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The Accessible Virtual Campus

Grounds, Physical Plant and Transportation

Drawing representing the grounds, physical plant, and transportation section of virtual campus.

A lot of information is available about universal design and the built environment. Maps, routes, greenspace, and transportation accessibility are also considerations.

See Instructional Methods and Media & Materials for guidelines to design accessible signs and materials in the offices that manage these services.

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Doorway AUDIT

How universally designed is that doorway? What are the correct measurements for an accessible doorway?

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Doorway AUDIT  (Excel Document)

Doorway AUDIT Manual  (PDF File)

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Electronic Information Kiosk AUDIT

Use this AUDIT to determine how universally designed a kiosk is. This three part audit assesses accessibility, usability, and score.

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Electronic Information Kiosk AUDIT  (Excel Document)

Electronic Information Kiosk Manual  (PDF File)

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Elevator AUDIT

Elevators are comprised of multiple features that must be considered for full accessibility. Use this AUDIT to determine how successful your elevators are at providing access and usability for all students, staff and faculty.

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Elevator AUDIT  (Excel Document)

Elevator AUDIT Version 1-2 Manual  (PDF File)

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Service Contract Tips

This document contains tips for "contracting for services that work for everyone including people with disabilities". Check these tips to insure accessibility before contracting for services.

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Service Contract Tips  (Word Document)

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Signage AUDIT

This AUDIT measures the accessibility of signage, including placement, font size, contrast and more. The AUDIT has three sections, including accessibility, usability, and a scoring sheet.

R2D2 Center at the U W-Milwaukee

Signage AUDIT  (Excel Document)

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Universal Design on Campus

A lecture from the ACCESS-ed Conference 2008 presented by Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler on the importance of Universal Design in Higher Education. This lecture digs deeper into what it means for a facility to be Universally Designed and steps that are required to reach that status.

1 of 6 (captioned) Universal Design of Physical Spaces  YouTube Video

1 of 6 (video described) Universal Design of Physical Spaces  YouTube Video

2 of 6 (captioned) Universal Design in the Planning Stage  YouTube Video

2 of 6 (video described) Universal Design in the Planning Stage  YouTube Video

3 of 6 (captioned) Planning for Accommodations  YouTube Video

3 of 6 (video described) Planning for Accommodations  YouTube Video

4 of 6 (captioned) Appearance in Universal Design  YouTube Video

4 of 6 (vid. described) Appearance in Universal Design  YouTube Video

5 of 6 (captioned) Defining the "Universe"  YouTube Video

5 of 6 (vid. described)Defining the "Universe"  YouTube Video

6 of 6 (captioned) Images Around the Facility  YouTube Video

6 of 6 (vid. described) Images Around the Facility  YouTube Video

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A Framework of Emergency Preparedness Guidelines For Federal Agencies- Accounting for the Needs of People with Disabilities

This link contains a comprehensive 84 page document. Critical questions list near the end guide examination of existing procedures. "In disaster management activities it is important to think about disability broadly. Traditional narrow definitions of disability are not appropriate. The term disability does not apply just to people whose disabilities are noticeable, such as wheelchair users and people who are blind or deaf." This document discribes how to get prepared for an emergency that includes people with disabilities.

Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities

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A More Accessible Map

Is there a way to display text-based data on a map, keeping it accessible, useful, and visually attractive? Yes there is by using an accessible CSS-based map in which the underlying map data is separated from the visual layout. This web article explains, and gives an example for making web-based maps more accessible.

Duffy, S - "A List Apart"

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ABC's of the ADA

This company that specializes in adaptive pool & spa access has extracted the main points regarding pool lifts from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, 36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191 for your reference.

Aquatic Access Inc.

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About Detectable Warning Surfaces

Warning surfaces are “standardized surface feature built in or applied to walking surfaces or other elements to warn of hazards on a circulation path.” This website explains why these are necessary plus provides specifications, research reports, and recommendations.

Accessible Design for the Blind

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Access Map

An example of an approach of this institution to provide accessibility information to wheelchair users on their campus.

University of Minnesota Duluth

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Accessibility Requirements for Buildings

This article by the U.S. Department of Housing provides information on the housing accessibility requirements for both private and federally assisted housing.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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Accessible Desks and Furniture

This webpage provides a list of desks and tables that follow ADA guidelines and meet accessibility standards. This page is provided to supply information and examples of universally designed furniture for buyers.

Accessible Environments, Inc.

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Accessible Landscapes - Designing for Inclusion

This website contians the Landscapes For All Project which was conceived in 1990 as a logical extension of the excellent work in park and playground access by the firm of Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc. This is a brief on-line source of concepts and drawing for Universal Design outdoor spaces.

The Accessible Landscapes Project

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Accessible Solutions from Bob Vila

This website page includes accessibility concerns from the work of Bob Vila (This Old House TV show). Many accessibility topics have "how to" videos.

Bob Vila

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ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

"The Tool Kit is designed to teach state and local government officials how to identify and fix problems that prevent people with disabilities from gaining equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities. It will also teach state and local officials how to conduct accessibility surveys of their buildings and facilities to identify and remove architectural barriers to access."

US Department of Justice

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AgrAbility Assistive Technology Resources

This website provides a list of resources for specific accessibility issues per conditions and links to other resources. This website also provides a TOOLBOX, where visitors can search the toolbox for specific assistive technology solutions, products, techniques and ideas.

AgrAbility

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Americans with Disabilities Act and City Governments: Common Problems

This website explains the requirements of state and local governments for making all of civic life accessible to persons with disabilities.

