FY 2004 Annual Report 

 

 

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 January 2005 

 

 

 

 

 A FE DERAL AGENCY COMMIT TED TO ACCESSIBLE D ESIG N
U N I T E D S T A T E S A C C E S S B O A R D 

Chair 

EMIL H. FRANKEL

Department of Transportation 

Public Members Federal Members 

DOUGLAS ANDERSON

Wheaton, Illinois 

PAMELA DORWARTH

Sarasota, Florida 

JAMES J. ELEKES

Union, New Jersey 

MARILYN GOLDEN

Oakland, California 

BRUCE S. GROWICK, PH.D. 

Columbus, Ohio 

MARC D. GUTHRIE

Newark, Ohio

JAMES R. HARDING, II ED.D. 

Tallahassee, Florida 

DENIS PRATT

Kennebunk, Maine 

KENNETH SCHOONOVER

Lansing, Illinois 

GARY LEONARD TALBOT

Ann Arbor, Michigan 

GWENDOLYN TRUJILLO

Cincinnati, Ohio

JAN TUCK

Marina del Rey, California 

SOY WILLIAMS

Miami, Florida 

OTTO J. WOLFF

Department of Commerce 

CHARLES S. ABELL

Department of Defense 

TROY R. JUSTESEN

Department of Education 

ALEX M. AZAR, II 

Department of Health and 

Human Services

CAROLYN Y. PEOPLES

Department of Housing and 

Urban Development 

P. LYNN SCARLETT

Department of Interior 

R. ALEXANDER ACOSTA

Department of Justice 

W. ROY GRIZZARD

Department of Labor 

EMIL H. FRANKEL

Department of Transportation 

GORDON MANSFIELD

Department of Veterans Affairs 

DAVID L. BIBB 

General Services Administration 

RUDOLPH K. UMSCHEID

United States Postal Service 

1331 F Street NW, Suite 1000 ■ Washington, DC 20004-1111 ■ www.access-board.gov 

202 272-0080 (v) ■ 202 272-0082 (TTY) ■ 202 272-0081 (fax) ■ e-mail: info@access-board.gov 

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F Y 2 0 0 4 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

The Access Board is an independent Federal agency committed to design that is accessible to

persons with disabilities. Created over 30 years ago to ensure access to federally funded 

facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Board is 

structured to function as a coordinating body among Federal agencies and to directly represent 

the public, particularly people with disabilities. Half of its members are representatives from 

most of the Federal departments. The other half is comprised of members of the public 

appointed by the President, a majority of whom must have a disability. 

The Board develops and maintains design criteria covering access to the built environment,

transit vehicles, telecommunications, and electronic and information technology under several

different laws, including the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Other Board

services include technical assistance and training on its accessibility guidelines and standards 

and enforcement of design standards covering federally funded facilities. The Board also 

promotes accessibility through targeted outreach, dissemination of information, and sponsored

research. 

ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS

The Board maintains a varied rulemaking agenda developing or updating accessibility criteria on 

several fronts simultaneously. In FY 2004, the Board completed a comprehensive update of its 

guidelines for facility design while advancing work on new guidelines for public rights-of-way 

and passenger vessels. In addition to its own agenda, the Board was involved in the

development of standards for voting systems by the Election Assistance Commission. 

Updated Facility Guidelines 

The leading accomplishment of the year was the Board’s publication

of new guidelines for buildings and facilities. These guidelines 

overhaul and greatly improve design criteria for private and public 

sector facilities covered by the ADA, as well as Federal sector

buildings subject to the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). The release 

of the guidelines on July 23rd was the culmination of a comprehensive,

decade-long review and update that involved extensive coordination 

with a wide range of interested groups and stakeholders, forums for 

public input, and countless hours of deliberation and revision. The

Board held a press conference and briefing on the new guidelines at

the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on the day of

publication. 

The Board updated its ADA and ABA guidelines jointly so that they could be made more

consistent. The new document features a host of changes that will enhance accessibility, 

facilitate compliance, and improve usability. Revisions have been made so that the guidelines 

continue to meet the needs of people with disabilities and keep pace with technological 

innovations. For example, new provisions for ATMs specify audible output so that people with

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vision impairments are provided equal access, and reach ranges have been lowered to better 

serve people who use wheelchairs and persons of short stature. The guidelines also have a

new format and organization and have been extensively edited for greater clarity. Throughout

its update, the Board coordinated extensively with model code groups and standard-setting

bodies in order to harmonize differences between the guidelines and model building codes. 

