5 U.S.C. 552, the Freedom of Information Act, as amended.
45 FR 80976, Dec. 8, 1980, unless otherwise noted.
This part contains the general rules of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board for public access to Board records. These regulations implement 5 U.S.C. 552, the Freedom of Information Act, as amended, and the policy of the Board. It is the Board's policy to disseminate information on matters of interest to the public and to disclose on request all information contained in records in its custody insofar as is compatible with the discharge of its responsibilities and consistent with the law. This part sets forth generally the categories of records accessible to the public, the types of records subject to prohibitions or restrictions on disclosure, and the places and procedures to obtain information from records in the custody of the A&TBCB.
For the purposes of this part:
(a)
(b)
(1) The term includes—
(i) Informal writings such as handwritten notes and drafts;
(ii) Information preserved in a form which must be translated or deciphered by machine in order to be intelligible to humans;
(iii) Records which were created or acquired by the A&TBCB, its members, its employees, its members' employees, or persons acting on behalf of its members, by use of A&TBCB funds or in the course of transacting official business for the A&TBCB.
(2) The term does not include—
(i) Materials which are legally owned by an A&TBCB member, employee, or member's employee or representative
(ii) Materials published by non-Federal organizations which are readily available to the public, such as books, journals, standards, and periodicals available through reference libraries, even if such materials are in the A&TBCB's possession.
(c) The terms
(d) A government record
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
(m)
(n)
(o)
All existing A&TBCB records are subject to routine destruction according to standard record retention schedules.
(a)
(1) Description of the A&TBCB's organization and the established places at which, the employees from whom, and the methods whereby the public may obtain information, make submittals or requests, or obtain decisions;
(2) Statements of the general course and method by which the A&TBCB's functions are channeled and determined, including the nature and requirements of all formal and informal procedures available;
(3) Rules of procedure, descriptions of forms available or the places at which forms may be obtained, and instructions as to the scope and contents of all papers, reports, or examinations;
(4) Substantive rules of general applicability adopted as authorized by law, and statements of general policy or interpretations of general applicability formulated and adopted by the A&TBCB, and
(5) Each amendment, revision, or repeal of the foregoing. Indexes to the
(b)
(c)
(a)
(b)
(1) Final opinions and orders made in the adjudication of cases;
(2) Statements of policy and interpretations adopted but not published in the
(3) Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member of the public.
Except for those categories of materials listed in paragraph (a) of this section, paragraphs (a) (1) through (9) of § 1120.41 the following materials are available for public inspection and copying during normal business hours at the Washington office of the A&TBCB:
(a) Final opinions and orders made in the adjudication of cases;
(b) Statements of policy and interpretations which have been adopted under the authority of the A&TBCB and are not published in the
(c) Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member of the public;
(d) A record of the final votes of each member of the Board in every Board proceeding;
(e) Current indexes providing identifying information for the public as to the materials made available under paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section.
(f) All papers and documents made a part of the official record in administrative proceedings conducted by the A&TBCB in connection with the issuance, amendment, or revocation of rules and regulations or determinations having general applicability or legal effect with respect to members of the public or a class of the public.
(g) After a final order is issued in any adjudicative proceeding conducted by the A&TBCB, all papers and documents made a part of the official record of the proceeding. (The official docket is kept in the office of the administrative law judge hearing the case until a final order is issued.)
Current indexes are normally available to the public in published form as provided in § 1120.11. These indexes, whether or not published, are made available for inspection and copying on request. If published copies of a particular index are at any time not available or if publication of the index has been determined to be unnecessary and impracticable by order published in the
Any material listed in paragraph (a) of this section that is not indexed as required by § 1120.11(e) and § 1120.12, may not be cited, relied on, or used as precedent by the Board to adversely affect any member of the public unless the person against whom it is cited, relied on, or used has had actual and timely notice of the material.
(a) It is the policy of the A&TBCB to make information available to the public to the greatest extent possible in keeping with the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act. Therefore, all records of the A&TBCB, except those that the A&TBCB specifically determines must not be disclosed in the national interest, for the protection of private rights, or for the efficient conduct of public business to the extent permitted by the Freedom of Information Act, are declared to be available for public inspection and copying as provided in this part. Each member and employee of the A&TBCB is directed to cooperate to this end and to make records available to the public promptly and to the fullest extent consistent with this policy. A record may not be withheld from the public solely because its release might suggest administrative error or embarrass a member or employee of the A&TBCB.
(b) Subject to § 1120.51, any nonexempt A&TBCB record is available to the public upon request regardless of whether the requestor shows any justification or need for the record.
(c) An A&TBCB office may waive the procedures on this subpart in favor of the requestor, for reasons of the public interest, simplicity, or speed.
(d) If a requested record contains both exempt and nonexempt material, the nonexempt material shall be disclosed, after the exempt material has been deleted in accordance with § 1120.42.
(a) This subpart applies to any written request (other than a request made by another Federal agency) received by the A&TBCB, whether or not the request cites the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, except with respect to records for which a less formal disclosure procedure is provided specifically in this part.
(b) Any written request to the A&TBCB for existing records prepared by the A&TBCB for routine public distribution, e.g., pamphlets, copies of speeches, press releases, and educational materials, shall be honored. No individual determination under § 1120.32 is necessary in these cases, since preparation of the materials for routine public distribution itself constitutes that a determination that the records are available to the public.
(c) This subpart applies only to records that exist at the time the request for information is made. (See § 1120.3,
A written request for records must be filed with the A&TBCB Freedom of Information Officer, Suite 501, 1111 18th Street NW., Washington, DC 20036. Requests may be mailed to that address or filed in person at that address during the A&TBCB's normal business hours.
(a) The A&TBCB cannot assure that a timely for satisfactory response under this subpart will be given to written requests that are addressed to A&TBCB offices, members, or employees other than the Freedom of Information Officer listed in § 1120.23. Any A&TBCB member or employee who receives a written request for inspection or disclosure of A&TBCB records must promptly forward a copy of the request to the Freedom of Information Officer, by the fastest practicable means, and must, if appropriate, commence action under § 1120.32.
(b) While A&TBCB members and employees will attempt in good faith to comply with oral requests for inspection or disclosure of A&TBCB records, by telephone or otherwise, these requests are not required to be processed in accordance with this subpart.
A request must be in writing, must reasonably describe the records sought in a way that will permit their identification and location, and must be addressed to the address set forth in § 1120.23, but otherwise need not be in any particular form. Each request under the Freedom of Information Act should be clearly and prominently identified by a legend on the first page, such as “Freedom of Information Act Request.” The envelope in which the request is sent should be prominently marked with the letters “FOIA.” It is helpful, but not necessary, for the requestor to include his or her phone number and the reason for the request. A request may state the maximum amount of fees which the requester is willing to pay. Under § 1120.33(d), the failure to state willingness to pay fees as high as are anticipated by the A&TBCB will delay running of the time limit and delay processing of the request, if the responsible official anticipates that the fees chargeable may exceed $250.00.
(a) If the description of the records sought in the request is not sufficient to allow the A&TBCB to identify and locate the requested records, the office taking action under § 1120.32 must notify the requestor (by telephone when practicable) that the request cannot be further processed until additional information is furnished.
(b) The A&TBCB must make every reasonable effort to assist the requestor in formulating his or her request. If a request is described in general terms (e.g., all records having to do with a certain area), the A&TBCB office taking action under § 1120.32 may communicate with the requestor (by telephone when practicable) with a view toward reducing the administrative burden of processing a broad request and minimizing the fee payable by the requestor. Such attempts must not be used as a means to discourage requests, but rather as a means to help identify with more specificity the records actually sought.
(a) Upon receipt of a written request, the Freedom of Information Officer must mark the request with the date of receipt and must attach to the request a control slip indicating the Request Identification Number and other pertinent administrative information. The Freedom of Information Officer must immediately forward the request and control slip to the A&TBCB office which the FOIA Officer believes to be responsible for maintaining the records requested. The Freedom of Information Officer must retain a full copy of the request and control slip and must monitor the handling of the request to ensure a timely response.
(b) The Freedom of Information Officer must maintain a file concerning each request received. The file must contain a copy of the request, initial and appeal determinations, and other pertinent correspondence and records.
(c) The Freedom of Information Officer must collect and maintain the information necessary to compile the reports required by 5 U.S.C. 552(d).
