# [ADA Accessibility Guidelines]{#_Toc481212022} [Online Education Course]{#_Toc481212022}

# [Course Supplement]{#_Toc481212023}

# [Acknowledgements]{#_Toc481212024}

The AIA wishes to acknowledge the generous contributions of the Access
Board, who initiated this important project. The Access Board provided
funding and aided in developing the program for the course. Their
invaluable efforts will help educate architects about the guidelines for
the design and construction of accessible judicial, legislative, and
regulatory facilities; detention and correctional facilities; and
building elements designed for children\'s use.

Contributors to the development of the Accessibility Online Course are:

Access Board Staff

Lois E. L. Thibault, Coordinator of Research

U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board

1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20004-1111

202.272.5434, ext. 132 TTY 202.272.5449

fax 202.272.5447

thibault@access-board.gov

David Yanchulis

Accessibility Specialist/Research Coordinator

U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board

1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20004-1111

202.272.5434, ext. 127 TTY 202.272.5449

fax 202.272.5447

yanchulis@access-board.gov

Writer and Designer

Jo G. Griffith

Word-Design

3718 Manor Place, N.W.

Washington, DC 20007

202.337.2920 fax 202.337.3675

jo@word-design.com

Review Panel

Marlene Walli Shade, AIA

Project Architect

Phillips Swager Associates (PSA)

Architects, Engineers and Planners

Brunswick Building, Suite 401

7921 Jones Branch Drive

McLean, VA 22102-3306

703.748.1804 fax 703.748.1808

shade.m@PSA-AE.com

Sarah Woodhead, AIA

Project Manager

SHW Group, Inc.

Architects + Engineers

12200 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 110

Reston, VA 20191-3439

703.648.1740 fax 703.648.9349

sjwoodhead@SHWgroup.com

Robert Karamitsos, AIA

Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, P.C. (HOK)

3223 Grace Street, NW

Washington, DC 20007

202.339.8805 fax 202.339.8800

AIA Staff

Peg Hamil, AIA

Project Manager, Professional Practice

The American Institute of Architects

1735 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20006-5292

202.626.7317 fax 202.626.7399

phamil@aia.org

# [Welcome]{#_Toc481212025}

Welcome to the American Institute of Architect's on-line continuing
education course. The course was developed jointly by the AIA and the
U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, or
Access Board. It covers new provisions in the ADA Accessibility
Guidelines (ADAAG), which were developed by the Access Board. The course
does not cover all of ADAAG. It is limited to two new sections covering
state and local government facilities and building elements designed for
children's use.

***Please note that as of the time of course publication, the guidelines
have not yet been adopted by the Department of Justice as ADA standards,
although that process is underway. The facilities covered in these
sections are required to be fully accessible under current regulations.
The new supplements are guidelines on how to provide that
accessibility.***

## [Instructions]{#_Toc481212026}

This Course Supplement provides additional information and case studies
that will reinforce the information you learn in the online course.

To get the most benefit from the course, complete the online
Introduction and your selected module(s) first, then read the
corresponding section in this Course Supplement. Much of the information
in the Supplement relates to ADAAG Section 4, which covers buildings in
general. You should have a good understanding of the requirements in
this section because it is frequently referenced in Sections 11 and 12,
which the online course covers. If you run across unfamiliar
terminology, refer to the Glossary in this Supplement.

Contents

Additional Background on the ADA and ADAAG

ADA Information Sources

Judicial, Legislative and Regulatory Facilities

· New Accessibility Guidelines to Impact Courthouses

· Accessible Sites, Entrances and Other Circulation Elements

· Accessible Elements -- Fire Alarm Pull

· Accessible Elements -- Restroom Signage

· Accessible Elements -- Ramps

Detention and Correctional Facilities

· Designing Detention and Correctional Facilities Under the New
Accessibility Guidelines

· Circulation Elements and Accessible Cells

Building Elements Designed for Children's Use

· Designing for Children Under the New Accessibility Guidelines

· Designing for All Children

· Accessible Sites, Entrances, and Other Circulation Elements

· Furniture and Play Areas for Children with Special Needs

Assistive Listening Systems

· Assistive Listening Systems Consumer Brochure

Glossary

Additional Background on the ADA and ADAAG

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 recognizes and
protects the civil rights of people with disabilities. The ADA covers a
wide range of disability, from physical conditions that affect mobility,
stamina, sight, hearing, and speech to conditions such as emotional
illness and learning disorders. The ADA regulations address access to
the workplace (title I), state and local government services (title II)
and places of accommodation and commercial facilities (title III). It
also requires telephone companies to provide telecommunications relay
services for people who have hearing or speech impairments (title IV)
and provide miscellaneous instructions to Federal agencies that enforce
the law (title V). Each of these five titles has a separate implementing
regulation.

Regulations that set requirements and establish enforcement procedures
are necessary to implement laws such as the ADA. Comprehensive
regulations for titles II and III issued by the Department of Justice
(DOJ) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) include enforceable
standards for the construction and alteration of buildings and
facilities. These standards, which are based on the ADA Accessibility
Guidelines (ADAAG), are enforced by DOJ, DOT, and the courts and apply
nationwide. It is important that the regulations be used *along with*
the design standards they contain or reference. Although ADAAG
compliance is not generally reviewed during the permitting process for
new construction or alterations, its application is not unlike that of a
state or local building code.

ADAAG derives from an earlier Federal standard, the Uniform Federal
Accessibility Standards (UFAS). The format and technical criteria of
both stem from private sector voluntary standards first developed by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1961. ADAAG provides
both scoping and technical requirements. Information in the Appendix is
advisory (non-mandatory) and noted by an asterisk (\*). In general,
specific provisions take precedence over general requirements and words
and text over figures. Furnishings and equipment not fixed to building
construction are not scoped or specified in ADAAG but may be covered by
other provisions in the DOT or DOJ regulations.

Like most Federal regulations, ADAAG was developed under a rule-making
process that invites public comment through publication in the Federal
Register. Changes and additions to ADAAG are also published through the
same rulemaking process that provides public notice and the chance to
comment. Several additional guidelines and revisions have been made to
ADAAG since its initial publication in 1991; the modules in this course
cover some of them:

**State and Local Government Facilities.** Changes and additions to
ADAAG covering state and local government facilities were proposed in
December 1992 and June 1994. Final minimum guidelines were published by
the Board in January 1998. These guidelines include new chapters on
judicial, regulatory and legislative facilities (section 11), detention
and correctional facilities (section 12), and miscellaneous changes to
existing provisions. They will eventually become part of DOJ's
enforceable standard.

**Children's Environments.** In January 1998 the Access Board published
final guidelines for building elements designed for use by children.
These guidelines provide optional design criteria based on children's
dimensions. (As originally published, ADAAG requirements were based only
on adult dimensions). DOJ intends to incorporate these new guidelines
into its enforceable standard.

Other changes to ADAAG are underway, including:

· Recreation facilities

· Play facilities

· Outdoor facilities

· Sidewalks

#### ADA Information Sources

# [U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board]{#_Toc481212027})

**800-872-2253**

**TTY: 800-993-2822**

**www.access-board.gov**

The Access Board provides additional guidance on, and copies of, ADAAG
and UFAS. Toll-free technical assistance is available weekdays from
10:00 to 5:30 (EDT). All Board publications, including ADAAG, are
available on the Board's web site.

# [U.S. Department of Justice]{#_Toc481212028}

**800-514-0301**

# [TTY: 800-514-0383]{#_Toc481212029}

The DOJ regulates and enforces requirements for state and local
governments and the private sector under titles II and III of the ADA
and provides technical assistance on the regulations it has issued under
these titles.

# [U.S. Department of Transportation]{#_Toc481212030}

**800-446-4511**

**TTY: 202-366-0153**

The DOT regulates and enforces requirements for transportation access
under titles II and III of the ADA.

# [Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center]{#_Toc481212031}s

# [800-949-4232 (voice or TTY)]{#_Toc481212032}

**www.adata.org/text-dbtac.html**

ADA information and assistance is also available closer to home through
ten regional technical assistance centers established under a Federal
grant. These centers can provide ADA information available from most of
the Federal agencies listed above, as well as state and local
information, training, and other services. The toll-free number connects
you to the center serving your area.

Judicial, Legislative and Regulatory Facilities

New Accessibility Guidelines to Impact Courthouses

*by Michael J. Crosbie, PhD, Associate, Research and Publications*

*Steven Winter Associates, Norwalk, CT*

Two new amendments to the 1991 Americans with Disabilities Act
Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG) have been
issued. One set of amendments provides architects with more specific
design guidelines for certain state and local government ("Title II")
facilities, Section 11 judicial, legislative, and regulatory facilities,
and Section 12 detention and correctional facilities. A second set of
amendments focuses on building elements designed for children's use.

