Information and Guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act 
Fall 1997 Vol.1, No.4

This issue highlights resources on employment

What's Inside?

Feature Stories

FEATURE STORIES

Maine to be 3rd US state with ADA certified code

The State of Maine is close to having its accessibility code certified as meeting or exceeding the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The Department of Justice made a preliminary certification that the Maine Human Rights Act, as implemented by the Maine Accessibility Regulations, meets or exceeds the new construction and alterations requirements of title III. John Wodatch, Director of the Disability Rights Section of the US Department of Justice, at the October 17 hearing in Augusta noted, "Certification facilitates compliance as well as enforcement". Pat Ryan, Director of the Maine Human Rights Commission, submitted the Maine code for review and stated that "the certification is in large measure a tribute to the many individuals who participated in helping us to merge Maine law with the Americans with Disabilities Act." The final step is the hearing on December 3, in Washington, D.C. Maine will be the third state in the US to have its code certified, following Washington and Texas.

The Justice Department is authorized to certify building codes that meet or exceed the ADA's standards. In litigation, an entity that complies with a certified code can offer that compliance as rebuttable evidence of compliance with the ADA. DOJ is also reviewing model codes submitted by the Building Officials and Code Administrators, International (BOCA) and the Southern Building Code Congress, International.

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Recent Employment Cases and Guidance

Lawsuit Against Chase Manhattan Bank, UNUM Life Insurance
Re: Limits in Mental Health Benefits

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against the nation's largest bank, Chase Manhattan, alleging that businesses which provide to their employees insurance coverage without parity for mental and physical disabilities violate title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The EEOC alleges that Chase Manhattan's long-term disability plan violates the ADA because it limits benefits for those with mental illnesses to 18 months while employees with physical disabilities can get benefits up to age 65.

In ADA parlance, this is known as "disability-based distinction," and, according to the EEOC's regulations, violates the ADA. This case could have a major impact on many companies which place limits on mental health coverage but are more generous with physical health coverage and is expected to cause significant increases in health care costs if the court agrees with the EEOC. Courts have previously ruled that limits on mental health benefits do not discriminate in violation of the ADA, but EEOC disagrees.

UNUM Life Insurance Company of America, which administers Chase Manhattan's long-term disability plan, is also named in the lawsuit.
 

Application for Social Security Disability Benefits Does not Bar ADA Claim

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia held in Swanks v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) that a successful application for Social Security disability benefits does not automatically prevent an individual from succeeding in an ADA employment discrimination suit. After WMATA allegedly refused a request for reasonable accommodation and discharged the plaintiff from his job as a special transit police officer, he applied for Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration concluded that his congenital abnormality of the spine and associated urinary incontinence left him unable to work within the meaning of the Social Security Act and awarded him disability benefits.

The plaintiff then filed a title I ADA suit alleging that WMATA failed to make a reasonable accommodation for his disability - 10-minute exercise periods each hour that would enable him to maintain better control of his bladder. The district court ruled that plaintiff's receipt of Social Security disability benefits is an admission that he is physically unable to work and thus bars any claim under the ADA asserting that he is qualified for the job.

The Court of Appeals, however, agreed with the Department's amicus brief that, because Social Security does not consider reasonable accommodation in determining whether an individual is able to work, a finding by the Social Security Administration that an individual is unable to work should not automatically bar an ADA claim.
 

Metro Government Prohibited from Categorical Rejections

In the United States v. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, the Department of Justice resolved by consent order a charge filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by Jeffrey Ola, who was denied a position as a paramedic in the Metro Government's Fire Department because he has hearing loss in one ear. The Metro Government based its rejection on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) medical standards, which prescribe absolute exclusions for certain physical conditions. The consent order prohibits the Metro Government from following any standards that require categorical rejection based on medical conditions, including those of the NFPA. The consent order also requires the Metro Government to offer Mr. Ola an EMT position, pay $54,295.74 in back pay and compensatory damages, and to change its policies to provide an individualized assessment of all candidates.

EEOC Employee Count Guidance based on Supreme Court

EEOC has issued a new guidance to help employers determine when they have enough workers to be covered by the ADA and other federal laws that they enforce. The guidance is based on the Supreme Court decision in Walters v/ Metropolitan Educational Enterprises that held that the "ultimate touchstone" in determining whether an employer has a sufficient number of employees to satisfy the jurisdictional prerequisite for coverage under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, is "whether an employer has employment relationships with 15 or more individuals for each working day in 20 or more weeks during the year in question."