(a) The FOIA Officer is delegated the authority to issue initial determinations concerning records which he or she believes are in the custody of a Board member, an employee of a member's agency, or an employee of a public member. When the FOIA Officer receives such a request, he or she shall forward it to the member, employee of a member agency, or employee of a public member whom the FOIA Officer believes to have custody of the records, requesting the records. The person to whom the request is forwarded shall, within three days of receipt of the FOIA Officer's request, either furnish the records requested to the FOIA Officer or inform the FOIA Officer of the time when they will be furnished. The FOIA Officer shall then determine whether or not to disclose the documents. For purposes of such requests and their processing under this subpart, the FOIA Officer is considered the office handling the requests.
(b) Heads of staff offices are delegated the authority to issue initial determinations, other records which are in their respective custody.
(c) Whenever an A&TBCB office receives a request forwarded by the FOIA Officer, the office should:
(1) Take action under § 1120.26, if required, to obtain a better description of the records requested;
(2) Locate the records as promptly as possible, or determine that:
(i) The records are not known to exist; or
(ii) They are located at another A&TBCB office; or
(iii) They are located at another Federal agency and not possessed by the A&TBCB.
(3) When appropriate, take action under § 1120.53(b) to obtain payment or assurance of payment;
(4) Determine which of the requested records legally must be withheld, and why (see § 1120.42(b),
(5) Of the requested records which are exempt from mandatory disclosure but which legally may be disclosed (see § 1120.42(a)), determine which records will be withheld, and why;
(6) Issue an initial determination within the allowed period (see § 1120.31), specifying (individually or by category) which records will be disclosed and which will be withheld, and signed by a person authorized to issue the determination under paragraph (a) of this section (see § 1120.33,
(7) Furnish the Freedom of Information Officer a copy of the determination; and
(8) If the determination denies a request, furnish the Freedom of Information Officer the name of the A&TBCB member(s) or employee(s) having custody of the records and maintain the records in a manner permitting their prompt forwarding to the General Counsel upon request if an appeal from the initial denial is filed. (See also § 1120.34.)
(d) If it appears that some or all of the requested records are not in the possession of the A&TBCB office which has been assigned responsibility for responding to the request but may be in the possession of some A&TBCB office, the responding office must so inform
(e) An initial determination to disclose documents must provide the requested documents or provide the opportunity to inspect and/or obtain copies of the documents.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, as soon as possible and not later than the tenth working day after the day on which the Freedom of Information Officer receives a request for records, the A&TBCB office responsible for responding to the request must issue a written determination to the requestor stating which of the requested records, will, and which will not, be released and the reason for any denial of a request.
(b) The period of 10 working days is measured from the date the request is first received and logged in by the Freedom of Information Officer.
(c) There is excluded from the period of 10 working days (or any extension) any time which elapses between the date that a requestor is notified by the A&TBCB under § 1120.26 that his or her request does not reasonably identify the records sought, and the date that the requestor furnishes a reasonable identification.
(d) There is excluded from the period of 10 working days (or any extension) any time which elapses between the date that a requestor is notified by an A&TBCB office under § 1120.53(b) that prepayment of fees is required, and the date that the requestor pays (or makes suitable arrangements to pay) the charges.
(e) The A&TBCB office taking action under § 1120.31 may extend the basic 10-day period established under paragraph (a) of this section by a period not to exceed 10 additional working days if—
(1) The office notifies the Freedom of Information Officer;
(2) The office notifies the requestor in writing within the basic 10-day period stating the reasons for the extension and the date by which the office expects to be able to issue a determination;
(3) The extension is reasonably necessary to properly process the particular request; and
(4) One or more of the following unusual circumstances require the extension:
(i) There is a need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments that are separate from the office processing the request;
(ii) There is a need to search for, collect, and/or appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request; or
(iii) There is need for consultation with another agency having a substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the A&TBCB. The office must conduct the consultation with all practicable speed.
(f) Should the A&TBCB fail to issue a determination within the 10-day period or any authorized extension as to an initial request, or during the period for consideration of an appeal, the requestor shall be deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies with respect to such.
(a) An initial denial of a request may be issued only for the following reasons:
(1) The record is not under the A&TBCB's control;
(2) The record has been published in the
(3) A statutory provision, provision of this part, or court order requires that the information not be disclosed;
(4) The record is exempt from mandatory disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b) and the responding office has decided not to disclose it under §§ 1120.41 and 1120.42;
(5) The record is believed to be in the A&TBCB's custody but has not yet been located. (See paragraph (f) of this section.)
(b) Each initial denial of a request shall—
(1) Be written, signed, and dated;
(2) Contain a reference to the Request Identification Number;
(3) Identify the records that are being withheld (individually or, if the denial covers a large number of similar records, by described category); and
(4) State the basis for denial of each record of category of records or any reasonably segregable portion(s) thereof being withheld.
(c) If the issuance of the determination to deny a request was directed by some A&TBCB officer or employee other than the person signing the determination letter, that other person's identity and position must be stated in the determination letter.
(d) Each initial determination which denies, in whole or in part, a request for one or more existing, located A&TBCB records must state that the requestor may appeal the initial denial by sending a written appeal to the address shown in § 1120.23 within 30 days of receipt of the determination. (See § 1120.36.)
(e) A determination is deemed issued on the date the determination letter is placed in A&TBCB mailing channels for first class mailing to the requestor, delivered to the U.S. Postal Service for mailing, or personally delivered to the requestor, whichever date first occurs.
(f) When a request must be denied because the record has not yet been located (although it is believed to be in the A&TBCB's possession), the A&TBCB office responsible for maintaining the record must continue to search diligently until it is located or it appears that the record does not exist or is not in the A&TBCB's possession, and must periodically inform the requestor of the office's progress.
(a) Any person whose request has been denied in whole or in part by an initial determination may appeal that denial by addressing a written appeal to the address shown in § 1120.23.
(b) Any appeal must be mailed or filed in person at the address shown in § 1120.23—
(1) In the case of a denial of an entire request, generally not later than 30 calendar days after the date the requestor received the initial determination on the request; or
(2) In the case of a partial denial, generally not later than 30 calendar days after the requestor receives all records being made available pursuant to the initial determination.
(c) The appeal letter must contain—
(1) A reference to the Request Identification Number (RIN);
(2) The date of the initial determination;
(3) The name and address of the person who issued the initial denial;
(4) A statement of which of the records to which access was denied are the subjects of the appeal; and
(5) If the applicant wishes, such facts and legal or other authorities as he or she considers appropriate.
(a) The General Counsel must make one of the following legal determinations in connection with every appeal from the initial denial of a request for an existing, located record:
(1) The record must be disclosed;
(2) The record must not be disclosed because a statute or a provision of this part so requires; or
(3) The record is exempt from mandatory disclosure but legally may be disclosed as a matter of agency discretion.
(b) Whenever the General Counsel has determined under paragraph (a)(3) of this section that a record is exempt from mandatory disclosure but legally may be disclosed, the matter must be referred to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director determines that an important purpose would be served by withholding the record, the General Counsel shall issue a determination denying the appeal. If the Executive Director determines that no important purpose would be served by withholding the record, the General Counsel must disclose the record.
(c) The General Counsel may delegate his or her authority under this section to any other attorney employed by the A&TBCB in connection
(d) A determination denying an appeal from an initial denial must—
(1) Be in writing;
(2) State which of the exemptions in 5 U.S.C. 552(b) apply to each requested existing record;
(3) State the reason(s) for denial of the appeal;
(4) State the name and position of each A&TBCB officer or employee who directed that the appeal be denied; and
(5) State that the person whose request was denied may obtain de novo judicial review of the denial by complaint filed with the district court of the United States in the district in which the complainant resides, or in which the agency records are situated, or in the District of Columbia, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4).
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, as soon as possible and not later than the twentieth working day after the day on which the Freedom of Information Officer receives an appeal from an initial denial of a request for records, the General Counsel shall issue a written determination stating which of the requested records (as to which appeal was made) will and which will not be disclosed.
(b) The period of 20 working days shall be measured from the date an appeal is first received by the Freedom of Information Officer.
(c) The General Counsel may extend the basic 20-day period established under paragraph (a) of this section by a period not to exceed 10 additional working days if—
(1) He or she notifies the Freedom of Information Officer;
(2) He or she notifies the requestor in writing within the basic 20-day period stating the reasons for the extension and the date by which he or she expects to be able to issue a determination;
(3) The extension is reasonably necessary to properly process the particular request; and
(4) One or more of the following unusual circumstances require the extension:
(i) There is a need to search for and collect the records from field facilities or other establishments that are separated from the office processing the appeal;
(ii) There is a need to search for, collect, and/or appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request; or
(iii) There is a need for consultation with another agency or among two or more components of the A&TBCB. The General Counsel must conduct the consultation with all practicable speed.