Called Final Rules, these two new guidelines are presently under review
by the U.S. Department of Justice for adoption as standards under the
ADA. Until the time that they become enforceable standards, these
guidelines are not to be construed as imposing additional requirements
on entities covered by the ADA. They do provide additional guidance for
designers of such facilities on how to achieve the accessibility that is
already required. Architects who design these facility types will find
valuable information on how to comply with current obligations.

As part of a new program with the Access Board (an independent federal
agency responsible for the development of accessibility guidelines under
the ADA and other laws), the AIA will be developing education and
training on these new guidelines in the future. The ADA currently covers
courthouses, and architects are required to design accessible
courthouses now. What is provided in the new guidelines is more
definition, not new coverage. Courthouses have their own distinct design
features. There are few settings in the built environment where
accessibility---in both a literal and symbolic sense---is as important,
as the U.S. Constitution provides for equal access to the law. So when
architects use the new provisions, they will have more confidence that
they are in fact designing accessible, usable facilities.

Of all the areas within the courtroom requiring accessibility, the most
critical areas are the jury box, the witness stand, and the judge's
bench. The jury box is normally surrounded by a low partition and has
elevated or tiered seating. The best design solutions provide vertical
access and turning space, allowing for a change in floor height without
disrupting the relationship of the jury box to other functional areas in
the courtroom. The same is true for witness stands, as they occupy a
prominent, elevated position in the courtroom. However, the guidelines
permit access to the judge's bench to be *adaptable*, so that accessible
elements can be added when the need arises. An assistive listening
system to aid in achieving effective communications for people who are
hard of hearing is also a critical component of successful courtroom
design.

The overriding goal for architects is to incorporate accessibility
seamlessly into their projects to allow full access to the built
environment by everyone without restriction. The challenge to provide
courtroom accessibility, and to do it in ways that are sensitive to the
decorum of the space and preserve its architectural character and
traditional formality, is verified by architects who specialize in such
design.

\"I can\'t think of another building type where it is more important to
provide a sophisticated solution to accessibility,\" says Marlene Walli
Shade, AIA, of Phillips Swager Associates (PSA), a Washington, D.C. area
firm specializing in judicial facilities. "Courtrooms are places where
life and death issues are decided,\" she notes, "and the accessible
solution should be discreet."

Jim Beight, AIA, also of PSA, says that in the courtroom, accessibility
plays a symbolic role every bit as important as its functional role.
\"The image you need to portray is that the judicial system is
accessible to everyone---equal access to equal justice.\"

Both these architects say ramps are the preferable solution for access
to jury boxes and witness stands, because they can be better integrated
into courtroom design. While the Access Board notes that platform lifts
are often the most expedient measure used to provide vertical access,
mechanical solutions such as lifts can be a visual and auditory
distraction, and they are prone to malfunction. For these reasons, note
the architects, ramps are often preferred.

Jury box seating is usually six to eight inches above the courtroom
floor. It may be necessary to reduce the height of the jury box and
witness stand so that an appropriately sloped ramp can accommodate the
vertical rise in less space. Limiting the height to five inches allows a
shorter ramp run, where handrails may not be required, while still
providing appropriate stature for the jury and witness boxes.

The judge's bench is normally the highest element in any
courtroom---usually

16 to 20 inches above the floor---so providing accessibility via a ramp
is more of a challenge. Platform lifts are often the answer here. Mr.
Beight notes that he has successfully designed ramped benches only 12
inches above the floor. An elegant solution that discreetly conceals the
ramp from the courtroom space is to place it in a hallway behind the
courtroom wall where the bench is located; the judge can then enter, as
is customary, through a doorway behind the bench that is on the same
level as the accessible route.

A copy of each of the new Final Rules can be obtained from the Access
Board's web site:

· **http://www.access-board.gov/rules/title2.htm** to download the
document* State and Local Government Facilities Final Rule* which
addresses judicial, legislative, regulatory, detention, and correctional
facilities

· **http://www.access-board.gov/rules/child.htm** to download the
document *Building Elements Designed for Children's Use Final Rule *

To request a print copy of either document, or to obtain further
information on the new guidelines or other accessibility issues, call
the Access Board's toll-free technical assistance line, 800-872-2253 (V)
or 800-993-2822 (TTY). Technical assistance can also be reached by
dialing 202-272-5434 (V) or 202-272-5449 (TTY).

Architects can also fax questions and drawings to the Access Board at
202-272-5447 or via email TA@access-board.gov. Accessible Sites,
Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

Facility: Decatur County Courthouse

150 Courthouse Square

Greensburg, IN 47240

Designer: Schmidt Associates, Inc.

320 East Vermont Street

Indianapolis, IN 46204

317-263-6226

Originally built in 1860, the historic Decatur County Courthouse was
renovated and expanded in 1995. The new addition of brick and limestone
reflects the historic character of the courthouse as originally designed
and is connected to the original building in such a way that almost all
of the existing building remains unchanged.

The new addition features a curved public access ramp leading up to the
main entrance of the courthouse. Before renovation, steps provided the
only access. Relocating the new main entrance also reduced travel
distance from the parking lot.

Each courtroom in the new addition features ramp access to the jury box
and witness stand. A counsel room, located adjacent to a large meeting
room, also features a ramp between the two spaces.

Each public counter includes knee room and maneuvering space designed to
provide maximum accessibility while maintaining the contextual flavor of
the furnishings and architectural elements.

The original historic door handles required upgrading. Doorknobs and
hardware were replaced with push-pulls and appropriately-levered
doorknobs to provide access on every floor.

Accessible Sites, Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

Facility: New Queens Civil Court

89-17 Sutphin Blvd.

Jamaica, NY

Designers: Perkins Eastman Architects, P.C.

115 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10003-1004

212-353-7200

Smith Meeker Engineering

150 Warren Street, Suite 108

Jersey City, NJ 07302

201-332-9377

The New Queens Civil Court conforms to or exceeds ADA requirements for
accessibility. Several of the features highlighted below are shared by
all or most of the courtrooms.

At the main entrance, unusually wide curb cuts slope from the street to
the sidewalk. The plaza is expansive and well lit, with entry at grade
level. Accessible balanced entry doors have lever handles and floor
closers. These doors open onto the same-grade foyer floor, with easy
access to the elevator lobby.

Bright lighting illuminates each courtroom. Accessible ramps lead to
witness and jury boxes, the law clerk's desk, and the judge's bench.
Spectator benches are designed with hinged seats and end pieces that
swing away for wheelchair seating. The back of the courtroom is raised 6
inches so that the judge, law clerks and jury can enter at a raised
elevation.

Wide aisles provide easy maneuverability in the Calendar Court.
Clearance between front rail and spectator benches is designed to
accommodate wheelchairs at the front of the spectator seating area.
Ramps provide access to the judge's bench, witness stand, law clerk's
desk and jury box, as well as to the rear of the courtroom.

Accessible Sites, Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

Facility: Denton County Courts Building

Denton County, Texas

1450 E. McKinney

Denton, TX 76201

Designer: Phillips Swager Associates

3622 North Knoxville

Peoria, IL 61603

309-688-9511

The Denton Country Courts Building, completed in 1998, was designed for
full accessibility. For example, the primary public entrance is at grade
level to accommodate wheelchair access. Entrance is through swinging
doors directed to the security checkpoint, while exit is through power
assisted, no-return, revolving doors. These doors are large enough for
wheelchair access. Other than the courtrooms, the District and County
Court Clerk's offices are the main county departments that require
public access. Each department contains accessible transaction counters
facing the main lobby.

For increased visibility the judge's bench, witness box and jury box are
raised above the level of the gallery. The jury box is raised two tiers.
The lower level of the jury box, raised 4 inches, is ramp accessible and
includes a removable chair with adequate space for a wheelchair
turnaround. The witness box is also ramp accessible to its 4-inch
height. The judge's bench is raised 21 inches and is accessed from the
secure staff side of the facility. At the time of construction, only one
wheelchair lift to a judge's bench was built. However, space and power
was provided at all other courtrooms for future installation of lifts as
needed.

Each pair of courtrooms is adjacent to three prisoner holding cells for
prisoners awaiting court appearance. One of each of the three cells is
accessible. This plan shows one design. The holding cells are reached
via a secure elevator from the main holding area in the basement. The
main holding area contains accessible cells and other accessible
prisoner areas.

Accessible Elements - Fire Alarm Pull

Southeast Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center (SE DBTAC)

Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT)

School of Architecture

Georgia Tech University

Atlanta, GA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 states that reach
ranges to operate items from a side approach may not exceed 54". (Sec.
4.2.5 and 4.2.6). Conventional fire alarm systems installed in many
state and local government facilities do not meet the ADA height
requirements and therefore deny access to people with disabilities.

