Access Board News

The U.S. Access Board hosted the virtual public event “Designing for Inclusion: Architectural Trends and Social Justice” last week on November 10. Board Member Karen Braitmayer reviewed current trends in architectural design for toilet rooms, lavatories, . . .

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), U.S. Access Board staff presented at conferences, forums, and events to advance accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Board staff presented on various topics, such as the President’s Executive Orders, emerging technology and trends, information and communication technology resources, and the guidelines and standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Architectural Barriers Act of 1973 (ABA), and . . .

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requests public comments on the Draft of Promoting Access to Voting: Recommendations for Addressing Barriers to Private and Independent Voting for People with Disabilities. Under Executive Order 14019 on Promoting Access to Voting, NIST is . . .

The U.S. Access Board has released technical bulletins on accessibility to lavatories and sinks, washing machines and clothes dryers, and saunas and steam rooms. This material addresses specifications for clear floor space, knee and toe space, forward and side reach, operable parts, height, turning space, benches, and doors in the ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards. Each bulletin clarifies common sources of confusion, answers frequently asked questions, and offers recommendations for best practice. Examples of compliant lavatories, sinks, washing machines, clothes dryers, saunas, and steam rooms are . . .

The U.S. Access Board will host a virtual public event on architectural trends and social justice on November 10 from 2:30 – 4:00 pm (ET). The event will feature presentations by Board Members Karen Braitmayer and Deborah Ryan who will provide an accessibility review of current trends in architectural design, including those that have emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They will highlight aspects of those trends that advance equity and inclusion and discuss . . .

During the month of October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Technology & Accessible Resources Give Employment Today (TARGET) Center is hosting a series of virtual sessions on understanding disability‑related initiatives, current trends, and new technology that . . .

With deep sorrow, the U.S. Access Board announces the passing of former Board Member Marilyn Golden. Appointed to the Board in 1996 by President Bill Clinton, she was a member until 2005. Golden’s advocacy work on disability rights spanned four decades, and she had been serving as senior policy analyst for the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) before her passing . . .

The U.S. Access Board held a public briefing yesterday on the results of a Board-sponsored study on the feasibility of installing wheelchair securement systems on passenger aircraft conducted by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The event featured presentations by . . .

In the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, Congress called on the U.S. Access Board to examine the feasibility of wheelchair securement systems for passenger use in airplane cabins. In response, the Access Board commissioned the Transportation Research Board (TRB), of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to conduct . . .

On August 11, 2021, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council issued a final rule updating the federal government’s procurement regulations to officially incorporate the U.S. Access Board’s revised Section 508 Standards. The FAR Council supplemented provisions in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) supporting the requirements for . . .