U.S. Department of Justice

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Apartment Accessibility

This webpage includes an "AT Quick Reference" guide to help individuals adapt their apartment to become more accessible. There are also answers to frequently asked questions regarding tenant life, which range from ADA accommodations to easy modifications to make.

Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA)

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Assistive Technology Fact Sheet for the Farm

This PDF describes assistive technology used on the farm. The material is organized into categories with examples of technology listed.

Ohio State University Extension, Ohio Agrability

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Assistive Technology in Argiculture

This PDF discusses the assistive technology in agriculture including tractor alterations, livestock, dairy, crop production, poultry and living spaces.

Virginia Cooperative Extension

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Automated Doors: Towards Universal  (Research based)

This article reports on research completed as part of a contract from the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. The goals of the project were to complete a state of the art review on the subject of automated doors and develop recommendations for revising the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) in light of the findings. These recommendations address both scoping criteria when and if automated doors should be required, and technical criteria how they should be designed if they are used in buildings.

The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access

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Automatic Door Blooper

This short video demonstrates a poor application of automatic door accessibility considerations. The placement of operating buttons may fall within the minimal ADAAG standard, but is it really accessible? A service dog cannot "nose" the button to open the door. If a dog uses a paw to attempt to operate the button his nails scrape on the background surface (which in this case is metal), leading to scrape marks. How will a person with musculo-skeletal fare with this button?

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Automatic Door Blooper  YouTube Video

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Bathroom Accommodations

This webpage includes an "AT Quick Reference" guide to help individuals adapt their bathrooms to be more accessible. This webpage answers frequently asked questions regarding the best ways to adapt the bathroom.

Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA)

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Bedroom Accommodations

This webpage includes an "AT Quick Reference" guide to help individuals make accommodations to their bedroom and adapt their apartment to become more accessible. There are also answers to frequently asked questions regarding bedroom accommodations.

Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA)

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Best Practices Design Guide-Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access

This website focuses on some of the emerging accessibility issues, design parameters that affect sidewalks, street crossing design, and operation. It provides recommendations on how to design sidewalks, street crossings, intersections, shared use paths, and recreational pedestrian trails. (Last updated 2001)

Beneficial Designs, Inc.

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Ergonomic Workstations

This 8 question quiz tests your knowledge of ergonomics in the workplace. This website also provides products to accommodate a wide range of physical abilities and impairments. The developers of these products implement universal design in all of their work.

Humantech, Inc.

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Recycling for all: Preliminary criteria for the design of disability-friendly receptacles

This 6 page article discusses the problems with current waste bins in regards to accessibility for all people. The article also provides solutions and specific guidelines for a universally designed waste recepticle. It is an interesting article because it addresses something we use everyday but may take for granted; people with disabilities need to access trash and recycling bins, too!

Jensen and Nielsen, Waste Management and Research

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Scaleable Vector Graphics-Maps for People with Visual Impairment

In depth discussion/"how-to" with sources - books, conference proceedings, and web link. This website presents how Scaleable Vector Graphics increase "accessibility and interactivity to help people with visual impairment read audio-tactile maps."

SVG Conference

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The Americans with Disabilities Act Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal

This checklist (1995) will help you identify accessibility problems and solutions in existing facilities in order to meet your obligations under the ADA, however may be outdated with regard to specific updates in the law.

Barrier Free Environments, Inc. and Adaptive Environments Center, Inc.

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To Develop Maps for the Blind that are Created by the Blind

In this brief article, a graduate student from Kansas University draws on personal experience and faculty support in a comprehensive project to create tactile diagrams of campus.

Maines, S. in the Lawrence Journal-World & News

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Trail Surfaces: What Do I Need to Know Now?

This article form Access Today focuses on the critical components of an accessible trail. The author then gives advice on how to meet all of these components depending on the type of trial.

The National Center on Accessibility-Indiana University

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Universal Design New York

This is a desktop reference manual which presents common universal design principles from Universal Design New York and offers examples of how to incorporate these ideas into other projects.

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Visualizer: universal design and drafting tools for accessibility on floor plans

A nifty set of tools that visually demonstrate wheelchair maneuverability on architectural plans. Disclaimer: This page is provided only to supply information/examples of adaptive exercise equipment. No endorsement of products or firms is intended, nor is criticism implied of those not included.

The ABC's of Accessibility ®

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What is GIS? Geographic Information Systems

Basics of GIS as background to accessible maps. "GIS is a broad field, requiring expertise in a range of areas ranging from cartography, systems administration, relational database management, programming and of course, spatial analysis."

GIS Lounge

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Whole Building Design Guide: Accessible

"The WBDG is the only web-based portal providing government and industry practitioners with one-stop access to up-to-date information on a wide range of building-related guidance, criteria and technology from a 'whole buildings' perspective. Currently organized into three major categories; Design Guidance, Project Management and Operations & Maintenance at the heart of the WBDG are Resource Pages, reductive summaries on particular topics." Their accessibility page delineates a comprehensive history of accessible building design with links, relevant codes & standards, and major resources. "Information in these Accessible pages must be considered together with other design objectives and within a total project context in order to achieve quality, high performance buildings."

Whole Building Design

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"July 26 marks the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.... the ADA's provisions include the right to seek, obtain, pursue and maintain employment without being hampered by physical or attitudinal barriers. I believe that having a job is a civil right. Those who are qualified for and want to work should not be denied that right because of an inaccessible building or an outdated set of assumptions about what they can or cannot do..."

Hilda L. Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor , July 24, 2009