Moving an alarm pull switch to accommodate the height requirements may
require longer fire alarm wires. However, municipal fire and electrical
codes prohibit splicing fire alarm wires. Accordingly, a fresh run of
wire from the switch to the main fire alarm console is required in order
to move a switch further from the console. Such a process can use miles
of wire in large state and local government facilities. In addition to
the cost of wire, there is a significant labor cost.

In order to address this issue, CRT designed a fire alarm pull
extension. (The pull was designed by CRT and licensed to Mitec Controls,
Inc., 3040 F. Business Park Drive, Norcross, GA 30071, 770-662-0094).
The extension effectively moves the location of the switch by moving the
point of actuation without having to relocate the switch. The extension
was designed for actuation using gross motor movements only. This allows
for operation by people who may have limited grip strength.

The weight of a hand in the extension hook will activate the fire alarm;
there is no need to grasp the pull, as is necessary on a standard fire
alarm.

Accessible Elements -- Restroom Signage

Southeast Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center (SE DBTAC)

Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT)

School of Architecture

Georgia Tech University

Atlanta, GA

Accessible restroom facilities are not always feasible in retrofit
situations. While it may not be possible to modify every facility, the
goal of each project should be to provide a minimum of one accessible
restroom facility on each floor of each building preferably one
accessible facility per sex per floor.

When facilities are not accessible, information should be provided to
indicate the location of facilities that are accessible. Appropriate
signage is necessary. Such signage is considered directional, and must
be easily read. No Braille or raised characters are required, although
access symbols may be required on some directional signs. Characters
should be sized for the viewing distance and proportional in size, as
very thick or thin characters can be hard to read. All signs must have a
non-glare finish as well.

The sign in the photo to the left reads "Nearest accessible restroom
west side this floor." Other signs may use arrows rather than words as
directions.

The photo to the right shows a sign indicating an accessible unisex
restroom. This is a room designation sign rather than a directional
sign, and requires raised characters, Braille, and symbols.

Accessible Elements -- Ramps

Southeast Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center (SE DBTAC)

Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT)

School of Architecture

Georgia Tech University

Atlanta, GA

Ramps can be installed as a solution to a variety of access barriers.
Well-built ramps create access with limited requirements for
maintenance. Unlike lifts, ramps are not electromechanical, so they are
preferred in situations that lack power or on pathways that receive a
great deal of traffic.

However, ramps do not work in all situations. Rise requirements can
result in ramps that are too expensive or too long or too high to use.
The ramps shown here are manageable in length, easily installed, cost
effective, and used by people on foot, in wheelchairs, on bicycles, etc.
Ramps should be designed to be used by all pedestrians, regardless of
ability or need.

The ramp on the left connects two areas with significantly different
levels. Designed to be functional as well as attractive, this ramp
features a switchback configuration, continuous handrails with
extensions (painted to blend into the surrounding landscape), and a curb
to help prevent wheelchair rolloff.

The ramp on the right provides access to a building entrance that
previously had only steps. Designed to blend with the building, the ramp
is constructed of concrete and brick the same color as that of the
building. The brick provides a natural lip at the edge of the ramp, and
handrails were installed to connect to the stair rails. A power door
opener enhances access at the entrance.

The photo on the left shows a ramp connecting to a deck that serves a
restaurant. Each of the two levels can be reached by using the
connecting sidewalks and ramp, permitting people with mobility
impairments to enjoy the same amenities as people without disabilities.

Detention and Correctional Facilities

Designing Detention and Correctional Facilities Under the New
Accessibility Guidelines

*by Michael J. Crosbie, PhD, Associate, Research and Publications*

*Steven Winter Associates, Norwalk, CT*

Accessible detention and correctional facilities is the focus of one of
two new amendments to the 1991 Americans with Disabilities Act
Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG). One set
of amendments provides architects with design standards to meet
accessibility requirements for environments designed specifically for
use by children, and covers a wide range of equipment, furnishings, and
building elements. A second set of amendments focuses on state and local
government facilities, including judicial, legislative, and regulatory
facilities, and detention and correctional facilities.

Called Final Rules, the new recommended guidelines are presently under
review by the U.S. Department of Justice, and a date for their adoption
as regulations has not yet been set. Until the time that they become
regulations, these guidelines are advisory only, and are not to be
construed as requirements. However, in anticipation of their adoption,
architects who design these facility types should become familiar with
these guidelines.

Section 12 of the new title II guidelines applies to jails, holding
cells in police stations, prisons, juvenile detention centers,
reformatories, and other institutional occupancies where occupants are
under some degree of restraint or restriction for security reasons.

Architects familiar with the rulemaking process will note a change in
the scoping provisions from the proposed rule published for public
comment in 1992. The original Notice of Proposed Rulemaking suggested
that accessible cells be provided at a minimum of 5% of the total number
of cells in a facility, which was viewed as unnecessarily burdensome,
particularly in existing facilities, where cells are harder to adapt.
Section 12 sets the requirement at 2% of the total number of cells, but
not less than one. Commentary in the Preamble cites data submitted by
several correctional agencies putting the percentage of inmates with
disabilities housed in jails in Nebraska and Texas at .07% and .48%,
respectively. New York City reported that .25% of its inmate population
uses wheelchairs. According to James Kessler, AIA, senior principal and
director of criminal justice facilities for Hellmuth, Obata +
Kassabaum\'s Washington, DC office, the 2% requirement seems more in
line with real life experience of the number of inmates that may require
an accessible cell.

The new rule also differs from its proposed version in that it does not
stipulate how accessible cells should be dispersed throughout a
facility. Allowing prison administrators and architects discretion in
distributing accessible cells, according to commentary in the new rule,
permits facilities to be more responsive to the particular needs of its
prison population and its programs. Kessler makes the point that the
ability to locate accessible cells in certain areas also has a big
impact on the need to make other areas, such as day rooms, accessible or
not.

Locating accessible cells on the first floor of a day room with a
mezzanine, for example, means that the mezzanine need not be made
accessible and that elevators and staircases need not be designed to
ADAAG standards as long as accessible cells and all public and common
use spaces serving them are on an accessible route.

Grab bars are not required in accessible cells that are used exclusively
for suicide prevention. Such cells are specifically designed without
projections. Kessler notes that accessible cells are usually designed to
be slightly wider than typical cells in order to provide wider doors and
more clearance room. This usually necessitates the separation of the
sink and the toilet in \"wet\" cells. However, there are combination
sink and toilet units that meet ADAAG requirements.

Kessler notes that, based on his experience with general ADAAG
requirements, \"the new rules are excellent.\" He notes that such
requirements \"make us a much more caring society. At the beginning they
seemed excessive and expensive, but as one becomes acclimated and
understands the standards, they are not that difficult to incorporate.
They are now part of our standard details and specifications.\"

To obtain a copy of the guideline from the Access Board\'s web site:

**· http://www.access-board.gov/rules/title2.htm** to download the
document* State and Local Government Facilities Final Rule*, which
addresses judicial, legislative, regulatory, detention, and correctional
facilities.

**· http://www.access-board.gov/rules/child.htm** to download document
*S-30, Building Elements Designed for Children\'s Use Final Rule.*

To request a print copy of either document, or to obtain further
information on the new guidelines or other accessibility issues, call
the Access Board's toll-free technical assistance line, 800-872-2253 (V)
or 800-993-2822 (TTY). Technical assistance lcan also be reached by
dialing 202-272-5434 (V) or 202-272-5449 (TTY).

Architects can also fax questions and drawings to the Access Board at
202-272-5447 or via email TA@access-board.gov.** **Circulation Elements\
and Accessible Cells

# [Facility: ]{#_Toc481212035}[ ]{#_Toc481212035}[Mecklenburg County Intake and Detention Center]{#_Toc481212035}

Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Department\
725 East Trade St. Suite 200

Charlotte, NC

Designer: Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, P.C.

3223 Grace Street, NW

Washington, DC 20007

202-339-8805

910-790-9901

Mecklenburg Detention Center, designed by HOK in joint venture with
Little Architects, integrates the program requirements of a single-cell,
direct supervision facility within the constraints of a prominent
downtown government complex. Phase I, consisting of 1,004 secure beds,
was completed in December 1996 with a 900-bed expansion planned to
follow. The housing pods are organized horizontally around a circulation
spine and vertically by the stacking of cells and day rooms. Arrest
processing, public reception, administrative and medical treatment areas
occupy the lower three floors.

Direct supervision and the extensive use of dry cell pods fosters a
normalized environment and saves money in construction and equipment
costs. In these areas, inmates have keys to their own cells and are
allowed free access to the dayroom and toilet facilities, enabling them
to retain some privacy and personal territory. There is at least one
accessible cell per pod. All dayrooms serving accessible cells are
accessible.

