Subject: News from the Access Board - March/ April 2004

From: Dave Yanchulis

Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 16:51:50 -0400

To: news

Access Currents
Volume 10, No.2 March/ April 2004

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- Board Plans for International Outreach and Coordination Efforts
- Board Elects New Chair and Officers
- ASME Workshop Explores Use of Elevators in High-Rise Emergencies
- Training Program Developed on Accessible Marinas and Boating Facilities
- National Center for Accessible Public Transportation Established
- Justice Department Publishes ADA Checklist for Polling Places
- New Election Commission Holds First Public Meeting

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Board Plans for International Outreach and Coordination Efforts
Delegations from other nations periodically consult the Access Board on accessible design in the U.S. and its accessibility guidelines and standards. Recently, the Board received representatives from China and from Norway.  Many of these meetings concern access to the built environment and, increasingly, information technology.  The global standardization necessary for a world wired for the "Information Age" has sparked international interest in the Board's accessibility standards for electronic and information technology.  In light of these trends, the Board is developing plans to become more proactive in international efforts of outreach and coordination and the advancement of accessibility worldwide.  Recent activities include participation in projects involving the European Commission and the World Bank.

In March, the Board participated in a video conference organized jointly by the U.S. and the European Commission on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) standards and the possibilities for governmental cooperation to move toward global requirements.  The conference kicked off a transatlantic exchange of information on the planned use of ICT standards in support of regulations and other public policies.  The objective of the exchange is to minimize the potential for bilateral trade friction and facilitate a better understanding of the respective U.S. and European Union goals in the ICT sector, the range of regulatory and alternative tools that are available to meet these goals, and the methods by which technical standards and other documents are identified and developed to provide the underlying technical solutions in support of a specific regulatory tool or public policy goal.  Issues to be explored include ICT accessibility, security, and biometrics.  In addition to Board staff, participants included representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce, State Department, General Services Administration and their counterparts in the European Commission.

The Board is also participating in a new program on accessibility organized by the World Bank. Established to fight poverty and improve the living standards of people in the developing world, the World Bank provides loans, policy advice, technical assistance and knowledge sharing services.  It undertakes much of its work through partnerships with other international institutions and donors, the private sector, civil society, and professional and academic associations.  Through a new partnership effort, the World Bank seeks to heighten awareness of, and develop guidance on, accessibility and disability in funded projects, particularly those relating to civil works and infrastructure. The Board is serving on an advisory committee organized by the World Bank to oversee this program.

 
The Board is exploring additional opportunities to work with international groups and nations in promoting accessibility worldwide through enhanced cooperation and partnerships.  For further information on this Board effort, contact David Capozzi at (202) 272-0010 (voice), (202) 272-0082 (TTY), or capozzi@access-board.gov (e-mail).

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Board Elects New Chair and Officers
The Board elected Emil H. Frankel chairman at its March meeting.  Frankel is Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation, a position he was appointed to by the president in 2002.  A former commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, he has served as a speaker, panelist, and moderator on a wide range of transportation topics including Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies, intercity rail services, transportation planning and management, and transportation and air quality.

Each year the Board selects a new chair, alternating between a public member and a Federal member.  Frankel succeeds Jan Tuck, a public member from Santa Clarita, California, who was elected vice chair.  In addition, the Board re-elected public members Ken Schoonover and Soy Williams head of the Board's Planning and Budget Committee and its Technical Programs Committee, respectively.

The Board is structured to function as a coordinating body among Federal agencies and to directly represent the public.  Half its members are representatives from most of the Federal departments.  The other half is comprised of members of the public appointed by the president to four-year terms, a majority of whom must have a disability.

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ASME Workshop Explores Use of Elevators in High-Rise Emergencies
Challenges posed by egress from high-rise buildings have renewed interest in the ways in which elevators can be safely used to evacuate building occupants, including persons with disabilities, during fires and other emergencies.  Under current practice, elevators are typically programmed so that they cannot be used during an emergency except in limited cases by fire fighters and rescue personnel.  The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) International has taken the lead in assessing this practice and held a workshop in Atlanta in March that explored the use of elevators by fire fighters and building occupants in emergencies. 

Over 120 people attended the 3-day conference, including representatives from building, fire, and elevator code organizations, code enforcement officials, fire fighters, elevator manufacturers, fire protection engineers, architects and structural engineers, and building owners and operators, among others.  The event featured the presentation of papers on various aspects of the subject, including engineering and design considerations, firefighting and evacuation practices in North America and Europe, case studies, and evacuation research.   Information was presented from studies completed in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Finland. 

The goal of the workshop was to develop specific proposals that can be submitted to various codes and standard-setting organizations for consideration. As part of the workshop, participants were organized into break-out groups to explore and develop recommendations on how elevators could be put to greater use in responding to emergencies and evacuating high-rise buildings.  Most recommendations centered on the use of elevators before they are recalled to a building's egress floor.

