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U.S. Access Board to Hold September Town Hall Meeting and Trainings in Philadelphia

August 08, 2022

The U.S. Access Board will hold a public town hall meeting on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. (ET) at Liberty Resources, Inc. (112 N. 8th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107). Presidentially-appointed Access Board members and representatives from various federal member agencies will be present to hear from the local community about the state of accessibility in Philadelphia. The Access Board invites in-person oral comments on accessibility regarding the following topics: housing, transportation, recreation and outdoor areas, and design for neurodiversity. City of Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Amy Nieves, Executive Director at Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, will also provide remarks. Following the town hall meeting from 3:45 – 5:00 will be a networking opportunity and reception, sponsored by The Sierra Group Academy, Tamman, Inc., and the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center.

Registrants who wish to make in-person oral comments during the town hall meeting must indicate their request to speak on the registration form and specify the topic of their comment. Public commenters will be allotted two minutes to make their comments.

This town hall meeting is open to the public, but registration is required by September 7, 2022, and seats are limited. To register, complete the U.S. Access Board Events in Philadelphia registration form. Registration for the town hall meeting is the eighth option on the second page of the form. For assistance with registration, please contact the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center at 1-301-217-0124. 

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Communication Access Real-time Transcription (CART) services will be provided. The Access Board has a fragrance-free environment policy and requests that all attendees refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, and other fragrances and use unscented personal care products. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be submitted on the registration form by August 22, 2022. For further information, contact Rose Marie Bunales at events@access-board.gov. 

Town Hall Meeting: The State of Accessibility in Philadelphia 
September 14, 2022, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., followed by networking reception 3:45 – 5:00 p.m. 
Liberty Resources, Inc. 
112 N. 8th St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19107  U.S. Access Board Events in Philadelphia registration form (the town hall meeting is the eighth option on the second page of the form) 
Contact: events@access-board.gov 

The Board will also provide free presentations, training, and hands-on workshops on September 13 and 14 in Philadelphia. Access Board Accessibility Specialists, staff from U.S. Department of Education’s National Digital Access Team, and staff from the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center will cover accessibility and accessible design related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standards, historic buildings and facilities, information and communication technology, and digital environments. Seats are limited for each session, and registration is required via the U.S. Access Board Events in Philadelphia registration form. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be submitted on the registration form by August 22, 2022. Information on the sessions is below.  

Accessibility Training in Philadelphia

Tuesday, September 13

1:00 – 2:15 p.m. (ET) 
Temple University 
Howard Gittis Student Center 
HGSC 200A 
1755 N 13th St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19122

“Architectural Design and Social Justice” 
Architect Karen Braitmayer will discuss the civil rights struggle for accessible design and highlight the importance of architecture in achieving true equity and inclusion throughout all segments of society. This presentation will discuss early challenges and victories of the U.S. disability rights movement as they relate to architecture; provide a high-level overview of the current landscape of accessibility laws and regulations applicable to architectural design; and teach participants how to rethink standard architectural elements and design trends to make them equitable and inclusive. Attendees can earn continuing education credits (American Institute of Architects and Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System). 

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. (ET) 
Temple University 
Howard Gittis Student Center 
HGSC 200B 
1755 N 13th St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19122 

“Digital Inclusion: Accessibility in Higher Education” 
This training will discuss requirements, considerations, and recommendations for digital accessibility in higher education to ensure that digital academic environments are inclusive of all faculty, students, and staff. The training will focus specifically on requirements for universities and issues typical to university-level classes. 

2:15 – 3:45 p.m. (ET) 
Temple University 
Howard Gittis Student Center 
HGSC 200B 
1755 N 13th St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19122 

“Making Documents Accessible” 
This hands-on workshop will review issues associated with creating accessible documents when using Microsoft Word. The session will also touch on accessibility issues when exporting to PDF and using Microsoft PowerPoint. The presenters will review best practices and resources developed by the Accessible Electronic Documents (AED) Community of Practice (CoP) that are helpful to all members of the public who are responsible for creating, posting, and distributing electronic content. Attendees are highly encouraged to bring their own laptop computer

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. (ET) 
Temple University 
Howard Gittis Student Center 
HGSC 200A 
1755 N 13th St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19122 

“Overview of the ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards” 
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is a major civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in the private and state and local government sectors. The ADA requires access to programs and services, transportation, the built environment, employment, and communication. The ADA was greatly informed by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), which was the first federal law to address access to the built environment. Passed by Congress in 1968, it ensures access to many federally funded facilities to this day. This presentation will provide an overview of the ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards and Guidelines, as well as allow time for questions about accessible design. Attendees can earn continuing education credits (American Institute of Architects and Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System).  

Wednesday, September 14

9:15 – 10:15 a.m. (ET) 
Sierra Group Academy-Tamman, Inc. Collaboration 
399 Market St. 
First Floor, Conference Room 
Philadelphia, PA 19106 

“Section 508 and WCAG Questions and Answers” 
This Q&A session on Section 508 Standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is intended for intermediate to advanced developers. U.S. Access Board digital accessibility specialists will answer common (and not so common) questions on implementation of digital accessibility standards for information and communication technology (ICT).  Presenters will highlight Section 508 tools and resources and development of an ICT Testing Baseline portfolio. Questions should be submitted in advance of the training by emailing 508@access-board.gov with the subject line “Question for September 14 ICT Training.” Registration is required by September 7, 2022

9:30 – 11:00 a.m. (ET) 
Liberty Resources, Inc. 
112 N. 8th St. 
Wade Blank AB Room 
Philadelphia, PA 19107 

“Accessing the Past: Accessibility in Historic Buildings and Facilities” 
This public training will provide an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) accessibility requirements for historic buildings and facilities. The presenters will review ADA and ABA technical requirements and exemptions, best design practices, and recommendations for making historic sites and facilities accessible. Attendees can earn continuing education credits (American Institute of Architects and Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System). 

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (ET) 
Sierra Group Academy-Tamman, Inc. Collaboration 
399 Market St. 
First Floor, Conference Room 
Philadelphia, PA 19106 

“Making Documents Accessible” 
This hands-on workshop will review issues associated with creating accessible documents when using Microsoft Word. The session will also touch on accessibility issues when exporting to PDF and using Microsoft PowerPoint. The presenters will review best practices and resources developed by the Accessible Electronic Documents (AED) Community of Practice (CoP) that are helpful to all members of the public who are responsible for creating, posting, and distributing electronic content. Attendees are highly encouraged to bring their own laptop computer. Registration is required by September 7, 2022.