An open plan processing area with color-coded, airport-style seating
zones encourages a more relaxed atmosphere for officers and arrestees.
The planning allows flexibility of movement, custody and staffing to
adapt to variable intake loads and to alleviate bottlenecks.

Circulation Elements\
and Accessible Cells

# [Facility: ]{#_Toc481212036}[ ]{#_Toc481212036}[Johnson County Adult Detention Center]{#_Toc481212036}

27745 West 159^th^ Street\
New Century, KS 66031

Designer: Rafael Architects

106 West 11^th^ Street, Suite 2110

Kansas City, MO 64105

816-842-7826

Completed in June, 1999, the Johnson County Adult Detention Center is
master planned for incremental growth for each facility in the complex:
the Operations Center, Adult Detention Center, and Community Corrections
Facility.

Circulation throughout the facility is designed for efficiency and
separation of visitors from staff and inmates. The main entry is below
primary housing, separating inmate and staff circulation. Because
visitors using wheelchairs cannot pass through the fixed security
screening device, an accessible alternate route is provided next to the
device (to the left, as shown in the photo). As required, this route is
direct and convenient so it is equivalent to routes used by others.** **

The 264-bed, medium security jail is divided into five secure zones.
Each contains an upper-level control post for direct supervision with a
fully integrated monitoring and communication system. At least one
accessible cell is provided for each general population housing unit, in
addition to a 96-bed dormitory. Medical units are also equipped with
accessible elements.

Building Elements Designed for Children's Use

Designing for Children Under the New\
Accessibility Guidelines

*by Michael J. Crosbie, PhD, Associate, Research and Publications*

*Steven Winter Associates, Norwalk, CT*

Accessible environments designed and built for children is the focus of
one of two new amendments to the 1991 Americans with Disabilities Act
Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG). One set
of amendments focuses on environments designed specifically for use by
children, and covers a wide range of equipment, furnishings, and
building elements. Another set of amendments provides architects with
design standards to meet accessibility requirements for state and local
government facilities, including judicial, legislative, and regulatory
facilities, and detention and correctional facilities.

Called Final Rules, these two new guidelines are presently under review
by the U.S. Department of Justice, and a date for their adoption as
standards has not yet been set. Until the time that they become
enforceable standards, these guidelines are not to be construed as
imposing requirements on entities covered by the ADA. However, in
anticipation of their adoption, architects who design these facility
types should become familiar with these guidelines.

Children\'s environments considered by the guidelines can be virtually
any type of facility\--not just schools, libraries, or day-care
centers\--but any space or element inside or outside a building that may
be designed for a child. This article highlights the new guidelines and
also discusses the necessity for accessible environments for young
people. Such accessible environments communicate to children -- at an
early and impressionable age in their lives -- that disabled people can
share equally in the use of architecture if it is properly designed and
constructed.

The amendments provide alternate specifications based on children\'s
dimensions for elements covered by ADAAG including drinking fountains,
water closets, toilet stalls, lavatories and sinks, and fixed or
built-in seating and tables. When first published in 1991, ADAAG
provided specifications based only on adult dimensions. The new
amendments permit departures from existing specifications where a
building element is designed for use by children instead of adults. The
guideline also notes distinctions within this user group, with advisory
information that recognizes the differences in size, stature, and reach
ranges of children ages 3 through 12.

For example, the new amendment contains valuable guidance on reach
ranges across three separate age groups. Three to 4-year-olds have a
forward or side reach range of 20 to 36 inches, 5 to 8 -year-olds have a
range of 18 to 40 inches, and 9 to 12-year-olds have a range of 16 to 44
inches. The guideline contains similarly detailed information on these
three age groups regarding water closet center lines from a side wall,
and heights for toilet seats, grab bars, and tissue dispensers.

According to Sarah Woodhead, AIA, an architect who specializes in the
area

of design for children with disabilities, the issue of reach range by
age group is an important one, not only because kids come in all shapes,
sizes, and disabilities, but also because children continually learn to
maneuver as their bodies grow. \"Children are still developing their
gross motor abilities,\" says Woodhead, \"and still learning to
manipulate their world.\"

Woodhead points out that the \"seamless\" approach to universal
design\--integrating accessible features as part of the overall design,
is the best one to take. School auditorium stages, for instance, might
incorporate an access ramp as part of the stair, or gently sloping wings
that rise to stage height. \"That\'s an elegant solution that enhances
the performance options of the auditorium,\" she notes.

The fact that the guidelines include a variety of architectural elements
points to the necessity, according to Woodhead, for children\'s
environments to offer \"comprehensive\" access, not just entry into the
building, but in every aspect of the building\'s use on par with its
facilities for the able bodied. For example, notes Woodhead, a common
deficit in the design of school science labs is the provision of an
accessible lab bench, with lower counter heights and clearance, which is
located against a wall away from the other benches. This not only
ignores the fact that students often work in teams on such projects, and
that the accessible bench cannot be used by more than one student at a
time, but it also stigmatizes the user by placing them away from other
students, where collaborative learning might take place. Architects need
to provide access sensitively.

To obtain a copy of the guideline from the Access Board\'s web site:
http://www.access-board.gov/rules/child.htm to download document
Building Elements Designed for Children\'s Use Final Rule.

To request a print copy of either document, or to obtain further
information on the new guidelines or other accessibility issues, call
the Access Board's toll-free technical assistance line, 800-872-2253 (V)
or 800-993-2822 (TTY). Technical assistance can also be reached by
dialing 202-272-5434 (V) or 202-272-5449 (TTY).

Architects can also fax questions and drawings to the Access Board at
202-272-5447 or via email TA@access-board.gov.** **Designing for All
Children

*by Vicki Stoecklin*

© 1999 White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group

Children need age and developmentally-appropriate physical environments
that support, promote and include child-directed and child-initiated
play and learning. Active, creative play and exploration is central to
normal child development. The physical environment can either contribute
to children's development and support learning and exploration, or
become a permanent impediment. The design and layout of the physical
environment, which includes the building, interior finishes, outdoor
spaces, room arrangement and selection of equipment, has a profound
impact on children's behavior.

The concept of designing for all children is based on the tenets of
child development, which recognizes that each child is unique and passes
through a series of recognizable stages of development. These stages are
different for each child, including children with disabilities. The
underlying definition of design for all children is similar in context
to the definition of universal design. Designing for all children means
creating environments that can be used by all children without
adaptation. It also means that the environments are free from both
physical and social barriers. The following list of key elements can be
used by designers, architects and early childhood staff to create
functional environments that are inviting to every child.

### [[Equitable Use]{#_Toc481212037}]{.underline}

The intent of all state and Federal legislation for children with
disabilities is to provide a minimum level of access. This does not mean
segregating and stigmatizing any user -- able-bodied or disabled.
Designing for equitable use may mean going beyond minimum requirements
to create a design that functions for a wide variety of users and allows
children to socialize. For example, in designing a water play element
for children, our company chose to create a universal design of
multi-height tables that would allow an undertable or side approach by
wheelchairs of various heights, walkers of various sizes, and standing
children of various heights. Children could then self-select the height
and design of the table that worked best for them. This design solution
encouraged socialization among children who used the table --
non-disabled children of various sizes as well as those using
wheelchairs or walkers. A far less equitable approach would have been to
label each side of the table by chronological age of the intended users
and designate areas for wheelchair and/or walker access.

Equitable use means creating a design that works for all types of users
and does not exclude any intended users. Young children of all stages of
development and older children with delayed motor development may not be
able to adapt to inappropriate design. Inappropriate access can lead to
situations in which no child can use equipment without adult assistance.
This same principle can be applied to creating appropriate sinks and
toilets for all children. These facilities must work for the
non-disabled child as well as the child with disabilities.

If sinks and toilets are too high they may be unreachable. If they are
too low they may create safety problems, especially for very young or
cognitively impaired children who might climb into them. Equitable
design suggests providing children's elements at a range of heights.

Consider an elevated sandbox or sand table. Sand serves as a sensory
experience for children of all ages, abilities and development, so sand
play is often best executed with the child immersed in the sand. An
elevated sand table may defeat this purpose. In addition, there is no
single height at which the sand table would meet the needs of all
children. A traditional sandbox is a more equitable design solution. It
can be equipped with a transfer station for children using wheelchairs,
and/or an adapted stair for children using walkers or those with limited
sight or underdeveloped motor abilities. With this design, all children
have the sensory experience of immersed sand play.

Designing for all children means creating spaces that are free from
social barriers. Both indoor and outdoor spaces must allow for positive
interpersonal interaction and socialization among children of different
abilities and of both genders. Spaces must be available for small
groups, solitude, quiet play, large groups and active play. Appropriate
space will create opportunities for developing self-confidence and
social skills.