(d) No extension of the 20-day period may be issued under paragraph (c) of this section which would cause the total of all such extensions and of any extensions issued under § 1120.33(c) to exceed 10 working days.
(a) Generally, 5 U.S.C. 552(b) establishes nine exclusive categories of matters which are exempt from the mandatory disclosure requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552(a). No request under 5 U.S.C. 552 for an existing, located, unpublished record in the A&TBCB's control may be denied by any A&TBCB office or employee unless the record contains (or its disclosure would reveal) matters that are—
(1) Specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and which are in fact properly classified pursuant to the Executive order;
(2) Related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency;
(3) Specifically exempted from disclosure by statute;
(4) Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;
(5) Interagency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency;
(6) Personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(7) Investigatory records compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to
(i) Interfere with enforcement proceedings;
(ii) Deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication;
(iii) Constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(iv) Disclose the identity of a confidential source and, in the case of a record compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, confidential information furnished only by the confidential source;
(v) Disclose investigative techniques and procedures; or
(vi) Endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel;
(8) Contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions; or
(9) Geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.
(b) The fact that the applicability of an exemption permits the withholding of a requested record (or portion of a record) does not necessarily mean that the record must or should be withheld. (See § 1120.42
(a) An A&TBCB office may, in its discretion, release requested records despite the applicability of one or more of the exemptions listed in § 1120.41 (a)(2), (5), or (7). Disclosure of such records is encouraged if no important purpose would be served by withholding the records.
(b) Though the policy of the A&TBCB is to honor all requests, as indicated in § 1120.21(a), there are circumstances when the A&TBCB will not disclose a record if one or more of the FOIA exemptions applies to the record. The exemptions usually in such circumstances are exemptions (2), (3), (4), (6), (8) and (9). In these cases, where the A&TBCB has withheld a requested record, or portions thereof, the A&TBCB will disclose the exempted record when ordered to do so by a Federal court or in exceptional circumstances under appropriate restrictions with the approval of the Office of General Counsel.
(a) It shall be the policy of the ATBCB to comply with requests for documents made under the FOIA using the most efficient and least costly methods available. Requesters will be charged fees, in accordance with the administrative provisions and fee schedule set forth below, for searching for, reviewing (in the case of commercial use requesters only), and duplicating requested records.
(b)
(c)
(1) Commercial Use Requesters—When the ATBCB receives a request for documents which appears to be a request for commercial use, the Board may assess charges in accordance with the fee schedule set forth below, which recover the full direct costs of searching for, reviewing for release, and duplicating the records sought. Costs for time spent reviewing records to determine whether they are exempt from mandatory disclosure applies to the initial review only. No fees will be assessed for reviewing records, at the administrative appeal level, of the exemptions already applied.
(2) Educational and Non-Commercial Scientific Institution Requesters—The ATBCB shall provide documents to requesters in this category for the cost of reproduction alone, in accordance with the fee schedule set forth below, excluding charges for the first 100 pages of reproduced documents.
(i) To be eligible for inclusion in this category, requesters must demonstrate the request is being made under the auspices of a qualifying institution and that the records are not sought for a commercial use, but are sought in furtherance of scholarly (if the request is from an educational institution) or scientific (it the request is from a non-commercial scientific institution) research.
(ii) Requesters eligible for free search must reasonably describe the records sought.
(3) Requesters Who Are Representatives of the News Media—The ATBCB shall provide documents to requesters in this category for the cost of reproduction alone, in accordance with the fee schedule set forth below, excluding charges for the first 100 pages of reproduced documents.
(4) All Other Requestors—The ATBCB shall charge requestors who do not fit into any of the categories described above, fees which recover the full direct cost of searching for and reproducing records that are responsive to the request, except that the first two hours of search time and the first 100 pages of reproduction shall be furnished without charge.
(d) Schedule of FOIA fees.
(1) Record search (ATBCB employees)—$14.00 per hour
(2) Document review (ATBCB employees)—$20.00 per hour
(3) Duplication of documents (paper copy of paper original)—$.20 per page
(e) No charge shall be made:
(1) If the costs of routine collection and processing of the fee are likely to equal or exceed the amount of the fee;
(2) For any request made by an individual or group of individuals falling into the categories listed at paragraph (b) of this section, and described in paragraph (c) of this section, (excepting commercial use requests) the first two hours of search time and first 100 pages of duplication;
(3) For the cost of preparing or reviewing letters of response to a request or appeal;
(4) For responding to a request for one copy of the official personnel record of the requestor;
(5) For furnishing records requested by either House of Congress, or by duly authorized committee or subcommittee or Congress, unless the records are requested for the benefit of an individual Member of Congress or for a constituent;
(6) For furnishing records requested by and for the official use of other Federal agencies; or
(7) For furnishing records needed by an A&TBCB contractor or grantee to perform the work required by the A&TBCB contract or grant.
(f) Requestors may be charged for unsuccessful or unproductive searches or for searches when records located are determined to be exempt from disclosure.
(g) Where the ATBCB reasonably believes that a requestor or group of requestors is attempting to break a request down into a series of requests for the purpose of evading the assessment of fees, the ATBCB shall aggregate any such requests and charge accordingly.
(a) Information available in whole or in part in computerized form which is disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act is available to the public as follows:
(1) When there is an existing printout from the computer which permits copying the printout, the material will be made available at the per page rate stated in § 1120.51(a) for each 8
(2) When there is not an existing printout of information disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act, a printout shall be made if the applicant pays the cost to the A&TBCB as stated in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.
(3) Obtaining information from computerized records frequently involves a minimum computer time cost of approximately $100 per request. Multiple requests involving the same subject may cost less per request. Services of personnel in the nature of a search shall be charged for at rates prescribed in § 1120.51(a). A charge shall be made for the computer time involved based upon the prevailing level of costs to Government organizations and upon the particular types of computer and associated equipment and the amounts
(b) Information in the Board's computerized records which could be produced only by additional programming of the computer, thus producing information not previously in being, is not required to be furnished under the Freedom of Information Act. In view of the usually heavy workloads of the computers used by the Board, such a service cannot ordinarily be offered to the public.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(2) Where a requestor has previously failed to pay a fee charged in a timely fashion, the ATBCB may require the requestor to pay the full amount owed, plus any applicable interest, as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, and to make an advance payment of the full amount of the estimated fee before any new or pending requests will be processed from that requestor.
(3) In those instances described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section, the administrative time limits prescribed in § 1120.33(d) will begin only after the ATBCB has received all fee payments due or acceptable arrangements have been made to pay all fee payments due.
(d)
(e)
(2) In order to determine whether the first fee waiver requirement is met—i.e., that disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government—Freedom of Information Officer
(i) The subject of the request: Whether the subject of the requested records concerns “the operations or activities of the government.” The subject matter of the requested records, in the context of the request, must specifically concern identifiable operations or activities of the federal government—with a connection that is direct and clear, not remote or attenuated. Furthermore, the records must be sought for their informative value with respect to those government operations or activities; a request for access to records for their intrinsic informational content alone will not satisfy this threshold consideration.
(ii) The informative value of the information to be disclosed: Whether the disclosure is “likely to contribute” to an understanding of government operations or activities. The disclosable portions of the requested records must be meaningfully informative on specific government operations or activities in order to hold potential for contributing to increase public understanding of those operations and activities. The disclosure of information that already is in the public domain, in either a duplicative or a substantially identical form, would not be likely to contribute to such understanding, as nothing new would be added to the public record.
(iii) The contribution to an understanding of the subject by the public likely to result from disclosure: Whether disclosure of the requested information will contribute to “public understanding.” The disclosure must contribute to the understanding of the public at large, as opposed to the individual understanding of the requestor or a narrow segment of interested persons. A requestor's identity and qualifications—e.g., expertise in the subject area and ability and intention to effectively convey information to the general public—should be considered. It reasonably may be presumed that a representative of the news media (as defined in § 1120.2(o)) who has access to the means of public dissemination readily will be able to satisfy this consideration. Requests from libraries or other record repositories (or requestors who intend merely to disseminate information to such institutions) shall be analyzed, like those of other requestors to identify a particular person who represents that he actually will use the requested information in scholarly or other analytic work and then disseminate it to the general public.
(iv) The significance of the contribution to public understanding: Whether the disclosure is likely to contribute “significantly” to public understanding of government operations or activities. The public's understanding of the subject matter in question, as compared to the level of public understanding existing prior to the disclosure, must be likely to be enhanced by the disclosure to a significant extent. Freedom of Information Officer shall not make separate value judgments as to whether information, even though it in fact would contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government, is “important” enough to be made public.
