WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Access Board, as expected, last week released new design guidelines that cover access for people with disabilities under the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
The guidelines update access requirements for a wide range of facilities in the public and private sectors covered by the law -- including ATMs. It is estimated that 54 million Americans have some type of disability, according to the Access Board.
The new design document is the culmination of a decade-long review and update of the Board's ADA Accessibility Guidelines, which were first published in 1991. Revisions have been made so that the guidelines continue to meet the needs of people with disabilities and keep pace with technological innovations. For example, new provisions for ATMs specify audible output so that people with vision impairments are provided equal access, and reach ranges have been lowered to better serve people who use wheelchairs and persons of short stature.
The guidelines also feature a new format and organization and have been edited for greater clarity, according to the Access Board.
The updated guidelines are based largely on recommendations from an advisory committee the Board established for this purpose. The ADAAG Review Advisory Committee represented a cross section of stakeholders, including representatives from disability groups, the design profession and building codes organizations. The final version was further shaped by input received from the public, including over 2,500 comments received in response to a previously published draft.
The Board's guidelines serve as the baseline for standards used to enforce the ADA. These standards, which are maintained by other federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Justice under the ADA, will be updated according to the new guidelines. It is these standards, not the Board's guidelines, that the public must follow.
Copies of the new ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines and other information are available on the Board's Web site at http://www.access-board.gov/ada-aba.htm.
See related story: Another step toward audio ATMs