### [[Flexibility and Independence]{#_Toc481212038}]{.underline}

Environments should foster a child's independence. A developmental task
of childhood is to move from total dependence on adults to a more mature
independent stage. Independence can best be achieved by creating
environments that can be used by children with a wide range of
individual preferences and abilities. When designing an interactive
cooking station, our company created a design of multi-height movable
counter tops and multi-height stools that could be adjusted to meet the
diverse needs of a group of children including those with disabilities.

Both children and adults often learn to adapt to poor design. For
example, in one children's facility, a piece of outdoor playground
equipment had been adapted for children with disabilities. A transfer
deck was provided for children using wheelchairs. This program did not
have any children enrolled who used wheelchairs, but it had a high
number of children who used a variety of walkers. Consequently, to use
this adapted equipment, teachers were forced to take children out of
their walkers and carry them up the stairs. Not only does this type of
poor design foster dependence on the child's part but it creates a very
unsafe situation for both teachers and children. Our company remedied
the situation by creating a master plan for the complete renovation of
this outdoor play space. In addition to the transfer stations, we added
a series of steps and ramps that could be used by children in either
walkers or wheelchairs.

Designing for all children means understanding that children come in a
variety of sizes that are not always directly related to chronological
age. Many children with disabilities do not follow typical growth
patterns. Our team makes use of a variety of anthropometric charts,
which are then adjusted based on the children's motor abilities and how
the design will be used.

# [[Safety]{#_Toc481212039}]{.underline}

Designers must follow mandatory and voluntary safety guidelines that
apply to both children and staff. The design must support active but
*safe *experimentation and risk-taking. The physical environment and
equipment must be arranged to minimize hazards and errors. It must also
support the role of staff and parents in assisting in the play and
learning environment.

The design of outdoor playground equipment is tightly regulated and
controlled by several safety guidelines; however, there are no standards
for similar types of equipment and design used indoors. Dangers (both
inside and outside) include inadequate or missing shock-absorbing fall
zones, which could prove lethal to a child; designs that encourage
inappropriate behaviors, toxic materials and plants; and strangulation
and body entrapment hazards.

### [[A Team Effort]{#_Toc481212040}]{.underline}

The process of envisioning and designing environments that support
competence, independence, exploration and inclusion is far more complex
than following a list of suggested guidelines. The product can only be
as good as the process that creates it and the expertise of the design
participants.

Designing for all children requires a multi-disciplinary,
cross-functional design team from the beginning. The team should meet in
a concurrent format where experts who design the facility and those who
operate it create the design program, goals and requirements together.
Program goals, building use, children's needs, staff needs and parental
needs drive the concurrent design process. Other issues that need to be
examined up front in the process are furniture, equipment and operating
costs prior to designing the physical space.

The design team needs to be structured and sensitive to staff, parental
and community input. The team should have members with specialized
expertise in early childhood education, special education, child
development, children's environmental design, architecture, landscape
architecture, interior design, horticulture, acoustics for children,
equipment selection, universal design for children, and cultural
competency. A team can bring the added benefits of a broad view and
collaborative creativity.

In summary, designing for all children asks us to more closely examine
our values and beliefs and to learn to collaborate with others in
different areas of expertise. Designing for all children finds a way to
support and encourage each child's abilities, similarities, and
uniqueness.

*Vicki L. Stoecklin is the Education and Child Development Director with
White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, a Kansas City, Missouri firm
specializing in design and consulting for children\'s environments,
including children\'s museums, children\'s leisure and entertainment
sites, schools, child care facilities and natural outdoor environments.
Vicki has a Master's degree and twenty-three years experience studying
and working with children, including children with disabilities. She can
be reached at voice: 816-931-1040, fax 816-0756-5058, Missouri relay
(TTY) 800-735-2966 and e-mail: . *

## [[References]{#_Toc481212041}]{.underline}

Bunnett, Rochelle and Davis, Nancy Leigh, "Getting to the Heart of the
Matter," [Child Care Information Exchange,]{.underline} 3/97, Vol. 14,
pages 42-44.

Center for Universal Design, [Definition of Universal
Design,]{.underline} North Carolina State University, 1997.

Stoecklin, Vicki and White, Randy, "Designing Quality Child Care
Facilities," [Region IV Quality Improvement Center for Disabilities
Services Newsbreak,]{.underline} Chapel Hill, North Carolina, February,
1998.

Youcha, Victoria and Wood, Karren, "Enhancing the Environment for All
Children," [Child Care Information Exchange,]{.underline} 3/97, Vol.
114, pages 45-49.

Accessible Sites, Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

# [Facility: ]{#_Toc481212042}[ ]{#_Toc481212042}[Perquimans Central Elementary School]{#_Toc481212042}

Windfall, NC

Designer: Boney Architects

2528 Independence Boulevard

Suite 200

Wilmington, NC 28412

910-790-9901

Perquimans Central Elementary School in Windfall, NC serves 550
children. Access to all parts of the building, both exterior and
interior, meet current ADA regulations. All entrances are accessible
from bus, faculty, and visitor parking areas via curb cuts and
sidewalks. The main entrance is fully accessible by wheelchair. A
covered entrance prevents ponding water at doorways during heavy rains.

In addition to classrooms, a cafeteria, and other rooms common to
elementary schools, Perquimans School includes a multipurpose room and
stage.

The room is expanded by folding a partition back from the cafeteria. A
ramp provides access to an elevated stage. Double handrails are provided
at adult and children's heights.

Accessible Sites, Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

Facility: Tremont Elementary School

Dixon Unified School District

355 Pheasant Run Drive

Dixon, California 95620

Designer: Ward-Wolstenholm, Architects, AIA

1430 Alhambra Boulevard, Suite 200

Sacramento, CA 95816-9052

916-452-7423

Tremont Elementary School in Dixon, CA, was completed in 1997. A number
of enrolled students have mobility disabilities. Classrooms are portable
and arranged to create an open-air courtyard for assemblies. Subfloor
venting at the sidewalk level allows for at-grade classroom entrances,
unusual in standard portable buildings, where ramps are typically used.

The school is equipped with an outdoor amphitheater located in front of
a multipurpose building. Ramp access to the performance platform is
shielded by a planter. The performance platform is also accessible by
stairs.

The performance pit for the amphitheater is constructed with both stair
and ramp access as well.

Accessible Sites, Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

Facility: Yerba Buena Gardens Rooftop

San Francisco Redevelopment Agency

221 Fourth Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

Designer: Adele Naude Santos & Associates

33 Zoe Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

415-908-3767

Located on the top of the existing Moscone Convention Center in downtown
San Francisco, this 100,000 square foot complex includes a carousel, an
ice skating center, a bowling alley, a Child Development Center and the
Zeum, a multi-media museum for children 8-18. Notable access issues
addressed in the project are the connection of the overall project to
the surrounding context, the circulation system in Zeum, and the
development of casework in the Child Development Center.

## [[Zeum]{#_Toc481212043}]{.underline}

In Zeum, children participate in making art using both traditional and
digital techniques. A spiral ramp links the three levels of the
facility, creating an orientation point for visitors. (see cross-section
to left)

The reception desk has a section that allows for wheelchair approach
Windows and video monitors allow views into other spaces of the facility
while moving up the ramp. Kick base cabinets open to allow wheelchair
access to the sink.

## [[Child Development Center]{#_Toc481212044}]{.underline}

The Child Development Center accommodates about 100 students. Entrances
to all classrooms are accessible. A lowered ceiling provides a quiet
retreat within the classroom without requiring a change in floor level.

Lofts in the preschool rooms have open undersides to provide equivalent
access for children who are unable to climb to the upper level.

Counters are designed at a height of 34" as required for adult
accessibility, while standard height refrigerators were accommodated in
full height cabinetry.

Accessible Sites, Entrances,\
and Other Circulation Elements

Facility: Tenderloin Community School

San Francisco Unified School District

650 Turk Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

Designer: Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis (EHDD)

500 Treat Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94110

415-285-9193

In 1998, San Francisco's low-income Tenderloin District opened a
multiuse facility that not only serves as an elementary school, but also
includes adult services such as counseling and dental and medical care.
The school was designed to support the sense of community with an
open-door, welcoming feeling. Access was incorporated as part of the
design.

The gently sloping ramp and handrail make it possible for people with
mobility problems to access a full range of school facilities.

The building is constructed with wide hallways and adequate space for
wheelchair movement and turnaround. The wide hallways are also free of
protruding obstructions that can be hazardous to people with vision
impairments.

Furniture and Play Areas\
for Children with Special Needs

Facility: Sierra Nueva High School

San Juan School District

1400 Bell street

Sacramento, CA 95825

Designer: Ward-Wolstenholm, Architects, AIA

1430 Alhambra Boulevard, Suite 200

Sacramento, CA 95816-9052

916-452-7423

About two hundred students attend Sierra Nueva High School, which was
established to provide pregnant and parenting teenagers with a chance to
continue their education in a supportive environment.