(3) In order to determine whether the second fee waiver requirement is met—i.e., that disclosure of the requested information is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requestor—the Freedom of Information Officer shall consider the following two factors in sequence:
(i) The existence and magnitude of a commercial interest: Whether the requestor has a commercial interest that would be furthered by the requested disclosure. The Freedom of Information Officer shall consider all commercial interests of the requester (with reference to the definition of “commercial use” in § 1120.2(l)) or any person on whose behalf the requestor may be acting, but shall consider only those interests which would be furthered by the requested disclosure. In assessing the magnitude of identified commercial interests, consideration shall be given to the role that such FOIA-disclosed information plays with respect to those commercial interests, as well as to the extent to which FOIA disclosures serve those interests overall. Requestors shall be given a reasonable opportunity in the administrative process to provide information bearing upon this consideration.
(ii) The primary interest in disclosure: Whether the magnitude of the identified commercial interest of the requestor is sufficiently large, in comparison with the public interest in disclosure, that disclosure is “primarily in the commercial interest of the requestor.” A fee waiver or reduction is warranted only where, once the “public interest” standard set out in paragraph (e)(2) of this section is satisfied, that public interest can fairly be regarded as greater in magnitude than that of the requestor's commercial interest in disclosure. The Freedom of Information Officer shall ordinarily presume that where a news media requestor has satisfied the “public interest” standard, that will be the interest primarily served by disclosure to that requestor. Disclosure to data brokers or others who compile and market government information for direct economic return shall not be presumed to primarily serve “public interest.”
(4) Where only a portion of the requested records satisfies both of the requirements for a waiver or reduction of fees under this paragraph, a waiver or reduction shall be granted only as to that portion.
(5) Requests for the waiver or reduction of fees shall address each of the factors listed in paragraphs (e) (2) and (3) of this section, as they apply to each record request. One hundred pages of reproduction shall be furnished without charge.
(6) A request for reduction or waiver of fees shall be addressed to the Freedom of Information Officer at the address shown in § 1120.23. The ATBCB office which is responding to the request for records shall initially determine whether the fee shall be reduced or waived and shall so inform the requestor. The initial determination may be appealed by letter addressed to the address shown in § 1120.23. The General Counsel or his or her designee shall decide such appeals.
5 U.S.C. 552a; Pub. L. 93-579.
50 FR 3905, Jan. 29, 1985, unless otherwise noted.
The purposes of these regulations are to:
(a) Establish a procedure by which an individual can determine if the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, hereafter known as the Board or ATBCB, maintains a system of records which includes a record pertaining to the individual; and
(b) Establish a procedure by which an individual can gain access to a record pertaining to him or her for the purpose of review, amendment and/or correction.
For the purpose of these regulations—
(a) The term
(b) The term
(c) The term
(d) The term
(e) The term
(f) The term
An individual or authorized representative shall submit a written request to the Administrative Officer to determine if a system of records named by the individual contains a record pertaining to the individual. The individual or authorized representative shall submit a written request to the Executive Director of the ATBCB which states the individual's desire to review his or her record.
An individual or authorized representative making a request to the Administrative Officer of the ATBCB pursuant to § 1121.3 shall present the request at the ATBCB offices, 330 C Street, SW., Room 1010, Washington, DC 20202, on any business day between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The individual or authorized representative submitting the request should present himself or herself at the ATBCB's offices with a form of identification which will permit the ATBCB to verify that the individual is the same individual as contained in the record requested. An authorized representative shall present a written document authorizing access. The document must be signed by the individual.
Upon verification of identity the Board shall disclose to the individual or authorized representative the information contained in the record which pertains to that individual. Nothing in this section shall allow an individual access to any information compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding.
The individual or authorized representative should submit a request to the Administrative Officer which states the individual's desire to correct or to amend his or her record. This request is to be made in accord with provisions of § 1121.4.
Within ten working days of the receipt of the request to correct or to amend the record, the Administrative Officer will acknowledge in writing such receipt and promptly either—
(a) Make any correction or amendment of any portion thereof which the individual believes is not accurate, relevant, timely, or complete; or
(b) Inform the individual or authorized representative of his or her refusal to correct or to amend the record in accordance with the request, the reason for the refusal and the procedures established by the Board for the individual to request a review of that refusal.
An individual who disagrees with the refusal of the Administrative Officer to correct or to amend his or her record may submit a request for a review of such refusal to the Executive Director, ATBCB, 330 C Street, SW., Room 1010, Washington, DC 20202. The Executive Director will, not later than thirty (30) working days from the date on which the individual requests such review,
In any disclosure pursuant to § 1121.10 containing information about which the individual has previously filed a statement of disagreement under § 1121.8, the Board shall clearly note any portion of the record which is disputed and provide copies of the statement and, if the Executive Director deems it appropriate, copies of a concise statement of the reasons of the Executive Director for not making the amendments requested.
The Board will not disclose a record to any individual or agency other than the individual to whom the record pertains, except to an authorized representative, unless the disclosure has been listed as a “routine use” in the Board's notices of its systems of records, or falls within one of the special disclosure situations listed in the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a(b)).
(a) The Board shall, except for disclosure made under sections (b)(1) and (b)(2) of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) keep an accurate accounting of—
(1) The date, nature and purpose of each disclosure of a record to any person or another agency made pursuant to § 1121.10; and
(2) The name and address of the person or agency to whom the disclosure is made.
(b) This accounting shall be retained for at least five years or the life of the record, whichever is longer, after the disclosure for which the accounting is made;
(c) The Board shall make this accounting available to the individual named in the record at his or her request, except for disclosures made under section (b)(7) of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a).
(d) The Board shall inform any person or other agency to whom disclosure has been made pursuant to § 1121.10 about any correction or notation of dispute made by the Board.
If an individual or authorized representative requests copies of his or her record, he or she shall be charged ten cents per page, excluding the cost of any search for review of the record, in advance of receipt of the pages.
29 U.S.C. 792, as amended.
45 FR 78474, Nov. 25, 1980, unless otherwise noted.
(a)
(b)
(1) The intended use for which either—
(i) Will require that such building or facility be accessible to the public, or
(ii) May result in employment or residence therein of physically handicapped persons; and
(2) Which is—
(i) To be constructed or altered by or on behalf of the United States;
(ii) To be leased in whole or in part by the United States—
(A) After August 12, 1968, and before January 1, 1977, after construction or alteration in accordance with plans and specifications of the United States; or
(B) On or after January 1, 1977, including any renewal of a lease entered into before January 1, 1977, which renewal is on or after such date;
(iii) To be financed in whole or in part by a grant or loan made by the United States after August 12, 1968, if the building or facility may be subject to standards for design, construction, or alteration issued under the law authorizing the grant or loan; or
(iv) To be constructed under the authority of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1960, the National Capital Transportation Act of 1965, or title III of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact.
(c)
(1) Any privately owned residential structure, unless it is leased by the Federal government on or after January 1, 1977, for subsidized housing programs; or
(2) Any building or facility on a military installation designed and constructed primarily for use by military personnel.
(d) Any covered building or facility, as provided in this section, which is designed, constructed, or altered after the effective date of a standard issued which is applicable to the building or facility, shall be designed, constructed, altered, or leased in accordance with the standard. For purposes of this section, any design, construction, alteration or lease for which bids or offers are received before the effective date of an applicable standard, in response to an invitation for bids or request for proposals, is not subject to that standard.
The policy of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is to maximize the accessibility and usability of buildings, and facilities through amicable means. To this end, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board encourages voluntary and informal resolution of all complaints.
(a) These rules shall govern all compliance proceedings held before a judge and all alleged violations coming to the Executive Director as a complaint.
(b) In the absence of a specific provision in these rules, procedure shall be in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, subchapter II of chapter 5 and chapter 7, of title 5 U.S.C., and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in that order.
(c) These rules and regulations shall be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes and provisions of the Architectural Barriers Act and section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act.
(d) The rules shall be applied to secure fairness in administration and elimination of unjustifiable expense and delay and to ascertain the truth.
(e) Words importing the singular number may extend and be applied to a plural and vice versa.
Upon notice to all parties, the judge, with respect to matters pending before him/her, may modify or waive any rule in these regulations upon determination that no party will be unduly prejudiced and that the end of justice will be served.
(a) The term parties includes (1) any agency, state or local body, or other person named as a respondent in a notice of hearing or opportunity for hearing, (2) the Executive Director and (3) any person named as a party by order of the judge.
(b) The Executive Director has the sole authority to initiate proceedings by issuing a citation under § 1150.42, on the basis of (1) a complaint from any person or (2) alleged violations coming to his/her attention through any means.
