AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES

From: Subject: AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:52:52 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: file://C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files\OLK4D\AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES Public Involement.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5512 AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR=20 TRANSPORTATION DECISION-MAKING =

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES=20

What does this mean?=20

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) stipulates = involving=20 the community, particularly those with disabilities, in the development = and=20 improvement of services. For example, in rail transit planning, = participation by=20 the disability community is essential for a key station plan. In highway = planning, it is essential in development of access at sidewalks and = ramps,=20 street crossings, and in parking or transit access facilities. Also, = sites of=20 public involvement activities as well as the information presented must = be=20 accessible to persons with disabilities.=20

ADA requires specific participation activities -- particularly = for=20 paratransit plans. These include:=20

outreach (developing contacts, mailing lists, and other means of=20 notification to participate);=20

consultation with individuals with disabilities;=20

opportunity for public comment;=20

accessible formats;=20

public hearings;=20

summaries of significant issues raised during the public comment = period; and=20

ongoing efforts to involve the disability community in planning.=20

Why is it useful?=20

The disability community encompasses many people. As much as = 14% of=20 the population has hearing, vision, or mobility limitations. In = addition, many=20 other Americans are temporarily disabled during part of their lives -- = whether=20 aged, infirm, or recuperating. In identifying and consulting with the = disability=20 community, agencies find a wide range of strikingly different needs. = Ideas and=20 input from people with disabilities provide insight about their needs in = using=20 the programs or facilities being developed. Additionally, people with=20 disabilities participate as interested members of the community.=20

All events held for programs or projects with Federal aid and = open to=20 the general public must be made accessible to everyone, including the = disability=20 community. Special efforts are needed to comply with the statutory = requirements=20 of both the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and = ADA.=20

Who participates? and how?=20

People who have disabilities in sight, hearing, or mobility=20 participate. People with sight impairments include those with visual = impairment or total blindness. People with hearing impairments include = those=20 with partial hearing impairment or total hearing loss. People with = mobility and=20 self-care impairments include those in wheelchairs or on crutches, some = elderly,=20 people with children, and the temporarily disabled such as pregnant = women or=20 those recuperating from injuries. The Spokane, Washington, Transit = Authority=20 solicited disability community involvement through a "Rider Alert" = program.=20 Orange County, California, Transportation Authority scheduled one-on-one = meetings with representatives of individual groups to obtain input to = its=20 planning effort. In Juneau, Alaska, public workshops were held to = discuss=20 compliance with ADA=92s transportation requirements.=20

Does it have special requirements?=20

Sign language interpreters may be required. They must be hired = early,=20 since they are in scarce supply. Two interpreters are necessary for = meetings=20 longer than one hour, to provide breaks for each other. Public notices = for a=20 meeting should state that sign language interpreters will be made = available upon=20 request, as was done by the Sacramento and San Mateo County, California, = Regional Transit Districts and the Johnson City, Tennessee, Transit = System. An=20 individual who is both blind and deaf can be accommodated by a = deaf/blind=20 interpreter, who uses sign language in direct contact with that = person=92s hands.=20

Listening assistance may be required, depending on the meeting = place.=20 For example, small machines are available to amplify speakers=92 voices = via an FM=20 transmitter and receiver system heard only by those with hearing = disabilities.=20 It is possible to rent or borrow them from a State commission for the = deaf. In=20 Massachusetts, the Guild for the Hard of Hearing offers them on loan. = Many=20 meeting rooms in newer buildings have embedded in the floor an FM loop = to be=20 used for transmission. A State commission for the deaf may have = Computer-Aided=20 Real Time (CART) reporting in which the reporter transcribes proceedings = onto a=20 screen during the meeting. Cable television stations at meetings may = bring=20 interpreters for deaf persons or may provide interpretation or = captioning in=20 rebroadcasting.=20

A telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) is essential = for=20 communicating with people who are deaf or have communications impairment = over=20 the telephone. Under ADA, all public agencies should have this = inexpensive,=20 modem-like device connected with a telephone into which messages are = typed=20 rather than spoken. A small light-emitting diode (LED) screen on each = machine=20 shows the message. In some machines the message may also be recorded on = paper=20 tape.=20

Sight-impaired people require materials in accessible format. = Prior to=20 meetings, the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Bureau of Transportation = advertises=20 the availability of its plan inlarge print, tape, Braille, and computer = diskette=20 formats. The Delaware Administration for Specialized Transportation = certifies=20 that plans are available in accessible formats, either in large print or = on=20 cassette tape. For people with sight impairments, documents are prepared = in=20 large (22 point) print in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Meeting = announcements=20 are prepared in large print in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Phoenix, = Arizona,=20 Regional Public Transportation Authority used large, bold, sans serif = typefaces=20 in its questionnaire on a plan update. Whichever formats are chosen, the = person=20 making the request must be able to use them.=20