The Board began the process for this update by establishing an advisory committee charged

with reviewing its original ADA Accessibility Guidelines (1991) and recommending changes.

Based on this committee’s work, the Board published a proposed set of guidelines for public 

comment. This proposal attracted over 2,500 comments. Considerable input was received

from designers and architects, code officials, people with disabilities and organizations 

representing them, trade and industry groups, and others. As finalized, the guidelines 

incorporate this extensive feedback.

The Board distributed hundreds of copies of the new guidelines in print and on CD. It also 

implemented a training program that featured an all-day presentation on the guidelines. 

Public Rights-of-Way

In FY 2004, the Board also advanced work on a new set of guidelines that will cover access to

streets and sidewalks and other elements found in public rights-of-way. There is a strong need 

for criteria specifically tailored to this environment since public rights-of-ways present unique

challenges to accessibility, including access for blind pedestrians at street crossings, wheelchair 

access to on-street parking, and various constraints posed by space limitations, roadway design 

practices, slope, and terrain. The guidelines being developed cover pedestrian access to

sidewalks and streets, including crosswalks, curb ramps, street furnishings, pedestrian signals,

parking, and other components of public rights-of-way. 

The Board spent the year crafting a proposed set of guidelines based on public feedback it 

received on an advance draft. This draft attracted more than 1,400 comments from the public, 

including people with disabilities, civil engineers, public works departments, state highway

divisions and transportation departments, and leading industry organizations. The Board 

deliberated on revisions based on this extensive input. This revised version, once published,

will provide another opportunity for public comment. 

Passenger Vessels 

In addition to its guidelines for facilities, the Board also maintains design criteria for public 

transportation vehicles under the ADA. These guidelines cover various modes of public 

transportation, including buses, vans, and rail vehicles, among others. In FY 2004, the Board

made progress on new guidelines it is developing for various types of water craft, such as 

ferries, gaming boats, cruise ships, and sightseeing boats. This work focused on preparation of

a draft set of guidelines for large vessels, which were made available for comment in November

2004. The Board also released a notice seeking public input on how access to small vessels 

should be addressed. The draft guidelines are based on a report submitted to the Board by the

Passenger Vessel Access Advisory Committee which the Board had created to develop

recommendations on the guidelines. This committee investigated various issues concerning

access to different types of vessels and included representation from vessel operators and

designers, naval architects, and disability groups, among others. 

Election Assistance Commission Standards for Voting Systems 

The Board often lends its expertise to other organizations in the development of accessibility 

criteria. In 2004, the Board, along with other agencies, worked with the Election Assistance

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Commission on new standards for voting systems. The Commission was created under the

Help America Vote Act of 2002, which establishes new requirements for voting systems used in

Federal elections, including provisions for access to polling places and voting systems. Under 

the law, every precinct in the country must have at least one accessible voting machine or 

system by January 1, 2006. 

In implementing these and other reforms of the law, the Commission is overseeing the

development of standards for voting systems which include provisions for accessibility. The 

standards are being developed through several advisory bodies, including a Board of Advisors 

and a Technical Guidelines Development Committee. Public Board members J.R. Harding,

Ed.D. of Tallahassee, Florida and Jim Elekes of Union, New Jersey represented the Board on 

these two groups. Standards for voting systems are due to be issued by the Commission in

2005. 

OUTREACH AND PLANNING

In FY 2004, the Board explored ways of improving its outreach to various audiences and

adopted a plan for an issue-focused approach. A new advisory committee on courthouse

accessibility was established under this plan. Throughout the year the Board also conducted 

international outreach and coordination efforts. In addition, it initiated a strategic planning effort 

to assess Board programs in relation to its mission. 

Issue-Focused Outreach Plan 

Under an outreach plan it adopted in January 2004, the Board will initiate activities that highlight

accessibility within a particular sphere or focus area. These efforts will aim to increase

awareness of a particular aspect of accessibility through partnerships with interested agencies 

and the development and distribution of information and guidance materials. The goal of this 

program is to increase the visibility of different facets of accessibility in a manner that

supplements the Board’s technical assistance and training programs, builds partnerships with

other entities, improves compliance with access requirements, and showcases best practices 

for accessible design. 