(a) Any person may submit a complaint to the A&TBCB alleging that a building or facility does not comply with applicable standards issued under the Architectural Barriers Act. Complaints must be in writing and should be sent to: Executive Director, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, 1111 18th Street, Suite 501, Washington, DC 20036-3894.
(b) The A&TBCB shall hold in confidence the identity of all persons submitting complaints unless the person submits a written authorization otherwise.
(c) The A&TBCB shall give or mail to the complainant a copy of these regulations.
(d) A complainant is not a party to the proceedings as a matter of course, but may petition the judge to participate under § 1150.13.
(e) The A&TBCB shall send the complainant a copy of the final order issued by the judge. The complainant has standing to obtain judicial review of that order.
(a) By petitioning the judge, any person may be permitted to participate in the proceedings when he/she claims an interest in the proceedings and may contribute materially to their proper disposition. A complainant shall be permitted to participate in the proceeding when he/she petitions the judge.
(b) The judge may, in his/her discretion, determine the extent of participation of petitioners, including as an intervening party or participant. The judge may, in his/her discretion, limit participation to submitting documents and briefs, or permit the introduction of evidence and questioning of witnesses.
(a) A party may appear in person or by counsel or other representative and participate fully in any proceedings. An agency, state or local body, corporation or other association, may appear by any of its officers or by any employee it authorizes to appear on its behalf.
(b) A representative of a party or participant shall be deemed to control all matters respecting the interest of such party or participant in the proceedings.
(c) This section shall not be construed to require any representative to be an attorney-at-law.
(d) Withdrawal of appearance of any representative is effective when a written notice of withdrawal is filed and served on all parties and participants.
Documents to be filed under the rules in this part shall be dated, the original signed in ink, shall show the docket number and title of the proceeding and shall show the title, if any, and address of the signatory. Copies need not be signed; however, the name of the person signing the original, but not necessarily his/her signature, shall be reproduced. Documents shall be legible and shall not be more than 8
The signature of a party, authorized officer, employee or attorney constitutes a certification that he/she has read the document, that to the best of his/her knowledge, information, and belief there is a good ground to support it, and that it is not interposed for delay. If a document is not signed or is signed with intent to defeat the purpose of this section, it may be stricken as sham and false and the proceeding may proceed as though the document had not been filed.
(a)
(b)
(c)
The date of service shall be the day when the matter is deposited in United States mail or is delivered in person,
The original of every document filed and required to be served upon parties to a proceeding shall be endorsed with a certificate of service signed by the party making service or by his/her attorney or representative, stating that such service has been made, the date of service, and the manner of service, whether by mail or personal delivery.
In computing any period of time under these rules or in any order issued under them, the time begins with the day following the act, event, or default, and includes the last day of the period, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal legal holiday, in which event it includes the next following business day. When the period of time prescribed or allowed is less than seven (7) days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal legal holidays shall be excluded from the computation.
(a) Requests for extension of time shall be addressed to the judge and served on all parties and participants. Requests should set forth the reasons for the application.
(b) If made promptly, answers to requests for extension of time are permitted.
(c) The judge may grant the extension upon a showing of good cause by the applicant.
(a) The A&TBCB immediately shall send copies of complaints to all interested agencies and persons. In addition, the A&TBCB shall apprise any person who might become a party to compliance proceedings of the alleged instances of noncompliance and afford him/her a reasonable opportunity to respond or submit pertinent documents.
(b) The Executive Director or his/her designee shall seek the cooperation of persons and agencies in obtaining compliance and shall provide assistance and guidance to help them comply voluntarily.
(c) Upon request of the Executive Director, interested agencies or persons, including, but not limited to, occupant agencies, recipients of assistance, and lessors, shall submit to the Executive Director or his/her designee timely, complete, and accurate reports concerning the particular complaint. Reports shall be completed at such times, and in such form containing all information as the Executive Director or his/her designee may prescribe.
(d) The Executive Director, or his/her designee, shall have access during normal business hours to books, records, accounts and other sources of information and facilities as may be pertinent to ascertain compliance. Considerations of privacy or confidentiality asserted by an agency or person may not bar the Executive Director from evaluating such materials or seeking to enforce compliance. The Executive Director may seek a protective order authorizing the use of allegedly confidential materials on terms and conditions specified by the judge.
(e) Complaints should be resolved informally and expeditiously, by the interested persons or agencies. If compliance with the applicable standards is not achieved informally or an impasse concerning the allegations of compliance or noncompliance is reached, the Executive Director will review the matter, including previous attempts by agencies to resolve the complaint, and take actions including, but not limited to, surveying and investigating buildings, monitoring compliance programs of agencies, furnishing technical assistance, such as standard interpretation, to agencies, and obtaining assurances, certifications, and plans of action as may be necessary to ensure compliance.
(f) All actions to informally resolve complaints under paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section shall be completed within one hundred eighty
(1) Demonstrates to the Executive Director that no violation has occurred, or
(2) Corrects the violation, or
(3) Agrees in writing to implement specific compliance action within a definite time agreed to by the Executive Director, or
(4) Are timely implementing a plan for compliance agreed to by the Executive Director.
(g) A determination not to issue a citation shall be served in accordance with § 1150.23 on all interested agencies and persons upon whom a citation would have been served if it had been issued. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (i) of this section, the failure of the Executive Director to take action within the ten (10) day period after termination of the one hundred eighty (180) day informal resolution period shall not preclude the Executive Director from taking action thereafter.
(h) Nothing in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section shall be construed as precluding the Executive Director before the termination of the one hundred eighty (180) day informal resolution period from:
(1) Issuing a citation if it is reasonably clear that informal resolution cannot be achieved within that time, or
(2) Determining not to issue a citation if it is reasonably clear that compliance can be achieved or that issuance of a citation is not otherwise warranted.
(i) At any time after the expiration of one hundred ninety (190) days after receipt of the complaint by all affected agencies and persons, any person or agency receiving a copy of the complaint, or the complainant, may serve a written request on the Executive Director to issue a citation or determination not to proceed within thirty (30) days. If the Executive Director fails to serve a written response within thirty (30) days of receipt of such a request, the complaint shall be deemed closed.
(a) If there appears to be a failure or threatened failure to comply with a relevant standard, and the noncompliance or threatened noncompliance cannot be corrected or resolved by informal means under § 1150.41, the Executive Director on behalf of the A&TBCB may issue a written citation, requesting the ordering of relief necessary to ensure compliance with the standards or guidelines and requirements. The relief may include the suspension or withholding of funds and/or specific corrective action.
(b) The citation shall be served upon all interested parties, as appropriate, including but not limited to the complainant, the agency having custody, control, or use of the building or facility, and the agency funding by contract, grant, or loan, the allegedly noncomplying building or facility.
(c) The citation shall contain:
(1) A concise jurisdictional statement reciting the provisions of section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act and Architectural Barriers Act under which the requested action may be taken, (2) a short and plain basis for requesting the imposition of the sanctions, (3) a statement either that within fifteen (15) days a hearing date will be set or that the agency or affected parties may request a hearing within fifteen (15) days from service of the citation, and (4) a list of all pertinent documents necessary for the judge to make a decision on the alleged noncompliance, including but not limited to, contracts, invitations for bids, specifications, contract or grant drawings, and correspondence.
(d) The Executive Director shall file copies of all pertinent documents listed in the citation simultaneously with filing the citation.
(a) Answers shall be filed by respondents within fifteen (15) days after receipt of a citation.
(b) The answer shall admit or deny specifically and in detail, matters set forth in each allegation of the citation. If the respondent is without knowledge, the answer shall so state and such statement shall be deemed a denial. Matters not specifically denied shall be deemed admitted. Failure to file a timely answer shall constitute an admission of all facts recited in the citation.
(c) Answers shall contain a list of additional pertinent documents not listed in the citation when respondent reasonably believes these documents are necessary for the judge to make a decision. Copies of the listed documents shall be filed with the answer.
(d) Answers may also contain a request for a hearing under § 1150.45.
(a) The Executive Director may amend the citation as a matter of course before an answer is filed. A respondent may amend its answer once as a matter of course, but not later than five (5) days after the filing of the original answer. Other amendments of the citation or the answer shall be made only by leave of judge.
(b) An amended citation shall be answered within five (5) days of its service, or within the time for filing an answer to the original citation, whichever is longer.
When a citation does not state that a hearing will be scheduled, the respondent, either in a separate paragraph of the answer, or in a separate document, may request a hearing. Failure of a respondent to request a hearing within fifteen (15) days from service of the citation shall be deemed a waiver of the right to a hearing and shall constitute consent to the making of a decision on the basis of available information.