The school was relocated in August 1997 into portable classrooms. In a
similar situation to Tremont Elementary School, Sierra Nueva High School
in Sacramento consists of portable buildings arranged to create an
open-air assembly courtyard. Subfloor venting at sidewalk level allows
for accessible entrance into each classroom building.

Inside, furniture is also designed for children with disabilities. Note
the wide seat and side arms to facilitate rising and sitting.

Furniture and Play Areas\
for Children with Special Needs

Facility: The Lighthouse, Inc.

111 East 59^th^ Street

New York, NY 10022

Designer: Mitchell Giurgola Architects, LLP

170 West 97^th^ Street

New York, NY 10025

212-663-4000

The Lighthouse headquarters in New York was built to serve a diverse
population who represent every step along the continuum of vision
impairment, from partial sight to blindness, as well as people with
other physical impairments, people who use wheelchairs, and people with
full sight. Comfort and ease of use for Lighthouse employees was also a
key consideration in designing the new structure. The Lighthouse Center
for Education develops programs that enhance the early development of
children who are visually impaired.

An integrated wayfinding system includes large-print white on black
signage; tactile signs identifying locations in raised letters and
Braille, positioned at an angle to optimize readability; and \"talking
signs\" that identify conference rooms, restrooms and stairways out loud
to consumers carrying special hand-held receivers. The elevators feature
a special enunciation system that identifies each floor and directs
people toward the reception desks where floor-specific tactile maps are
located.

Since loss of the ability to perceive color contrast is one of the most
common effects of vision impairment, strong contrasting colors are used
throughout the building and in indoor and outdoor play areas.

Assistive Listening Systems

Assistive Listening Systems Consumer Brochure

***What are Assistive Listening Systems (ALSs)?***

Assistive listening systems (ALSs) are devices designed to improve a
hearing-impaired person's ability to hear in many listening situations.
Typically, they are used in such large-area listening venues as movie
houses, theatres, auditoriums, convention centers, stadiums, and houses
of worship, though they may also be found in such smaller listening
locations as courtrooms, museums, community centers, funeral parlors,
etc. It is important to note that ALSs are not substitutes for hearing
aids. They are, rather, intended to *supplement *the use of hearing aids
and they can be used whether or not someone wears hearing aids.

***How do they work?***

Whenever speech sounds have to travel some distance from their source
before arriving at a listener they will be weakened by distance, and
distorted by background noise and reverberation, before they are
received by the listener. The source can be "live-speech" (no
microphone) or sounds emanating from loudspeakers. All types of ALSs
have one principal in common: they all "bridge" the acoustical space
between the source and the listener, thus reducing the effects of the
intervening acoustical conditions upon speech perception. This
"bridging" is accomplished by transmitting the sound signals to personal
receivers via electromagnetic, radio, or infrared light waves rather
than through the air.

When using an ALS, it is as if the listener has his or her ears right
next to the loudspeaker or the talker's mouth. Of course, in the
real-world this is hardly a very feasible practice! In effect, however,
ALSs reduce the "mouth to ear" distance by transmitting the sounds from
the source directly to the listener. This direct reception of the speech
signals boosts their loudness relative to the background sounds
(increasing the so-called speech-to-noise ratio, or S/N). Of all the
factors that can be taken to improve speech comprehension, this increase
in the speech-to-noise ratio is probably the most important one.

***Why are assistive listening systems necessary*?**

Poor acoustical conditions can have a disproportionate effect upon the
ability of someone with a hearing loss to understand speech. By its
nature, a hearing loss reduces the quantity and quality of acoustical
information received through the ears. Even if what would be considered
a favorable listening environment for people with normal hearing,
hearing-impaired people may already be struggling to understand. By
adding noise and reverberation to the listening equation, which acts to
further reduce the quality of speech signals, a hard of hearing person's
comprehension can fall from adequate to near zero. One cannot, in other
words, judge the adequacy of an acoustical enclosure with normal ears.

Because ALSs by-pass the intervening acoustical conditions, their
deleterious impact can be overcome. The remaining limits to a person's
ability to understand speech, then, resides in the degree and nature of
the hearing loss and not in the complications wrought by the external
acoustical conditions. What ALSs do for people with hearing loss is to
permit them to function to the limits of their residual hearing
capacities.

ALSs can do more, however, than just improve basic speech perception
capabilities in a large-area listening situation. Often people with
hearing loss are able to, with a great deal of effort, and by expending
a great deal of energy, understand the spoken messages in such places.
They do get it. But they have to focus so intently on *receiving* the
spoken messages that they have difficulty attending to *what *is being
said. Unlike people with perfectly normal hearing, they can't really
relax and enjoy the experience. ALSs will help them to do this and
preclude their leaving the venue tired and unhappy, something that
happens all too often when people with hearing loss attend public
events.

***Who can they help? ***

ALSs can help any person with a hearing loss who is able to benefit from
sound amplification. These listening systems clearly are not appropriate
for deaf people who do not use or depend upon sound for communicative
purposes. (We strongly recommend some sort of visual access - captioning
or a sign language interpreter - for this group of people.) ALSs can
also help some older people with normal or near-normal peripheral
hearing thresholds, but whose central auditory processing abilities have
diminished with age. Just like people with hearing loss, the speech
perception capabilities of these people are often disproportionately
affected by different kinds of distortions of the speech signal (noise,
reverberation, foreign accents, poorly articulated or rapid speech,
etc.). While far from a panacea, the increase in the speech-to-noise
ratio provided by an ALS should also improve speech comprehension for
this group of older people. We have even seen ALSs used by people with
perfectly normal hearing whose seats would have prevented them from
fully hearing the stage performance. After investing \$75.00 or so for a
theatre ticket, these people feel that the extra \$2.00 charge to rent
headphones is a good investment!

***What types are there?***

Basically there are three types of large area ALSs:

[In the first type, the IL (induction loop) system]{.underline}, a loop
of wire encircles the listening area (or is embedded in a mat placed
under a rug). This loop of wire is connected to the amplifier of a
Public Address (P.A.) system in addition to the loudspeaker. When the
amplifier sends an electrical signal to the wire, an electromagnetic
field is created around the wire. While it may be hard to conceptualize,
this electromagnetic field actually contains the original acoustical
information but in a different form (in the same way as electrical
currents in telephone wires, for example, contain the originating speech
information). These electromagnetic signals are accessed by listeners
through the telephone coils found in many hearing aids (about 30% of
hearing aids include "T" coils). When the electromagnetic field
intersects these coils, it produces an alternating electrical current in
the coil (similar to the way a microphone produces an electrical current
in response to sound stimulation). This electrical current is then
processed by the hearing aid and converted back into audible sound. The
major advantage of IL systems is that listeners whose hearing aids
include "T" coils always have their special ALS "receiver" with them.
All they have to do is turn their hearing aids to the telecoil position
when entering the looped area and they are "tuned in". (In addition to
the role of telecoils in fostering telephone communication, their
function as an "assistive listening receiver" is another reason we
strongly recommend that telecoils be included in hearing aids.)

[The second type is the FM system. ]{.underline}An FM assistive
listening system is simply a variation on the traditional FM radio. The
signals are "broadcast" by FM transmitters and picked up by listeners
using an "FM radio" tuned to the transmitting frequency. These "radios",
or special FM receivers, are made available by the facilities that use
FM ALSs. The FCC has reserved the non-commercial 72MHz to 75MHz and the
216 MHz to 217 MHz bands for auditory assistance devices. The lower band
is a non-exclusive band, which means that interference from other users
in the same frequencies may occur (such as from emergency vehicles of
various kinds). There are several potential problems with FM systems.
The first is that privacy is not possible. The FM signals do not stay
contained within the four walls of the enclosure. If privacy is a
consideration, then an FM system is not appropriate for that facility.
The second potential problem is the flip-side of the first: radio
signals originating outside of the facility can enter the facility and
interfere with reception. One cannot prevent occasional interference, as
when some emergency vehicle in the area transmits on the same frequency
used in the venue. However, persistent interference can usually be
overcome by selecting alternate frequencies within the permitted bands.

[The third type of ALS is the Infrared (IR) light system]{.underline}.
In an IR system, audio signals from any source are conveyed to listeners
via infrared light waves (using Light Emitting Diodes) invisible to the
human eye. The light waves are picked up a photo detector diode
contained within the transparent lens found on every IR receiver. The
receiver then extracts the original audio information from the IR signal
and delivers an amplified version to the ears of a listener.