ASME International maintains and distributes various codes and standards for the design, manufacturing and installation of mechanical devices, including elevators. Workshop cosponsors included the Access Board, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the International Code Council, the National Fire Protection Association, and the International Association of Fire Fighters.  As a follow-up to the workshop, a steering committee comprised of representatives from each of the sponsoring organizations met at ASME headquarters in New York City to review further review workshop recommendations and to determine appropriate next steps.  For further information on the workshop, visit ASME's website at www.asme.org/cns/elevators/index.shtml.

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Training Program Developed on Accessible Marinas and Boating Facilities
In 2002, the Board added a new section to its ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) covering access to various types of recreation facilities, including amusement rides, boating facilities, fishing piers and platforms, golf courses, miniature golf courses, sports facilities, swimming and wading pools, and spas. Since this supplement addressed certain environments that had not been addressed by an accessibility standard or code before, the Board has initiated outreach and training programs to educate interested groups and industries on the new requirements. Although these guidelines are not yet enforceable under the ADA, they can be used as a source of interim guidance in achieving access.

As part of this effort, the Board has partnered with the Marina Operators Association of America (MOAA) to develop a training program on criteria for marinas and boating facilities.  This project is structured as a "train the trainer" program that provides participants with the tools to educate the operators of marinas and other boating facilities across the country.  As part of this program, the Board developed a resource manual and a slide presentation for use by trainers.  The first training session was held at the National Marina and Boating Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida last February.  Future sessions will be held in late spring and the fall.  For additional information, contact May Lou Livingood of MOAA at (202) 721-1630 or MLivingood@nmma.org (e-mail).

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National Center for Accessible Public Transportation Established
A new research center on accessible public transportation has been established at Oregon State University through funding from the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).  The National Center for Accessible Public Transportation will explore improving access to inter-city modes of travel (air, rail, and bus) for people with mobility, agility, and hearing disabilities.  Research to be conducted by the Center will focus on wheelchair transfer in confined spaces, such as aircraft aisles, and a survey-based study on existing and potential access solutions.  This latter study will collect feedback from travelers with and without disabilities, airline and airport employees, bus and rail operators, and vehicle and aircraft manufacturers on access solutions.  For further information, visit the Center's new website at http://ncat.oregonstate.edu/  or call (800) 916-0099.

NIDRR, a division of the U. S. Department of Education, sponsors a variety of research networks and programs.  The new Center is one of 21 Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) funded by NIDRR.  Information on NIDRR and its research programs is available on the web at www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/res-program.html.

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Justice Department Publishes ADA Checklist for Polling Places
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state and local governments must ensure access to their programs and services, including voting.  The U.S. Department of Justice, which regulates and enforces these requirements, has issued an accessibility checklist for polling places.  This new publication is designed to help local jurisdictions in selecting sites for polling places through an evaluation of architectural accessibility.  With the checklist, users can identify barriers to access and determine how best to address them.  Based on the ADA's design requirements for buildings and facilities, the checklist covers access to parking, passenger drop-off areas, sidewalks, and entrances so that all areas and elements used by voters are accessible. The checklist can be downloaded from the Department's website at www.ada.gov/votingck.htm.  Print copies can be ordered through its ADA information line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383.

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New Election Commission Holds First Public Meeting
In addition to the ADA, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 also addresses access to polling places.  Under the law, every precinct in the country must have at least one voting machine or system used in Federal elections that is accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with vision impairments, by January 1, 2006.  Access is required so that persons with disabilities have the same opportunity for participation, including privacy and independence, afforded other voters. The act also establishes requirements that will allow voters to verify and correct their selections before casting a ballot and that will remove language barriers. 

The law establishes an independent entity, the Election Assistance Commission, to implement these and other reforms.  The new Commission, which held its first meeting on March 23, will oversee the development of standards for voting systems which are to include provisions for accessibility.  The Commission will also be responsible for testing and certifying voting equipment, conducting studies on voting system improvements, and administering various grant programs funded by the law.  The standards are to be developed through several advisory bodies, including a Board of Advisors and a Technical Guidelines Development Committee.  The Access Board, which has been named to both the advisory board and the guidelines committee, will be represented by public Board members James Elekes and James "J.R." Harding. 

At its recent meeting, the Commission received reports on the status of these entities and the work completed to date on new voting system standards.  The commissioners also discussed publication of state plans for complying with the act in the Federal Register the following day and a timetable for distributing grant monies to states.  The Commission intends to hold a hearing on electronic voting within 45 days.  The Commission will complete its organization and relocation and set up a website in coming months.  For further information, contact the Commission at (202) 694-1095. 

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"Access Currents" is a free newsletter issued by the Access Board every other month by mail and e-mail.  Send questions or comments to news@access-board.gov or call (800) 872-2253 ext. 0026 (voice) or (800) 993-2822 (TTY).  Mailing address: 1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 1000; Washington, D.C. 20004-1111.

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