(a) Motions and petitions shall state the relief sought, the authority relied upon, and the facts alleged.
(b) If made before or after the hearing, these matters shall be in writing. If made at the hearing, they may be stated orally or the judge may require that they be reduced to writing and filed and served on all parties.
(c) Except as otherwise ordered by judge, responses to a written motion or petition shall be filed within ten (10) days after the motion or petition is served. An immediate oral response may be made to an oral motion. All oral arguments on motions will be at the discretion of the judge.
(d) A reply to a response may be filed within within five (5) days after the response is served. The reply shall address only the contents of the response.
The judge may not sustain or grant a written motion or petition prior to expiration of the time for filing responses, but may overrule or deny such motion or petition without awaiting response,
(a) Unless otherwise specified, other relevant sections shall apply to PER proceedings.
(b) In addition to all other forms of relief requested, the citation shall request PER when it appears to the Executive Director that immediate and irreparable harm from noncompliance with the standard is occurring or is about to occur. Citations requesting PER shall recite specific facts and include the affidavit or the notarized complaint upon which the PER request is based. Citations requesting PER shall recite that a hearing regarding PER has been scheduled to take place eight (8) days after receipt of the citation. Citations requesting PER may be filed without prejudice to proceedings in which PER is not requested and
(c) Answers to citations requesting PER shall be in the form of all answers, as set forth in § 1150.43, and must be filed within four (4) days after receipt of the citation. Answers shall recite in detail, by affidavit or by notarized answer, why the PER requested should not be granted.
(d) When a citation contains both a request for relief to ensure compliance with a standard and a request for PER, an answer to the PER request shall be filed in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section and an answer to a request for other relief shall be filed in accordance with § 1150.43.
(e) Citations and answers in PER proceedings may not be amended prior to hearing. Citations and answers in PER proceedings may be amended at the hearing with the permission of the judge.
(a) A judge assigned to the case under section 3105 or 3344 of title 5 U.S.C. (formerly section 11 of the Administrative Procedure Act), shall preside over the taking of evidence in any hearing to which these rules of procedure apply.
(b) The A&TBCB shall, in writing, promptly notify all parties and participants of the assignment of the judge. This notice may fix the time and place of hearing.
(c) Pending his/her assignment, the responsibilities, duties, and authorities of the judge under these regulations shall be executed by the A&TBCB, through the Chair or another member of the A&TBCB designated by the Chair. A Board member shall not serve in this capacity in any proceeding relating to the member, his/her Federal agency, or organization of which he/she is otherwise interested.
The judge shall have the duty to conduct a fair hearing, to take all necessary action to avoid delay, and maintain order. He/she shall have all powers necessary to effect these ends, including (but not limited to) the power to:
(a) Arrange and issue notice of the date, time, and place of hearings previously set.
(b) Hold conferences to settle, simplify, or fix the issues in proceedings, or to consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of the proceedings.
(c) Require parties and participants to state their position with respect to the various issues in the proceedings.
(d) Administer oaths and affirmations.
(e) Rule on motions, and other procedural items on matters pending before him/her.
(f) Regulate the course of the hearing and conduct of counsel.
(g) Examine witnesses and direct witnesses to testify.
(h) Receive, rule on, exclude or limit evidence.
(i) Fix time for filing motions, petitions, briefs, or other items in matters pending before him/her.
(j) Issue decisions.
(k) Take any action authorized by the rules in this part or the provisions of sections 551 through 559 of title 5 U.S.C. (the Administrative Procedure Act).
(a) A judge shall disqualify himself/herself whenever in his/her opinion it is improper for him/her to preside at the proceedings.
(b) At any time following appointment of the judge and before the filing of the decision, any party may request the judge to withdraw on grounds of personal bias or prejudice either against it or in favor of any adverse party, by promptly filing with him/her an affidavit setting forth in detail the alleged grounds for disqualification.
(c) If, in the opinion of the judge, the affidavit referred to in paragraph (b) of this section is filed with due diligence
(d) If the judge does not disqualify himself/herself, he/she shall so rule upon the record, stating the grounds for his/her ruling. Then, he/she shall proceed with the hearing, or, if the hearing has closed, he/she shall proceed with the issuance of the decision.
(a) At any time before a hearing, the judge on his/her own motion or on motion of a party, may direct the parties or their representative to exchange information or to participate in a prehearing conference for the purpose of considering matters which tend to simplify the issues or expedite the proceedings.
(b) The judge may issue a prehearing order which includes the agreements reached by the parties. Such order shall be served upon all parties and participants and shall be a part of the record.
(a) Proposed exhibits shall be exhanged at the prehearing conference, or otherwise prior to the hearing if the judge so requires. Proposed exhibits not so exchanged may be denied admission as evidence.
(b) The authenticity of all proposed exhibits will be deemed admitted unless written objection to them is filed prior to the hearing or unless good cause is shown at the hearing for failure to file such written objection.
(a) Parties are encouraged to engage in voluntary discovery procedures. For good cause shown under appropriate circumstances, but not as a matter of course, the judge may entertain motions for permission for discovery and issue orders including orders—(1) to submit testimony upon oral examination or written interrogatories before an officer authorized to administer oaths, (2) to permit service of written interrogatories upon the opposing party, (3) to produce and permit inspection of designated documents, and (4) to permit service upon the opposing parties of a request for the admission of specified facts.
(b) Motions for discovery shall be granted only to the extent and upon such terms as the judge in his/her discretion considers to be consistent with and essential to the objective of securing a just and inexpensive determination of the merits of the citation without unnecessary delay.
(c) In connection with any discovery procedure, the judge may make any order which justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression or undue burden or expense, including limitations on the scope, method, time and place for discovery, and provisions for protecting the secrecy of confidential information or documents. If any party fails to comply with a discovery order of the judge, without an excuse or explanation satisfactory to the judge, the judge may decide the fact or issue relating to the material requested to be produced, or the subject matter of the probable testimony, in accordance with claims of the other party in interest or in accordance with the other evidence available to the judge, or make such other ruling as he/she determines just and proper.
The judge may require parties and participants to file written statements of position before the hearing begins. The judge may also require the parties to submit trial briefs.
Hearings for the receipt of evidence will be held only in cases where issues of fact must be resolved. Where it appears from the citation, the answer, stipulations, or other documents in the record, that there are no matters of material fact in dispute, the judge may enter an order so finding, vacating the hearing date, if one has been set, and fixing the time for filing briefs.
(a) Formal rules of evidence shall not apply, but rules or principles designed to assure production of the most probative evidence available do apply. Testimony shall be given orally under oath or affirmation; but the judge, in his/her discretion, may require or permit the direct testimony of any witness to be prepared in writing and served on all parties in advance of the hearing. Such testimony may be adopted by the witness at the hearing and filed as part of the record.
(b) All witnesses shall be available for cross-examination and, at the discretion of the judge, may be cross-examined without regard to the scope of direct examination as to any matter which is relevant and material to the proceeding.
(c) When testimony is taken by deposition, an opportunity shall be given, with appropriate notice, for all parties to cross-examine the witness. Objections to any testimony or evidence presented shall be deemed waived unless raised at the time of the deposition.
(d) Witnesses appearing before the judge shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the courts of the United States. Witnesses whose depositions are taken and the persons taking the same shall be entitled to the same fees as are paid for like services in the courts of the United States. Witness fees and mileage shall be paid by the party requesting the witness to appear, and the person taking a deposition shall be paid by the party requesting the taking of the deposition.
The judge may exclude evidence which is immaterial, irrelevant, unreliable, or unduly repetitious.
Objections to evidence or testimony shall be timely and may briefly state the grounds.
Exceptions to rulings of the judge are unnecessary. It is sufficient that a party at the time the ruling of the judge is sought, makes known the action which he/she desires the judge to take, or his/her objection to an action taken, and his/her grounds for it.
Where official notice is taken or is to be taken of a material fact not appearing in the evidence of record, any party on timely request, shall be afforded an opportunity to question the propriety of taking notice or to rebut the fact noticed.
When a party or paticipant offers, in whole or in part, a public document, such as an official report, decision, opinion, or published scientific or economic statistical data issued by any of the executive departments, or their subdivisions, legislative agencies or committees or administrative agencies of the Federal government (including government-owned corporations), or a similar document issued by a State or local government or their agencies, and such document (or part thereof) has been shown by the offeror to be reasonably available to the public, such document need not be produced or marked for identification, but may be offered for official notice, as a public document by specifying the document or its relevant part.