Ordinarily, strict "line of sight" is necessary between an IR emitter
and the transparent lens on the receiver, but this can be modified in
rooms with light-colored surfaces (the IR waves are reflected off them)
or with more powerful transmitters. Since IR systems are light waves,
they exhibit the advantages and disadvantages of light waves. The IR
signals are contained within a room, thus ensuring privacy, and adjacent
rooms in a facility can use IR systems without fear of inter-room
interference. They are also not as subject to radio or electromagnetic
interference as are FM systems. However, there may be problems is using
them outdoors because of the effect of sunlight (which contains a great
deal of infrared energy) and it is more difficult to effectively cover
the largest venue with an IR transmission than with a radio type system.

All IR systems require a radio-frequency (RF) sub-carrier as an
intervening step between the audio and the light waves. That is, the
audio signals first "modulate" the RF sub-carrier which in turn
modulates the IR light signals. Until now, 95 kHz has been the
unofficial RF sub-carrier, permitting a person to use the same IR
receiver in different venues.

Compatibility between venues has always been a major advantage of IR
systems. The situation may now be changing. Some facilities are
currently using different frequency RF sub-carriers with their IR
systems. This will not be a problem if a consumer uses the IR receiver
supplied by a facility, since the IR transmitter and receivers will be
"tuned" to one another. It may be a problem, if a person prefers to
purchase an IR receiver for personal use (see below).

***What kinds of facilities are required by the Americans with
Disability Act (ADA) to provide ALSs? ***

ALSs must be provided in all places of public accommodation, defined as
any private entity whose operations affect commerce. This would include
places of entertainment and public gathering, such as movie houses,
theatres, convention centers and lecture halls. It does not include
purely private clubs or religious establishments. While not required,
many houses of worship still make ALSs available because of concern for
the welfare of their congregants. Large-area type listening situations
are not the only types covered by the ADA.

An assistive listening system is required in any assembly of 50 or more
seats in which audible communication is integral to the purpose of the
location. Courtrooms are explicitly required to include ALSs regardless
of the number of seats. The law also requires places of public display,
such as museums that offer audible access (e.g. tours) to people with
normal hearing, to provide ALSs to people with hearing loss. In brief, a
good assumption is that an ALS should be available in any place of
public assembly (unless it can be demonstrated that this would impose an
undue burden on the management).

The law and reality, however, may not coincide. There are many movie
houses, theatres, public auditoriums, etc. that do not provide ALSs and
have no plans to install them. If there is no demand by consumers, then
there will likely be no action by the venue. On the other hand, private
businesses will respond to requests by consumers, if there are enough
requests and they are made forcefully and repeatedly. Many facility
managers complain that having made ALSs available, few consumers take
advantage of their presence. So consumers, too, have an obligation --
and that is to use (and enjoy) them on frequent occasions.

***Are special receivers required?***

All ALSs require special receivers. In the simplest case, when an IL
system is being employed, this may simply be the telecoil in a personal
hearing aid. FM radio systems require FM receivers while IR light
systems need IR receivers.

The appropriate receiver must be made available to consumers by any
venue employing ALSs. Within each of the latter two types of ALSs, there
are a number of receiver/coupler options available.

For the person who does not use a hearing aid, headphones or earbuds can
be plugged directly into a pocket-type receiver. Preferably, these
should provide stimulation to both ears. This is the simplest option and
is available with both FM and IR systems. In addition to the pocket-type
receiver, many IR systems also provide "under-the-chin" type earphones
that dangle from the ears. Other IR receivers are built into headphones,
with the receiving diode on the top surface. Volume controls on all
types of receivers permit users to adjust the loudness to their personal
satisfaction. One type is not necessarily superior to the other; it
depends upon one's personal preference. Venues should provide an
adequate variety of receiver options for their patrons.

A person wearing hearing aids has additional choices and options. Some
users prefer to place headphones right over their in-the-ear hearing
aids (this will not work with the type of hearing aids that fit behind
the ear). In such instances of "acoustical coupling", it is necessary to
balance the volume controls of the hearing aids and the FM or IR
receivers in order to ensure that a comfortable loudness level is
achieved. This must be accomplished without creating an audible squeal
from the hearing aids (acoustic feedback) when they are covered by the
headphones. If the hearing aid(s) contain telecoils, then consumers have
additional choices. They can activate the telecoil (the "T" switch) and
plug either a neckloop or a silhouette inductor into the earphone jack
of the receiver. This will permit them to access the signal via
"inductive coupling" (see illustrations). The electromagnetic field
around the neckloop or silhouette is picked up by the telecoil in the
same way, using the same principle, as it picks up the signals emanating
from the wire loop in a large-area IL system. Some users also use
inductive coupling with electromagnetic headphones by switching the
hearing aids to the "T" position and placing the headphones right over
their ears. A few hearing aids offer a "M/T" option, in which the user
can access both the electromagnetic field and sound signals.

There are several other ways that consumers can access the signal being
broadcast by ALSs, but this requires that they bring their own patch
(wire) cord. Many behind-the-ear hearing aids include the option of a
direct audio input (DAI) connection into the hearing aid via a "boot"
that fits under the base of the hearing aid. In this instance, the user
connects the IR or FM receiver to the hearing aid using the patch cord.
Some consumers, particularly those with the more severe hearing losses,
prefer to use direct audio input rather than inductive coupling.

A personal patch cord will also be necessary for those consumers who use
a cochlear implant. These people connect the patch cord from the FM or
IR receiver to their personal speech processor in the same way that a
direct audio input (DAI) would connect these receivers to hearing aids.
An issue with both implants and DAI is ensuring that the output jacks
from the FM or IR receiver are compatible with the plugs of the
connecting patch cords.

***How do I know if a particular venue provides ALS?***

Right now venues are not obligated to notify the public about the
availability of ALSs in their public advertisements (newspapers,
recorded telephone messages, TV and Radio, etc.). Some facility managers
do include this information in their commercials, though others do not.
Hopefully this situation will change soon, as more venues realize that
it is not only the right thing to do, but good business as well (as more
people with hearing loss, and their families, will begin patronizing the
facility). All venues falling under the ADA, however, *are *required to
post signs in prominent locations at the facility notifying the public
that ALS are available (sometimes using a variant term such as "hearing
assistance devices"). Furthermore, these signs should include
information on exactly where in the facility the receivers can be
obtained. Hopefully, such signs can be observed *before *a person
purchases a ticket for some event or performance. We would advise
hearing-impaired consumers planning to attend an event to call ahead and
verify the availability of an ALS. This will not only provide them with
the necessary information re ALSs, but can also help sensitize facility
managers regarding their necessity. Even the most obtuse facility
manager, faced with enough calls and demand, will soon see the light
(and provide the sounds!).

***What is involved in obtaining and returning ALS receivers*? **

The location within a facility where receivers can be obtained is either
included on a visible sign or can be learned by asking at the box
office. One of the facility employees will usually be required to take
on this responsibility. All the consumer has to do is "check" one out,
usually by leaving some picture ID as surety (such as a driver's
license). The facility is forbidden to ask a rental charge for the
receiver. At the conclusion of the event, the picture ID is returned
when the receiver is checked back in. We would recommend that consumers
investigate their preferred coupling arrangement before checking out a
receiver. Thus, the person should know whether he or she will use a
telecoil or headphones before checking out a receiver. While the
check-out employee in some venues may be knowledgeable regarding ALS,
and thus could offer good advice to consumers, it would not be a good
idea for consumers to depend on a high level of expertise from this
person.

In some of the smaller facilities, there may not be someone designated
who has ongoing responsibilities for the ALS. In these places, the
receivers may be located in a closet or in someone's office. They can be
stored in an unplugged charger/carrying case and placed in the back of
some closet or, hidden away in some box or desk drawer with long-dead
disposable batteries. In such instances, when consumers ask for a
receiver, there may not be anybody present who can help them find the
unit and get it working. In even the smallest of facilities, therefore,
it is a good idea for someone to be assigned continual responsibilities
for the receivers. There should be someone present to check them out and
in and to ensure that the batteries function, that the appropriate
hygienic steps are taken (e.g. changing disposable tips or using an
antiseptic spray on foam cushions), and that the transmitter of the ALS
is turned on before the event commences. If these responsibilities are
left to chance, or depend upon requests by consumers, the chances are
that the availability of the ALS would soon be ignored in that facility.
Consumers with hearing loss will simply stop attending.

***What possible problems am I likely to encounter with the various
systems?***

The best answer to this question is probably to restate "Murphy's Law",
and that is "whatever can go wrong, will!" There are a large number of
problems that can potentially interfere with obtaining the full benefit
of ALSs. The best response to any potential problem is an informed and
assertive consumer. Passivity will get you nowhere. If you, as a
consumer have a problem, *do not* grin and bear it. Let the facility
manager know about the problem. If he or she doesn't know that there is
a problem, it cannot possibly be rectified. Below you will find a small
enumeration of some of the more common problems that consumers have
reported with ALSs.