The Court adopted the EEOC's position that employees should be counted whether or not they are actually performing work for or being paid by the employer on any particular day. The guidance also helps clarify who is to be counted as an employee or as an independent contractor.

Copies of the full guidance are available by calling 800-949-4232 V/TTY, or downloading it from the EEOC website, www.eeoc.gov. More information on all of these cases and on guidance documents can be found on the DOJ and EEOC Home Pages, linked from www.adaptiveenvironments.org.

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DOJ UPDATE

Architects Liable in Court

Arena Architects Liable for Failure to Provide Line of Sight Over Standing Spectators

A Federal district court judge in Minnesota ruled in favor of the Department of Justice in a suit to establish the liability of architects for violations of the ADA's new construction standards. In United States v. Ellerbe Becket, the Department asserts that Ellerbe Becket, one of the nation's largest architectural firms, has violated title III by failing to design and construct new sports arenas in compliance with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. In denying the defendant's motion to dismiss, the court found that architects may be held liable for new construction violations and that the ADA requires newly constructed arenas to provide wheelchair seating locations with a line of sight over standing spectators.

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The New Hampshire Sweepstakes Commission

The Department of Justice announced that the New Hampshire Sweepstakes Commission has agreed to revamp the state's lottery program to ensure that the program, including the sale of tickets, is accessible to people with disabilities. The settlement resolves a complaint filed under the ADA that alleged that persons with mobility impairments couldn't buy lottery tickets because many of the 1,300 outlets where the tickets are sold were inaccessible for them. The commission has agreed to evaluate the accessibility of the entire lottery program, publish a list of all lottery sites which are accessible, and develop and implement interim modifications as well as a plan to accomplish any structural changes needed to make the lottery program accessible.
 

Your Man Tours, Inc., Los Angeles, California

The Department reached a settlement agreement with Your Man Tours, Inc. (YMT), a company that organizes vacation tours, to resolve two complaints alleging that the company charged extra to make vacation plans for people with disabilities. The complainants, one of whom uses a wheelchair and the other a walker, requested YMT to accommodate their mobility impairments in making reservations for a vacation trip to Hawaii. Both canceled their plans rather than pay the extra charges which they contend were demanded by YMT. The settlement prohibits YMT from charging extra to make reservations for accessible accommodations. Under the agreement, YMT provided a free trip to Hawaii to one complainant, paid the other complainant $1648.90 (the value of the trip), and made a $2,000 donation to Mobility International, USA, a nonprofit organization that distributes information about travel and educational opportunities for persons with disabilities.
 

Budget Rent a Car Systems, Inc.

As a result of the settlement agreement with the Department of Justice, Budget Rent a Car Systems has agreed to modify its rental policies nationwide to permit persons who are unable to drive to rent vehicles when they are accompanied by licensed drivers and to provide services to persons with disabilities who use service animals. For individuals who are unable to drive due to a physical or mental disability, Budget will not require that the method of payment and driver's license belong to the same individual.

Budget may require the renter to present some form of photo identification, but shall not require a valid driver's license. They agree to waive any "additional driver" charges for one person accompanying a renter with a disability and shall not impose any other surcharge on the renter in connection with actions required by this policy. Also, Budget shall allow persons with disabilities the use of service animals under the ADA, including guide dogs, signal dogs, or other animals individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

Budget shall not require people with disabilities to provide any type of identification or certification of an animal as having been trained as a service animal.

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Mediation Through a technical assistance grant from the Department, The Key Bridge Foundation is coordinating referrals of complaints from DOJ, under titles II and III for mediation by professional mediators who have been trained in the legal requirements of the ADA. More than 350 professional mediators are available to mediate ADA cases in 45 States. Over 80 percent of the cases in which mediation has been completed have been successfully resolved. Persons filing complaints with DOJ who want mediation should note this in their complaint. This will dramatically speed up the process.

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NEWS FROM THE ACCESS BOARD

Board Votes on Final Rule for Telecommunications Act

At its meeting on September 10, the Access Board adopted a final rule for Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines. The Office of Management and Budget has at least 90 days to review the final rule before publication in the Federal Register, at which time it will be available to the public. When published, the guidelines will be available on the Access Board web site. To receive a print copy when available, individuals may call the Access Board publications line at 800-872-2253 and press option 1. TTY users may call: 800-993-2822. Request publication S-34. To order by e-mail, send a request to: pubs@access-board.gov.
 