An offer of proof made in connection with an objection taken to a ruling of the judge rejecting or excluding proffered oral testimony shall consist of a statement of the substance of the evidence which counsel contends would be adduced by such testimony. If the excluded evidence consists of evidence in documentary or written form or refers to documents or records, a copy of the evidence shall be marked for identification and shall accompany the record as the offer of proof.
An affidavit is not inadmissible as such. Unless the judge fixes other time periods, affidavits shall be filed and served on the parties not later than fifteen (15) days prior to the hearing. Not less than seven (7) days prior to hearing, a party may file and serve written objections to any affidavit on the
In cases in which the same or related facts are asserted to constitute noncompliance with standards or guidelines and requirements, the judge may order all related cases consolidated and may make other orders concerning the proceedings as will be consistent with the objective of securing a just and inexpensive determination of the case without unnecessary delay.
(a) In proceedings in which a citation, or part of one, seeking PER has been filed, the judge shall make necessary rulings with respect to time for filing of pleadings, the conduct of the hearing, and to all other matters. He/she shall do all other things necessary to complete the proceeding in the minimum time consistent with the objective of securing an expeditious, just and inexpensive determination of the case. The times for actions set forth in these rules shall be followed unless otherwise ordered by the judge.
(b) The judge shall determine the terms and conditions for orders of PER. These orders must be consistent with preserving the rights of all parties so as to permit the timely processing of the citation, or part of it, not requesting PER, as well as consistent with the provisions and objectives of the Architectural Barriers Act and section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act. In issuing an order for PER, the judge shall make the following specific findings of fact and conclusions of law—
(1) The Executive Director is likely to succeed on the merits of the proceedings;
(2) The threatened injury or violation outweighs the threatened harm to the respondent if PER is granted; and
(3) Granting PER is in the public interest.
(c) The judge may dismiss any citation or part of a citation seeking PER when the judge finds that the timely processing of a citation not requesting PER will adequately ensure the objectives of section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act and that immediate and irreparable harm caused by noncompliance with the standards or guidelines and requirements is not occurring or about to occur.
The transcript of testimony, exhibits and all papers, documents and requests filed in the proceeding, including briefs and proposed findings and conclusions, shall constitute the record for decision.
The official transcripts of testimony, and any exhibits, briefs, or memoranda of law filed with them, shall be filed with the judge. Transcripts of testimony in hearings may be obtained from the official reporter by the parties and the public at rates not to exceed the maximum rates fixed by the contract between the A&TBCB and the reporter. Upon notice to all parties, the judge may authorize corrections to the transcript as are necessary to reflect accurately the testimony.
The judge shall fix the terms, including time, for filing post-hearing statements of position or briefs, which may contain proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. The judge may fix a reasonable time for such filing, but this period shall not exceed thirty (30) days from the receipt by the parties of the transcript of the hearing.
(a) The judge shall issue a decision within thirty (30) days after the hearing ends or, when the parties submit posthearing briefs, within thirty (30) days after the filing of the briefs.
(b) The decision shall contain (1) all findings of fact and conclusions of law regarding all material issues of fact and law presented in the record, (2) the reasons for each finding of fact and conclusion of law, and (3) other provisions which effectuate the purposes of the Architectural Barriers Act and section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act. The decision may direct the parties to take specific action or may order the suspension or withholding of Federal funds.
(c) The decision shall be served on all parties and participants to the proceedings.
(a) No briefs or posthearing statements of position shall be required in proceedings seeking PER unless specifically ordered by the judge.
(b) In proceedings seeking PER the decision may be given orally at the close of the hearing and shall be made in writing within three (3) days after the hearing.
Any complainant or participant in a proceeding may obtain judicial review of a final order issued in a compliance proceeding.
The Executive Director, at the direction of the Board, shall bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court to enforce, in whole or in part, any final compliance order. No member of the A&TBCB shall participate in any decision of the A&TBCB concerning a proceeding relating to the member, his/her Federal agency, or organization to which he/she is a member or in which he/she is otherwise interested.
(a) No party, participant or other person having an interest in the case shall make or cause to be made an ex parte communication to the judge with respect to the case.
(b) A request for information directed to the judge which merely inquiries about the status of a proceeding without discussing issues or expressing points of view is not deemed an ex parte communication. Communications with respect to minor procedural matters or inquires or emergency requests for extensions of time are not deemed ex parte communications prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section. Where feasible, however, such communications should be by letter, with copies delivered to all parties. Ex parte communications between a party or participant and the Executive Director with respect to securing compliance are not prohibited.
(c) In the event an ex parte communication occurs, the judge shall issue orders and take action as fairness requires. A prohibited communication in writing received by the judge shall be made public by placing it in the correspondence file of the docket in the case and will not be considered as part of the record for decision. If the prohibited communication is received orally, a memorandum setting forth its substance shall be made and filed in the correspondence section of the docket in the case. A person referred to in this memorandum may file a comment for inclusion in the docket if he/she considers the memorandum to be incorrect.
(a) Any party adversely affected by the compliance order issued by a judge may make a motion to the judge to have such order vacated upon a showing that the building or facility complies with the order.
(b) Notice of motions and copies of all pleadings shall be served on all parties and participants to the original proceeding. Responses to the motion to vacate shall be filed within ten (10) days after receipt of the motion unless
(c) Oral arguments on the motion may be ordered by the judge. The judge shall fix the terms of the argument so that they are consistent with the objective of securing a prompt, just, and inexpensive determination of the motion.
(d) Within ten (10) days after receipt of all answers to the motion, the judge shall issue his/her decision in accordance with § 1150.102 (b) and (c).
(a) Amicable resolution is encouraged at any stage of proceedings where such resolution is consistent with the provisions and objectives of the Architectural Barriers Act and section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act.
(b) Agreements to amicably resolve pending proceedings shall be submitted by the parties and shall be accompanied by an appropriate proposed order.
(c) The Executive Director is authorized to resolve any proceeding on behalf of the A&TBCB unless otherwise specifically directed by the A&TBCB and afterwards may file appropriate stipulations or notice that the proceeding is discontinued.
If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of these regulations is declared invalid for any reason, the remaining portions of these regulations that are severable from the invalid part shall remain in full force and effect. If a part of these regulations is invalid in one or more of its applications, the part shall remain in effect in all valid applications that are severable from the invalid applications.
29 U.S.C. 792.
63 FR 1924, Jan. 13, 1998, unless otherwise noted.
The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board was established pursuant to section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The agency is also known and often referred to as the “Access Board” or simply the “Board.”
The Board shall have the authority and responsibilities as set forth in section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 792); section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12204); and section 225(e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 255(e)).
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(2) Proxies shall not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum.
(3) If a quorum is not present, a meeting shall be held only for the purpose of discussion and no vote may be taken.
(j)
(2) Except as otherwise prescribed in the bylaws in this part, a majority vote of the members present and any proxies is necessary for action by the Board.
(3) The presiding officer shall have the same right to vote as any other member.
(4) Any member may give his or her directed or undirected proxy to any other Board member, present at the meeting. Proxies shall be given in writing and submitted to the Chair prior to or at the meeting. A directed proxy shall be voided as to a specific issue if the question on which the vote is eventually taken differs from the question to which the proxy is directed.
(5) The Board may act on items of business between meetings by notational voting. At the request of the Chair, the Executive Director shall send a written ballot to each Board member describing each item submitted for notational voting. If any Board member requests discussion on an item, the ballots shall not be counted and the Chair shall place the item on the next Board meeting agenda for discussion and voting.
(k)
(a)
(i) To review and consider recommendations and proposals from the various subject matter committees;
(ii) To review and make recommendations to the Board to amend or approve the Board's bylaws; and
(iii) To request and review all committee charters.
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(ii) On matters subject to Board review, liaisons are permitted to vote in the absence of their Federal member. A majority vote of the members (or liaisons) present at the meeting and any directed or undirected proxies is necessary for action by the committee.
(iii) On matters of final action, not subject to Board review, a majority vote of the membership of the committee, present at the meeting or by directed proxy, is necessary for action by the committee. In the absence of their Federal member, liaisons are permitted to cast a directed proxy only.
(b)
(2) (
(3)
(4)
(5)
(c)
(d)
(e)
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(g)
In order to amend the bylaws in this part, a vote of two-thirds of the membership of the Board (as fixed by statute) at the time the vote is taken shall
29 U.S.C. 794.
52 FR 16380, May 5, 1987, unless otherwise noted.
The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 119 of the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Service, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United States Postal Service.
This part applies to all programs or activities conducted by the agency.
For purposes of this part, the term—
As used in this definition, the phrase:
(1)
(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
(ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. The term
(2)
(3)
(4)
(i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but is treated by the agency as constituting such a limitation;
(ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such impairment; or
(iii) Has none of the impairments defined in subparagraph (1) of this definition but is treated by the agency as having such an impairment.
