US Design Guidelines for Persons with Disabilities

Description

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), approved by Congress in 1990, required public and private owned facilities to be made accessible to persons with disabilities. The ADA act was far reaching and included all types and manner of public transportation, buildings, employment, lodging and other facilities open for public use. In addition, the new law provided a powerful compliance mechanism by allowing the public to file a complaint and initiate a federal lawsuit to enforce provisions of the new act. The basic tenant of the ADA is to provide facilities that are readily accessible and usable and intended to provide a high degree of convenient accessibility and enable persons with disabilities (mobility, sensory and cognitive) to get to, enter and use a facility. ADA is geared to the future — the goal being that, over time, access will be the rule rather than the exception. Therefore, ADA only requires modest expenditures to provide access in existing facilities, while requiring all new construction to be accessible.