ABAAG and ADAAG

At its July meeting, the Board approved a rulemaking agenda for the upcoming two years. In this issue of Access New England are overviews of two rulemaking activities that will lead to the harmonizing of federal access regulations. Future issues will highlight other Access Board rules in progress.
 

ABA Accessibility Guidelines (ABAAG)

OVERVIEW: This rulemaking will update the accessibility guidelines for facilities covered by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968. Objectives of this rulemaking include: making the guidelines reflect existing technology, providing more consistency for end users, minimizing confusion over the applicable requirements, maximizing compliance with the ABA, and ensuring that the federal government is covered by the same or higher accessibility requirements that others are required to follow.

Based on a Board resolution, the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to update the accessibility guidelines for federal facilities will adopt by reference ADAAG sections 1-12. Existing sections that do not apply to federal facilities will be eliminated, and sections from the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards that are either more stringent or are necessary to be consistent with the ABA will be added.

STATUS/NEXT STEPS: The Board will publish an NPRM in 1998.
 

ADAAG Revision

OVERVIEW: In 1994, the Board established a 22-member ADAAG Review Advisory Committee to review and make recommendations for updating ADAAG to ensure that it remains consistent with technological developments and changes in model codes and national standards, and continues to meet the needs of people with disabilities. The committee developed a comprehensive set of recommendations for changes to sections 1-10 of ADAAG and presented its recommendations to the Board in July 1996.

STATUS: The Board has agreed to a process for this rulemaking and voted on revised text of ADAAG at its September Board meeting.

NEXT STEPS: The Board intends to publish a NPRM in Spring 1998 and hold at least two public hearings to receive feedback during the comment period.
 

Children's Elements

The final rule on Children's Elements for ADAAG should be published by the end of the year. This is the addition to the ADAAG that provides an option based on children's dimensions that may be followed if the primary users of that element are children. Check the website, www.access-board.gov or call us at 800-949-4232.

This information comes from Access Currents, which is published bimonthly and is available free of charge. To request Access Currents call the Access Board at the numbers listed above, or send a message via e-mail to: news@access-board.gov.
 
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FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear Colleagues,

We're pleased to report some of the highlights of the first year of the New England ADA Technical Assistance Center. Here are some numbers: The ADA Information Specialists responded to over 8,000 phone calls. 37% of our callers were from businesses -33% were from individuals with disabilities and 17% were from state and local governments . We distributed more than 31,000 documents. Many of the documents were reproduced by our state and local affiliates, reaching thousands more people. This newsletter, Access New England is now being mailed to over 9,000 people. Close to 3,000 people participated in training events, many held in collaboration with state and local affiliates. The web site has over 1000 hits a month, and more and more people are linking to national and regional resources from our site as well as downloading publications. Thanks to the generosity of NYNEX, now known to us as Bell Atlantic, we were able to hold four Regional Advisory Board meetings with our state and local affiliates across New England.

On the people side, we're pleased to welcome Andy Washburn as a new ADA Information Specialist and Helena Kuit as Project Assistant.

What's ahead? Kathy Gips, the Director of Training will be co-leading advanced training on employment in each state. The 1998 Incentive Grants Requests for Proposals will be available on December 15, 1997. This invites proposals that address priorities identified by the Regional Advisory Board.
The Small Business Innovation Awards Applications will also be available on December 15. We're inviting submissions of successful solutions created by small businesses so that more people with disabilities can shop or work at their companies. Call 800-949-4232 for applications for both and watch our website for news.

Elaine Ostroff, Project Director
 

PUBLICATIONS

Design Guide: Restriping Parking Lots
Written by the Department of Justice (DOJ), this quick-reference guide provides key information and illustrations explaining how to create accessible car and van spaces. A newly-expanded table clearly shows how many spaces to provide when restriping parking lots. 2 pg.

Common ADA Errors and Omissions in New Construction and Alterations
This new document from the DOJ lists a sampling of common accessibility errors or omissions and presents in text and illustration the results which can limit, exclude or even injure a person with a disability. Specific requirements of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design follow each example. 13 pg., $1.50

Questions and Answers: The ADA and Hiring Police Officers
Issued by the DOJ in early 1997, this guidance responds to the employment concerns most commonly raised by police departments, including physical fitness tests, illegal drug use, polygraph tests and creation of light duty jobs. 5 pg.