In selecting focus issues, the Board will give priority to subject areas where accessibility has 

been problematic or not well understood and where supplementary guidance is needed. The

Board intends to choose topics that relate directly to any of its guidelines and standards, are 

manageable in scope, and offer promising partnership opportunities with other agencies and

organizations. The Board selected access to courthouses as the first topic adopted under this 

plan and organized an advisory committee to develop information on the issue. 

Courthouse Access Advisory Committee 

Elevated spaces within courtrooms, such as judges’ benches 

and witness stands, space limitations, and other constraints 

have posed challenges to accessibility in courthouses. As a 

result, courtroom accessibility has been problematic. In October 

2004, the Board organized an advisory committee to explore

these and other issues and to develop information that will 

promote courthouse accessibility. The Courthouse Access 

Advisory Committee will explore issues related to the 

accessibility of courthouses, particularly courtrooms, including

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best practices, design solutions, promotion of accessible features, educational opportunities, 

and the gathering of information on existing barriers, practices, recommendations, and

guidelines. 

The committee’s 31 members include designers and architects, disability groups, members of

the judiciary, court administrators, representatives of the codes community and standard-setting

entities, government agencies, and others with an interest in the issues to be explored. The

members were selected among applications the Board received in response to a notice 

published in June. The committee held its first meeting in November 2004. 

International Outreach and Coordination 

Delegations from other nations periodically consult the Access Board on accessible design in

the U.S. and its accessibility guidelines and standards. Many of these meetings concern access 

to the built environment and, increasingly, information technology. The global standardization

necessary for a world wired for the “Information Age” has sparked international interest in the 

Board’s accessibility standards for electronic and information technology. In light of these 

trends, the Board developed plans to become more proactive in international efforts of outreach

and coordination and the advancement of accessibility worldwide. 

In March, the Board participated in a video conference organized jointly by the U.S. and the

European Commission on the use of Information and Communication Technology standards

and the possibilities for governmental cooperation to move toward global requirements. The

conference kicked off a transatlantic exchange of information on the planned use of standards in 

support of regulations and other public policies. The Board also was involved in a new program

on accessibility organized by the World Bank. Through a new partnership effort, the World Bank

seeks to heighten awareness of, and develop guidance on, accessibility and disability in funded

projects, particularly those relating to civil works and infrastructure. 

In addition, the Board advised the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on

accessibility standards for projects it funds. USAID operates programs and services in over 100

countries to help improve economic growth, agriculture, trade, governance, education, and 

health. In July, USAID implemented a new policy, in consultation with the Board, which 

promotes universal design and ensures access according to the Board’s new ADA and ABA 

accessibility guidelines. Under this policy, the Board will serve as USAID’s consultative partner 

in developing and maintaining accessibility requirements and providing technical assistance and

training. 

Strategic Planning 

Board members began a strategic planning effort in September that will evaluate agency 

programs and activities to ensure that they effectively fulfill the Board’s mission. This planning

process will be completed in FY 2005. 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

The Board provides technical assistance on its design requirements and accessible design

through its toll-free telephone line, by fax, and by e-mail. Guidance is available on accessibility 

as it pertains to the design of facilities, transit vehicles, telecommunications, and electronic and

information technology. Most inquiries concerned the Board’s guidelines for facility design, 

including those newly issued under the ADA and ABA, and come from architects, contactors, 

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code officials, and other members of the building profession. In FY 2004, the Board responded 

to more than 12,150 technical inquiries. 

TRAINING 

In 2004, the Board developed a training program on its new ADA and ABA Accessibility

Guidelines. Not long after the guidelines were published, the Board began conducting full-day 

training sessions at various events across the country. Through these and other training 

programs, the Board participated in 87 events over the course of the year and trained

approximately 6,850 people. 

The Board also implemented an informal training program on its section 508 standards, which 

cover access to electronic and information technology procured by Federal agencies, including

computer hardware and software, websites, phone systems, fax machines, copiers, and similar 

technologies. These weekly training sessions addressed different topics and aspects of the 

standards and were attended by representatives of various Federal agencies. 