How do agencies use the output?=20

Agencies=92 efforts are not fully inclusive of = everyone=92s=20 ideas until they include people with disabilities. This = requires an=20 expansive approach to accommodate the population that is disabled and = that would=20 not otherwise be accommodated in transportation plans or processes.=20

Who leads the process?=20

Every State and MPO should make events accessible to people = with=20 disabilities. Information on accessibility needs is offered by State = commissions=20 dealing with disabilities, deafness, rehabilitation, or blindness, as = well as by=20 local agencies or advocacy groups. Many of these groups assist in doing = outreach=20 for transportation processes.=20

Each State has been asked to help people with disabilities = through=20 formation of an Assistive Technology Partnership, which is Federally = funded to=20 provide information, research, and training on ways to assist such = people. In=20 some cases, State agencies are a central focus for assistance to = individuals=20 with disabilities. In Massachusetts, for example, the Commission on the = Blind,=20 the Association for the Blind, and the Vision Foundation provide = telephone tapes=20 to sight-impaired people. These three services receive information about = dates=20 or events and transfer that information to audio tapes.=20

What does it cost?=20

Assistance need not be expensive, but it requires special care = and=20 attention. Staff members need education to be mindful of the special = needs that=20 must be met in setting up public meetings and hearings. In some cases, = it is=20 appropriate to hire a staff person trained in dealing with these needs. = In other=20 instances, it is possible to use existing State or local agency = services.=20

How is it organized?=20

An accessibility checklist for meetings and hearings:=20

1.Accessible meeting or hearing site:=20

Has the site been visited and viewed with disabilities in mind?=20

Are primary entrances accessible (doorway widths, steps)?=20

Is there circulation space for wheelchairs throughout and at the = front of=20 the meeting or hearing room?=20

Are microphones, if used, at wheelchair height?=20

Is there an amplification system to aid hearing?=20

Are drinking fountains, rest rooms, and public telephones at = wheelchair=20 height?=20

Is the meeting site accessible by public transit/paratransit?=20

Is there parking for persons with disabilities?=20

Is there signing for an accessible route to the meeting room?=20

2.Meeting materials and services:=20

Are meeting notices in alternative formats for deaf, hard of = hearing, blind,=20 and visually impaired people?=20

Are published meeting materials available prior to the meeting in=20 alternative media: large print, computer disk, tape, or Braille?=20

Are sign language interpreters available if requested?=20

How does it relate to other techniques?=20

All meetings or hearings must be accessible to comply with = ADA, if=20 they are open to the general public. (See Public Meetings/Hearings; Open = Houses/Open Forum Hearings.) This includes most public meetings or = hearings, as=20 well as charrettes, brainstorming sessions, and visioning meetings. (See = Brainstorming; Charrettes; Visioning.) Civic advisory committees can = serve the=20 interests of persons with disabilities with appropriate representation = of them.=20 (See Civic Advisory Committees.) Many committees and focus groups where=20 participation is by agency selection of representatives may not need to = be fully=20 accessible, but special arrangements need to be made for the disability=20 community or its representatives.=20

What are the drawbacks?=20

There are no drawbacks to involving the disabled community. = The=20 process is not fully inclusive of all community interests until they are = represented. Efforts that relate only to people with disabilities = isolate them=20 from other parties. The goal of public involvement is to include = everyone in the=20 process. This can be done by making community participation accessible = and by=20 promoting integration of people with disabilities with many other people = who=20 want to have a voice in transportation.=20

When is it most effective?=20

All events may attract people with disabilities. Special = efforts and=20 events are useful to attract people with disabilities and to encourage = their=20 participation in the process. When the expertise of the disability = community is=20 used to make an event accessible, it is likely to be more effective. = (See=20 Non-traditional Meeting Places and Events.)=20

For further information:=20

American Association for Advancement of Science, Barrier Free in=20 Brief, Voice/TDD (202) 326-6630=20

Capitol Transit, Juneau, Alaska, (907) 789-6901=20

Massachusetts Assistive Technology Partnership Center, Voice (617) = 735-7820,=20 TDD (617) 735-7301=20

Project ACTION, ADA Public Participation Handbook, (202) = 347-3066,=20 (800) 659-NIAT (Voice/TTY)=20

RESNA Technical Assistance Project, Technical Assistance Personnel = Directory, (202) 857-1140=20

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