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
This fact sheet, prepared by the EEOC's Office of Legal Counsel, offers guidance on questions arising from overlap of requirements and coverage provided by these three laws. Issues covered are definition of disability and "serious health condition," medical inquiries, certification and confidentiality, and comparison of ADA and FMLA leave, including childbirth and family leave. 11pg. $1

ADA Information From the Department of Justice (DOJ)
This list of ADA legal documents available from the DOJ tells how to receive publications by mail, fax or via the Internet, as well as listing their Information Line for technical assistance. 4 pg.
 

CORNELL BROCHURES ON THE ADA

Human Resource Issues

A Human Resource Perspective on Implementing the ADA: developing and implementing a human resource plan, to maximize organizational compliance with the ADA

Pre-employment Screening Considerations and the ADA: aspects of recruitment, job advertising, applications, job descriptions, interviewing, job testing, medical examinations, drug testing, physical agility tests, safety concerns

Pre-Employment Testing and the ADA: legal and regulatory requirements, test validity models, types of testing accommodations

Reasonable Accommodation Under the ADA: the requirements for reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities under the ADA including the accommodation process, safety considerations, worker misconduct and accommodation requirements, and resources for further information

Health Benefit Plans and the ADA: how the ADA applies to the terms of health benefit plans, limitations and exclusions, disability-based distinctions, dependent coverage.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Injured Workers: relationship between ADA and injured workers, pre-employment medical examination, medical records, filing a workers compensation claim, reasonable accommodation, filing a charge under the ADA

The ADA and Collective Bargaining Issues: what obligations a union has under the ADA, how the ADA affects unionized employees, proactive approaches available to employers and unions, the role of the shop steward

The ADA and Personnel Training: which personnel should receive training on the ADA, which kinds of information should be shared, what factors to consider for accessibility of training

The ADA and Total Quality Management: the concept of Total Quality Management and how it can be used to support successful implementation the ADA and the reasonable accommodation process

Cultural Diversity and the ADA: employer considerations in addressing cultural diversity issues and the implications of the ADA such as the accommodation process, and ways to heighten awareness of the ADA through cultural diversity initiatives in business and industry
 

Reasonable Accommodations for Specific Disability Populations

Working Effectively with People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Working Effectively with People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Working Effectively with Persons Who Have Cognitive Disabilities

Workplace Accommodations for Persons with Musculoskeletal Disorders

Working Effectively with Employees Who Have Sustained a Brain Injury

Employing and Accommodating Workers with Psychiatric Disabilities

Employing and Accommodating Individuals with Histories of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Employment Considerations for People Who Have Diabetes

Accommodating the Allergic Employee in the Workplace

Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality and What You Can Do About It

Working Effectively with People with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Working Effectively with Individuals Who Are HIV-Positive

Call us at 800-949-4232 to order any of the above materials. Or e-mail us at adaptive@adaptiveenvironments.org, and be sure to include your phone number and address. Postage and handling charges may apply. Alternate formats available upon request. Documents produced by the DOJ are also available at no cost by calling them at 800-514-0301(V) or 800-514-0383(TTY); also, ask about their fax service for many documents.
 

Also Available...

An Overview of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design
A nine video set, produced in 1997 by The Center for Universal Design, which combines live action with computer-generated designs to illustrate the correct application of specific elements of the ADA Standards. Demonstrations of how people with disabilities function in an accessible environment make these an excellent training tool. Each tape has open and closed captioning, 20 minutes in length, at $20 each ($150 set) for non-profits and $35 each ($260 set) for businesses. Call 800-949-4232 V/TTY for brochure.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: May a police department create a light duty job category reserved only for incumbent officers without offering identical positions to job applicants?

A: Yes. A police department may create a specific class of light duty jobs that are limited to incumbent police officers.

Q: If an officer wants to stay in a street job and his supervisor wants him to go on light duty because of a disability, can the supervisor force him to accept a light duty position?

A: It depends. If the employee can still perform the essential functions of the "street job" with or without reasonable accommodation, and without being a direct threat to health or safety, he or she cannot be forced into a light duty position because of a disability.

Source: Questions and Answers: The ADA and Hiring Police Officers (see Publications, above)

Q: May an employer require that an employee with a disability-related occupational injury be able to return to "full duty" before allowing him/her to return to work?

A: No. The term "full duty" may include marginal as well as essential job functions or may mean performing job functions without any accommodation. An employer may not require that an employee with a disability-related occupational injury who can perform essential functions be able to return to "full duty" if, because of the disability, s/he is unable to perform marginal functions of the position or requires a reasonable accommodation that would not impose an undue hardship.