The Board often conducts training in partnership with other organizations. In 2004, the Board 

partnered with the Marina Operators Association of America (MOAA) to develop a training

program on Board guidelines covering access to marinas and boating facilities. This project 

was unique in that it was structured as a “train the trainer” program and provided participants

with the tools to educate the operators of marinas and other boating facilities across the country. 

The Board developed a resource manual and a slide presentation for use by trainers. The first

training session was held at the National Marina and Boating Conference in Ft. Lauderdale,

Florida in February 2004. 

ENFORCEMENT

The Board was originally created to develop and enforce design requirements for facilities 

covered by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968. The ABA requires access to facilities 

designed, built or altered with Federal dollars. The law covers a wide range of facilities, 

including post offices, social security offices, and national parks. It also applies to nongovernment facilities that have received Federal funding, such as certain schools, public 

housing, and mass transit systems. 

The Board enforces the ABA through the investigation of 

complaints it receives concerning particular facilities. 

The first step of an investigation is to determine whether 

the facility is covered by the law. If so, the Board’s next 

step is to verify whether the facility meets the applicable

access standards. If it does not, then the Board will work

with the responsible entities to develop a plan to bring 

the facility into compliance. Cases are closed only after 

the necessary corrective action is completed. 

 Corrective Action 

 48%

 No Violation 

 17%

 No Jurisdiction 

 35%

 Cases Closed in FY 2004 

The Board opened 71 investigations in FY 2004, in 

addition to 104 cases that were active at the beginning of 

the fiscal year. Some of these complaints concerned 

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post offices, courthouses and town halls, schools, and office buildings, among others. Over the

course of the year, the Board completed 90 investigations. Corrective action was achieved in

almost half of the cases (43). In the remaining cases, it was found that the Board lacked 

jurisdiction (32) or that the access issue did not constitute a violation of the applicable standard

(15). However, corrective action was undertaken voluntarily in 10 of these cases. 

PUBLICATIONS AND ON-LINE GUIDANCE 

The Board maintains a variety of publications and materials which it makes available free to the

public upon request and through its website. This information includes copies of all of its 

guidelines and standards and related guidance materials, such as technical bulletins, design 

guides, and manuals. More than 30 such publications are available. In FY 2004, the Board 

sent out over 2,100 packets of information to its customers. The Board also partnered with 

different organizations in disseminating its information. For example, in cooperation with the 

International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, the Board distributed over 10,000 

copies of its guide on accessible sports facilities. 

The Board also uses its website at

www.access-board.gov to disseminate 

published material and guidance on its design

criteria and accessible design, including online tutorials and answers to frequently asked

questions. Throughout the fiscal year, the 

number of visitors to the Board’s website

continued to climb. The site totaled more than 

1.84 million user sessions and 21.4 million hits 

over the course of the year. 

Since issuing its standards for electronic and

information technology in 2000, the Board has 

maintained a program of continuing on-line

guidance and training on the requirements of

the standards. Under this program, the Board 

developed a series of interactive web-based 

tutorials on different sections of the standards. The tutorials supplement previously released

material and provide advanced guidance on how products can conform to the standards. In FY 

2004, the Board completed an on-line guide on provisions in the standards for 

telecommunications products. Information from this guide served as the basis for a web-based 

tutorial, the last installment in a series of tutorials on the standards available through the

www.section508.gov website. 

8.4

10.3

12.6

21.4

0

5

10

15

20

25

2001 2002 2003 2004

Website hits – Yearly Totals (in millions)

RESEARCH

Each year, the Board funds research on various aspects of accessibility relating to architecture, 

communications, and transportation. These projects gather information that is useful to the 

Board in developing guidelines and promoting accessible design. In FY 2004, the Board funded

several new projects, including a synthesis on transfer devices for amusement rides, an industry 

workshop on field tolerances in construction, and a study on how static electricity generated at

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slides and similar play equipment impacts children with cochlear implants. In addition, progress 

was made on several on-going research projects on indoor air quality, wheeled mobility, and 

playground surfacing. 