**· **The facility provides no prior information regarding the
availability of an ALS.

**· **Signs indicating where the receivers can be obtained are not
easily visible.

**· **A full range of receiver and coupler options are not available
(i.e. different types of earphones and neckloops).

**· **When the event begins, and after the consumer is seated, finding
that the system does not work because the batteries are dead or the
system is not turned on.

**· **Reception poor with an IR system.

**· **Ensure that Photo Receptor Lens is not covered (in pocket or
reversed on body)

**· **Try locating one's seat closer to the IR emitter (inform facility
manager that the transmission characteristics need to be improved).

**· **Radio interference with an FM system

**· **Necessary for facility to determine whether problem is occasional
or persistent

**· **If persistent, transmitting channels must be changed (retune
receivers)

**· **After the event, having difficulty finding the right person or
place to return the receivers (and so reclaim your driver's license!).

***Is there any advantage in my owning a personal receiver?***

There would be a great deal of benefit for someone to own a personal
receiver, provided it was a "universal receiver", one that could access
the signals transmitted by all currently available ALSs. This would
include all the infrared sub-carrier frequencies, all the FM frequencies
in both the 72 to 75 MHz and 216 MHz to 217 MHz bands, and the
electromagnetic signals emanating from IL systems. Unfortunately, such a
"universal receiver" does not now exist. One such unit was manufactured
some years ago, but has since been discontinued. We believe that there
is a great deal of merit in resurrecting this concept. Such a unit would
have many advantages. Hearing-impaired people owning them could take
them to any facility that makes ALSs available and use them without the
inconvenience of checking one out and in. Furthermore, people could be
assured of a functioning receiver, one that is adjusted in accordance
with their personal hearing needs. Provided that such a device could be
manufactured at a reasonable cost, it would indeed be advantageous for
consumers to own their personal receiver. For the most part, providers
do not object in providing a transmission system (either IR or FM) in
their facility. It is no extra trouble for them to piggy-back such a
system on their existing sound system. What they object to is the
logistics of caring for the ALS receivers. Take that responsibility away
from them, and we would not only have happier providers, but a better
argument to make in convincing them to provide an ALS.

*This Consumer Brochure was written for the U. S. Access Board by Dr.
Mark Ross, Ph.D., a principal investigator with the Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Hearing Enhancement. The brochure
was supported, in part, by Grant #H133E980010 from the U.S. Department
of Education, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDRR).*\
Glossary

Glossary

# [Advisory Information]{#_Toc481212045}

Advisory information is included in an appendix to a guideline and
contains additional material to assist in understanding rationale,
requirements, or recommendations. All figures are considered advisory.
Advisory information is not enforceable. Excerpt: \"ADAAG A4.27.3
Height. Fig. A8 further illustrates mandatory and advisory control
mounting height provisions for typical equipment\...Electrical
receptacles installed to serve individual appliances and not intended
for regular and frequent use by building occupants are not required to
be mounted within the specified reach ranges. Examples would be
receptacles installed specifically for wall-mounted clocks,
refrigerators, and microwave ovens.\"

# [Assistive Listening System]{#_Toc481212046}s (ALS)

Assistive listening systems augment amplification systems by
transmitting the signal directly to individual receivers or hearing aids
by means of infrared, inductive loop, or FM technology.

Excerpt: \"ADAAG 11.2.1 Courtrooms. (2) Permanently installed assistive
listening systems complying with 4.33 shall be provided in each
courtroom. The minimum number of receivers shall be four percent of the
room occupant load, as determined by applicable State or local codes,
but not less than two receivers.\"

# [Exceptions]{#_Toc481212047}

Exceptions are permitted departures from regulatory requirements
Excerpt: \"309.3 Height. Controls and operating mechanisms shall be
placed within one or more of the reach ranges specified in 308.
EXCEPTION: This requirement does not apply where the use of special
equipment dictates otherwise or where electrical and communications
systems receptacles are not normally intended for use by building
occupants.\"

# [Final Rule]{#_Toc481212048}

A final rule is a document that has been completed under the processes
of the Administrative Procedures Act, including those requiring notice
and public comment. It may not yet be enforceable. For instance, the
Access Board issues its guidelines as Final Rules. Excerpt: \"The final
rule establishes standards and procedures for the implementation of
title III of the Act.\"

# [Guidelines]{#_Toc481212049}

Guidelines comprise general, scoping, technical, and advisory material
developed for reference in a regulation as a standard. Excerpt: \"The
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is issuing
final guidelines to assist the Department of Justice to establish
accessibility standards for new construction and alterations in places
of public accommodation and commercial facilities, as required by title
III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990\...the
Department of Justice has proposed to adopt the guidelines as the
accessibility standards for new construction and alterations in places
of public accommodation and in commercial facilities for purposes of
title III of the ADA.\"

# [Provisions]{#_Toc481212050}

Provisions are individual requirements within a rule, standard, or
guideline. Excerpt: \"Taken together, these provisions are intended to
prohibit exclusion and segregation of individuals with disabilities and
the denial of equal opportunities enjoyed by others, based on, among
other things, presumptions, patronizing attitudes, fears, and
stereotypes about individuals with

disabilities. Consistent with these standards, public accommodations are
required to make decisions based on facts applicable to individuals and
not on the basis of presumptions as to what a class of individuals with
disabilities can or cannot do.\"

# [Regulations]{#_Toc481212051}

Regulations are legal requirements developed to implement a law or
statute. Excerpt: 28 CFR Part 36 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of
Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities,
Subpart A-General, § 36.101Purpose. \"The purpose of this part is to
implement title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42
USC 12181), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by
public accommodations and requires places of public accommodation and
commercial facilities to be designed, constructed, and altered in
compliance with the accessibility standards established by this part.\"

# [Requirements]{#_Toc481212052}

Requirements are the regulatory criteria that must be satisfied in order
to comply with a regulation or a standard. Excerpt: "ADA requirements
comprise all of the regulatory mandates of titles I through V, including
the standards for accessible design."

# [Restricted Entrance]{#_Toc481212053}

\"ADAAG 11.1.1 Entrances. Restricted entrances are those entrances used
only by judges, public officials, facility personnel or other authorized
parties on a controlled basis.\" Excerpt: \"ADAAG 11.1.1 Entrances.
Where provided, at least one restricted entrance and one secured
entrance to the facility shall be accessible in addition to the
entrances required to be accessible by 4.1.3(8).\"

# [Rule]{#_Toc481212054}

A rule is a regulation. Excerpt: \"The rule requires, as does the
statute, that covered newly constructed facilities be readily accessible
to and usable by individuals with disabilities.\"

# [Scoping]{#_Toc481212055}

Scoping provisions specify when, how many, and under what conditions
accessibility is required. Excerpt: \"ADAAG 4.1.3(13) Controls and
operating mechanisms in accessible spaces, along accessible routes, or
as parts of accessible elements (for example, light switches and
dispenser controls) shall comply with 4.27.\"

# [Secured Entrance]{#_Toc481212056}

\"ADAAG 11.1.1 Entrances. Secured entrances are those entrances to
judicial facilities used only by detainees and detention officers.\"
Excerpt: \"ADAAG 11.1.1 Entrances. EXCEPTION. At secured entrances,
doors and doorways operated only by security personnel shall be exempt
from 4.13.9, 4.13.10, 4.13.11, and 4.13.12.\"

# [Standards]{#_Toc481212057}

A standard is a set of requirements promulgated by an entity with
rulemaking (standards-setting) authority in order to establish a basis
for compliance and enforcement. Excerpt: \"A facility that is
constructed to meet the requirements of the rule\'s accessibility
standards will be considered readily accessible and usable with respect
to construction.\"

# [Statute]{#_Toc481212058}

A statute is a law.

# [Technical Provisions]{#_Toc481212059}

Technical provisions provide design or performance specifications for an
accessible item or feature. Excerpt: \"ADAAG 4.27.4 Operation. Controls
and operating mechanisms shall be operable with one hand and shall not
require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force
required to activate controls and operating mechanisms shall be no
greater than 5 lb. (22.2N).\"

**Toilet Stall**

A toilet stall is an enclosed space containing one water closet within a
larger common use toilet room. Excerpt: \"ADAAG 4.17.4 Toe Clearances.
In standard stalls, the front partition and at least one side partition
shall provide a toe clearance of at least 9 in (230 mm) above the
floor.\"

# [UFAS]{#_Toc481212060}

The Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) were published in
1984 by four Federal agencies with standards-setting authority under the
Architectural Barriers Act of 1968.

# [Water Closet]{#_Toc481212061}

A water closet is a toilet. Excerpt: \"ADAAG 4.16.2 Clear Floor Space.
Clear floor space for water closets not in stalls shall comply with Fig.
28. Clear floor space may be arranged to allow either a left-handed or
right-handed approach.\"

#