Q: Does the ADA require an employer to provide reasonable accommodation for an employee with an occupational injury who does not have a disability as defined by the ADA?

A: No. The ADA does not require an employer to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee with an occupational injury who does not have a disability as defined by the ADA.

Q: Must an employer reassign an employee who is no longer able to perform the essential functions of his/her original position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, because of a disability-related occupational injury?

A: Yes. Where an employee can no longer perform the essential functions of his/her original position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, because of a disability-related occupational injury, an employer must reassign him/her to an equivalent vacant position for which s/he is qualified, absent undue hardship. If no equivalent vacant position (in terms of pay, status, etc.) exists, then the employee must be reassigned to a lower graded position for which s/he is qualified, absent undue hardship.

Source: EEOC Enforcement Guidance: Workers' Compensation and the ADA

Q: What is the relationship between requirements of the FMLA, the ADA, and Title VII?

A: The FMLA and the ADA both require a covered employer to grant medical leave to an employee in certain circumstances. The FMLA and Title VII both have requirements governing leave for pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions. In addition, under Title VII, employers must not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin when they provide family or medical leave.

Q: What employers are covered by the FMLA, the ADA and Title VII?

A: The FMLA covers private employers with 50 or more employees. The ADA and Title VII cover private employers with 15 or more employees. Thus, only those private employers with 50 or more employees are covered concurrently by the FMLA, the ADA and Title VII.

Q: If an individual requests time off for medical treatment, should the employer treat this as a request for FMLA leave and ADA reasonable accommodation?

A: If an employee requests time off for a reason related or possibly related to a disability (e.g., "I need six weeks off to get treatment for a back problem"), the employer should consider this a request for ADA reasonable accommodation as well as FMLA leave. The employer may require FMLA certification and may make additional disability-related inquiries if necessary to decide whether the employee is entitled to reasonable accommodation because s/he also has a covered disability. However, if the employee states that s/he only wants to invoke rights under the FMLA, the employer should not make additional inquiries related to ADA coverage.

Q: Does the ADA require an employer to give an employee time off to care for a spouse, son, daughter, parent or other individual with a disability?

A: The ADA's reasonable accommodation obligation does not require a covered employer to give an employee time off to care for a spouse, son, daughter, parent or other individual with a disability with whom the employee has a relationship. However, an employer would be required to provide leave on the same terms as it normally provides leave to employees who need to care for someone who is ill.

Source: The Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (see Publications, above)

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ADA DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Drinking Fountains

The Department of Justice has identified, in their new document, Common Errors and Omissions in New Construction and Alterations, a number of common accessibility errors that can result in limiting or excluding people with disabilities. The following excerpt from this document (see Publications, above) illustrates and clarifies the requirements for drinking fountains in new construction.

Error/Omission: All drinking fountains are mounted with the spout height at 35"A.F.F.
Result: People who have difficulty stooping or bending over are not able to get a drink from the accessible 36" high drinking fountain.

Requirement: 4.1.3(10)* Drinking Fountains: (a)Where only one drinking fountain is provided on a floor there shall be a drinking fountain which is accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs in accordance with 4.15 and one accessible to those who have difficulty bending or stooping. This can be accommodated by the use of a "hi-lo" fountain; by providing one fountain accessible to those who use wheelchairs and one fountain at a standard height convenient for those who have difficulty bending; by providing a fountain accessible under 4.15 and a water cooler; or by such other means as would achieve the required accessibility for each group on each floor. (b)Where more than one drinking fountain or water cooler is provided on a floor, 50% of those provided shall comply with 4.15 and shall be on an accessible route.

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BUILDING YOUR ROLODEX

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
800-526-7234 V/TTY
Offers advice for employers and employees on providing accommodations in the workplace

Federal and State-funded Employment Services

See the following state listings for phone numbers for:

1. Projects with Industry (PWI):
These federally-funded local projects provide training and support services to individuals with disabilities in commercial and industrial work settings. Some states may have more than one location; call for more information.

2. Assistive Technology Projects:
Among other mandates, these are federally-funded to provide to employers and persons with disabilities information and referral on adaptive equipment and assistive technology, including availability and funding sources.