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality has become a major concern as a

result of a growing number of people who experience 

debilitating physical reactions from low-level exposures 

to everyday materials and chemicals found in building 

products, floor coverings, cleaning products, and

fragrances, among others. These include individuals 

who have developed an acute sensitivity to various types

of chemicals, a condition known as Multiple Chemical 

Sensitivity (MCS). The range and severity of reactions 

are as varied as the potential triggering agents. In 

addition, there are those who report reactions from exposures to electrical devices and 

frequencies, a condition referred to as Electro-Magnetic Sensitivity (EMS). 

In response to these concerns, the Board is sponsoring research on how building products,

materials, ventilation, and maintenance can impact the quality of indoor environments for people 

who suffer from MCS and EMS. This project, which is being conducted for the Board by the

National Institute of Building Sciences, has brought together various stakeholders to examine 

the effects of building and construction practices on indoor environments. As part of the project, 

a panel was established that includes representatives from MCS and EMS organizations,

experts on indoor environmental quality, and representatives from the building industry. The

panel, which functions as a steering committee for the project, held its first meeting in January 

2004. Members discussed various strategies for collecting and disseminating information, 

selecting focus areas, increasing awareness of the issues involved, broadening participation in

the project, developing recommendations for best practices, and identifying potential partners 

for further study and outreach. 

Mobility Aids and Human Measures 

The design and functional characteristics of mobility aids have become increasingly diverse

over the past few decades. This growing diversity among both mobility aids and people who

use them brings into question existing data upon which existing accessibility criteria, particularly 

design specifications for facilities and vehicles, can be assessed. Reliable data on powered 

devices and their users is particularly lacking. To fill this knowledge gap, the Board is

sponsoring a multi-year project to help develop a database on human measures that takes into

account the various types of mobility aids now in use. Initiated in 2002, this project will further 

work underway by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Universal 

Design. 

The Center has developed and tested protocols for collecting static and dynamic measurements 

of people who use various types of wheelchairs and scooters. The aim of the project is to

establish a database on mobility aids and user sizes and functional task performance that will

support the development of three-dimensional digital models of wheelchair and scooter users.

The Board’s funding broadens the scope of the Center’s project by expanding the type of data

to be collected. The Board is particularly interested in data on space requirements, maneuvering parameters, reach ranges, and other key measures and dimensions. 

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In laying the ground work for the project, the Center organized an international workshop on

space requirements for wheeled mobility aids that was held in early FY 2004. The conference

centered on discussion and assessment of methods for collecting data most appropriate for the

project. It attracted experts in the fields of human factors research, data analysis and 

demographic studies, disability research, and the design of mobility aids, including researchers

from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Papers presented at the workshop included a

critical review of recent anthropometry research of wheeled mobility users and assessments of

trends and issues in wheeled mobility technologies, disability data and demographics, and lift

and ramp technologies. The findings include recommendations to the Center on a project to

develop a database on human measures that will take into account the various types of mobility 

aids now in use. Subsequent phases of the project will involve collecting and organizing data in 

cooperation with several participating research centers in different geographic locations. 

Accessible Play Surfacing 

Surfacing at play areas poses challenges to accessibility since materials must be used that are

suitable for cushioning falls yet firm and stable enough for wheelchair maneuvering. Choosing 

materials that are sufficiently accessible is also an important consideration when developing 

outdoor trails. Guidelines the Board issued under the ADA for play areas address surfacing and 

reference industry standards for impact attenuation and wheelchair maneuverability. 

The Board is sponsoring research on enhancing the accessibility of engineered wood fiber, a 

popular surfacing material, and various binding agents that can enhance its usability and reduce

maintenance. This study, which was initiated in 2002, is being conducted by the U.S. Forest 

Service’s Forest Products Laboratory. In previous phases, researchers analyzed various

surface treatments that had the potential of enhancing the firmness and stability of engineered

wood fiber. Laboratory testing was conducted on 18 different test bed configurations. The 

results narrowed the viable candidates down to 8 configurations for further testing, which

involved four-foot test beds in Madison, WI that were exposed to a wide range of climatic 

conditions for 12 months, including freeze-thaw cycles, rain, and heat. Based on the results,

two binding agents (synthetic latex and polyurethane) were selected for further testing. This 

testing, which began in 2004, involves full-scale field assessments at playgrounds in several

locations across the country over a 12-month period. 

 

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