998, World Trade Center, Boston, MA

Mass Assistive Technology Partnership
For information call: 617-737-9495 V 617-737-0081 TTY
www.matp.org/AT98.html

Designing for the 21^st Century
An International Conference on Universal Design
June 17-21, 1998, Long Island, NY
Adaptive Environments, Center for Universal Design, Hofstra University and Universal Design Newsletter
Contact: 617-695-1225 V/TTY
www.adaptiveenvironments.org/21century

Deaf People in Hitler’s Europe, 1933-1945
Gallaudet University, June 21-24, 1998
For information call: 202-651-5474 V/TTY or send e-mail to jsschuchman@gallua.galluadet.edu
For registration materials call: 202-65-6060 V/TTY or e-mail conference@gallua.galluadet.edu

Northern New England Technology Expo
September 22, 1998, Manchester, NH
Hosted jointly by the NH, VT and ME Tech Act Projects
Contact: David Robar at 603-228-9680 V/TTY

ADA Business Solutions Competition
(Applications Available Now)
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that businesses remove barriers so that people with disabilities can use and enjoy their services. So how have businesses responded to this challenge to serve their customers, clients, guests and fans? Here's your chance to tell us! The New England ADA & Accessible IT Center is sponsoring a competition to find innovative, cost effective solutions throughout the region. Cash prizes will be awarded to a winner in each state. If you have an idea that you've been meaning to try, do it now and submit the solution by May 1, 1998. Winners will be recognized at awards ceremonies on or around July 26, 1998 - the 8th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Call 800-949-4232 for a competition entry package, or get one on the Internet at www.adaptiveenvironments.org.

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