3. Governor's Commissions on Employment of People with Disabilities:
State-supported programs all linked to the federal president's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities

Connecticut

1. IAM Cares
Anna-Marie Porriello
860-643-2799 V
860-643-2893 TTY

2. CT Assistive Technology Project
John Ficarro 298-2042 V or
860-298-2018 TTY
800-537-2549 V/TTY (CT only)

3. Governor's Committee
Rosemary Woods
860-566-8061 V
860-566-1345 TTY

Maine

1. B.D.L. Employment and Rehabilitation Services
Geeta Balakrishman
207-941-8727 V

2. Maine CITE Coordinating Center
Kathy Powers
207-621-3195 V/TTY

Alpha-One Center for Independent Living
(for information and referral)
207-767-2189 V/TTY
800-640-7200 V/TTY

3. Governor's Committee
Susan Percy 207-879-1140 V/TTY

Massachusetts

1. Mass. Resource Partnership
Kathleen Petkauskos
617-350-8921 V/TTY

2. Mass. Assistive Technology
Partnership Center
Marilyn Howe 617-355-7167 V
617-735-7301 TTY
800-848-8867 V/TTY (MA only)

3. Governor's Commission
Jason Albert 617-626-5108 V

New Hampshire

1. Employment Connection Specialist, Inc.
Maureen O' Donnell
603-624-0600 V/TTY
800-773-4033 V/TTY (NH only)

2. NH Technology Partnership Project
Marion Pawlek
603-224-0630 V/TTY

3. Governor's Commission
Michael Jenkins
603-271-2773 V/TTY
800-852-3405 V (NH only)

Rhode Island

1. PWI
Carmen Ferguson
401-861-4460 V/TTY

2. Assistive Technology Access Program (ATAP)
Susan Olson 401-421-7005 V
401-421-7016 TTY
800-752-8088 x2608 V (RI only)

3. Governor's Commission
Bob Cooper 401-277-3731 V/TTY
800-752-8088 x 3731 V/TTY(RI only)

Vermont

1. VT Association of Business, Industry and Rehabilitation (VABIR)
Annmarie Plant-DeHayes
802-655-7215 V/TTY
800-639-2909 V/TTY

2. Vermont Assistive Technology Project
Lynne Cleveland
802-241-2620 V/TTY
800-750-6355 V/TTY (VT only)

3. Governor's Committee
Linda Dragon
802-241-2612 V/TTY
 
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GREAT WEB SITES

Bobby
http://www.cast.org/bobby/
This site is a free web-based service that you can use to analyze websites and their accessibility for people with (primarily visual) disabilities. Created by CAST, the Center for Applied Special Technology in Massachusetts, it has an online form for submission of any URL that you want to check. It will rate the site and identify problems.

Disability Solutions
http://www.disability.com/
Developed by Evan Kemp Associates, this comprehensive site has disability news, legal highlights, personal assistance tips and links to a huge collection of disability related resources.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
http:www.fcc.gov/
Click on Universal Service to learn about the new programs providing opportunity for access to the Internet for public schools, libraries and rural areas. Click on Disability Issues to learn about Telecom Act regulations.

President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD)
http://www.pcepd.gov/
The website links to a number of their projects, including The Job Accommodation Network (JAN), Small Business, Youth, Diversity as well as press releases and speeches of Chairman Tony Coelho. It has links to related projects in every state.

US Census Bureau - Disability Statistics
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disable.html
54 million, or one in 5 Americans has some disability, based on the 1995 survey. This site has all of the statistics and tables relating to most recent surveys.
 
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EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

40 Hour Basic Mediation Training
February 11-15
Mediation Training and Information Center for the ADA
Washington, D. C.
Contact: 1-800-346-7643 V/TTY
KeyBFound@aol.com

Travelers with Disabilities: The Untapped Market
January 21-23, 1998,
Washington, DC
Paralysis Society of America and Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
Contact: 888-633-2403 www.pcepd.org

Designing for the 21st Century: An International Conference on Universal Design
June 17-21, 1998, New York, NY
Adaptive Environments, Center for Universal Design, Hofstra University and Universal Design Newsletter
Contact: 617-695-1225 V/TTY

ADA Business Solutions Competition
(Applications Available Now)
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that businesses remove barriers so that people with disabilities can use and enjoy their services. So how have businesses responded to this challenge to serve their customers, clients, guests and fans? Here's your chance to tell us! The New England ADA & Accessible IT Center is sponsoring a competition to find innovative, cost effective solutions throughout the region. Cash prizes will be awarded to a winner in each state. If you have an idea that you've been meaning to try, do it now and submit the solution by May 1, 1998. Winners will be recognized at awards ceremonies on or around July 26, 1998 - the 8th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Call 800-949-4232 for a competition entry package, or get one on the Internet at www.adaptiveenvironments.org.

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