(1) With respect to any agency program or activity under which a person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of accomplishment, a handicapped person who meets the essential eligibility requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program or activity without modifications in the program or activity that the agency can demonstrate would result in a fundamantal alteration in its nature; and
(2) With respect to any other program or activity, a handicapped person who meets the essential eligibility requirements for participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity.
(3) Qualified Handicapped Person is defined for purposes of employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f) which is made applicable to this part by § 1154.140.
(a) By July 6, 1988, the agency shall evaluate its current policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not meet the requirements of this part, and, to the extent modification of any such policies and practices is required, the agency shall proceed to make the necessary modifications.
(b) The agency shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, to participate in the self-evaluation process by submitting comments (both oral and written).
(c) The agency shall, for all least three years following completion of the evaluation required under paragraph (a) of this section, maintain on file and make available for public inspection—
(1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; and
(2) A description of any modifications made.
The agency shall make available to employees, applicants, participants,
(a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by the agency.
(b)(1) The agency, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, on the basis of handicap—
(i) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
(ii) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not equal to that afforded others;
(iii) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others;
(iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or servcies to handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons than is provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide qualified handicapped persons with aid, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;
(v) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
(vi) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
(2) The agency may not deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate in programs or activities that are not separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate of different programs or activities.
(3) The agency may not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose or effect of which would—
(i) Subject qualified handicapped persons to discrimination on the basis of handicap; or
(ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
(4) The agency may not, in determining the site or location of a facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would—
(i) Exclude handicapped persons from, deny them the benefits of, or otherwise subject them to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by the agency; or
(ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the objectives of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
(5) The agency, in the selection of procurement contractors, may not use criteria that subject qualified handicapped persons to discrimination on the basis of handicap.
(c) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from the benefits of a program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to handicapped persons or the exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from a program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to a different class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this part.
(d) The agency shall administer programs and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped persons.
No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or activity conducted by the agency. The definitions, requirements, and procedures of section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791), as established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR part 1613, shall apply to employment in federally-conducted programs or activities.
Except as otherwise provided in § 1154.150, no qualified handicapped person shall, because the agency's facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by the agency.
(a)
(1) Necessarily require the agency to make each of its existing facilities accessible to and usable by handicapped persons; or
(2) Require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those circumstances where agency personnel believe that the proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency has the burden of proving that compliance with § 1154.150(a) would result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or his/her designee after considering all agency resources available for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that handicapped persons receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.
(b)
(c)
(d)
(1) Identify physical obstacles in the agency's facilities that limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to handicapped persons;
(2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the facilities accessible;
(3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during each year of the transition period; and
(4) Indicate the official responsible for implementatin of the plan.
Each building or part of a building that is constructed or altered by, on behalf of, or for the use of the agency shall be designed, constructed, or altered so as to be readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. The definitions, requirements and standards of the Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), as established in 41 CFR 101-19.600 to 101-19.607, apply to buildings covered by this section.
(a) The agency shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal entities, and members of the public.
(1) The agency shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where necessary to afford a handicapped person an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, the program or activity conducted by the agency.
(i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the agency shall give primary consideration to the requests of the handicapped person.
(ii) The agency need not provide individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal nature.
(2) Where the agency communicates with applicants, beneficiaries, and members of the public by telephone, telecommunications devices for deaf persons (TDD's) or equally effective telecommunication systems shall be used.
(b) The agency shall ensure that interested person, including persons with impaired vision, speech or hearing, can obtain information as to the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and facilities.
(c) The agency shall provide signage at a primary entrance to each of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary entrance of an accessible facility.
(d) This section does not require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or activities conducted by the agency.
(b) The agency shall process complaints alleging violations of section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791).
(c) Responsiblity for implementation and operation of this section shall be vested in the Equal Employment Opportunity Director.
(d) Complaints may be delivered or mailed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Director, ATBCB, 330 C Street, SW., Rm. 1010, Washington, DC 20202.
(e) The agency shall accept and investigate all complete complaints over which it has jurisdiction. All complete complaints must be filed within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The agency may extend this time period for good cause.
(f) If the Equal Employment Opportunity Director receives a complaint that is not complete, he or she shall notify the complainant, within 30 days of receipt of the incomplete complaint, that additional information is needed. If the complainant fails to complete the complaint within 30 days of receipt of this notice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Director shall dismiss the complaint without prejudice, and shall notify the complainant of such dismissal.
(g) If the agency receives a complaint over which it does not have jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate government entity.
(h) The agency shall notify the Director of the Compliance and Enforcement Division of any complaint alleging that a building or facility is not readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. The Director of the Compliance and Enforcement Division shall determine whether or not the building or facility is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), or section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 792).
(i) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint over which it has jurisdiction, the agency shall notify the complainant of the results of the investigation in a letter containing—
(1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
(2) A description of a remedy for each violation found; and
(3) A notice of the right to appeal.
(j) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or remedies must be filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from the agency of the letter required by § 1154.170(g). The agency may extend this time for good cause.
(k) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the head of the agency.
(l) The head of the agency shall notify the complainant of the results of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the request. If the head of the agency determines that additional information is needed from the complainant, he/she shall have 60 days from the date of receipt of the additional information to make his/her determination on the appeal.
(m) The time limits cited in paragraphs (i) and (l) of this section may be extended with the permission of the Assistant Attorney General.
(n) The agency may delegate its authority for conducting complaint investigations to other Federal agencies, except that the authority for making the final determination may not be delegated to another agency.
29 U.S.C. 792(b)(3); 42 U.S.C. 12204.
69 FR 44151, July 23, 2004, unless otherwise noted.
(a) The accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act are set forth in Appendices B and D to this part. The guidelines serve as the basis for accessibility standards adopted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
1. The Department of Transportation has adopted by reference Appendices B and D to this part with modifications as the regulatory standards for the construction and alteration of transportation facilities subject to its regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, effective November 29, 2006. 49 CFR 37.9 and Appendix A to 49 CFR part 37, as amended at 71 FR 63263, October 30, 2006; and corrected at 72 FR 11089, March 12, 2007. The Department of Transportation has modified section 206.3 in Appendix B to this part; and sections 406, 810.2.2, and 810.5.3 in Appendix D to this part. The modified sections adopted by the Department of Transportation are reprinted in Appendix F to this part. Entities that are required to comply with the Department of Transportation's regulatory standards, must comply with the modified sections adopted by the Department of Transportation that are reprinted in Appendix F to this part.
(b) The accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities covered by the Architectural Barriers Act are set forth in Appendices C and D to this part. The guidelines serve as the basis for accessibility standards adopted by the General Services Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the United States Postal Service under the Architectural Barriers Act.
1. The General Services Administration has adopted by reference Appendices C and D to this part as the regulatory standards for buildings and facilities subject to its regulations under the Architectural Barriers Act. 41 CFR 102-76.65, as added at 70 FR 67786, November 8, 2005; amended at 71 FR 52498, September 6, 2006; and further amended at 72 FR 5942, February 8, 2007. The General Services Administration refers to its regulatory standards as the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard (ABAAS). ABAAS applies to the construction and alteration of facilities commenced after May 8, 2006; to leases awarded for lease construction buildings on or after June 30, 2006; and to all other leases awarded pursuant to solicitations issued after February 6, 2007. Section 3.5 of the Facilities Standards for the Public Building Service PBS—P100 (March 2005) [available on the Internet at:
2. The United States Postal Service has adopted by reference Appendices C and D to this part, with the exception of the advisory notes, as the regulatory standards for its postal facilities subject to the Architectural Barriers Act, effective October 1, 2005. 39 CFR 254.1, as added at 70 FR 28213, May 17, 2005.
The Department of Transportation has adopted by reference Appendices B and D to this part with modifications as the regulatory standards for the construction and alteration of transportation facilities subject to its regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, effective November 29, 2006. 49 CFR 37.9 and Appendix A to 49 CFR part
42 U.S.C. 12204.
56 FR 45558, Sept. 6, 1991, unless otherwise noted.
This part provides minimum guidelines and requirements for accessibility standards to be issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37 for transportation vehicles required to be accessible by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101
Departures from particular technical and scoping requirements of these guidelines by use of other designs and technologies are permitted where the alternative designs and technologies used will provide substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the vehicle. Departures are to be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Transportation under the procedure set forth in 49 CFR 37.7.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(a) New, used or remanufactured buses and vans (except over-the-road buses covered by subpart G of this part), to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with the applicable provisions of this subpart.
(b) If portions of the vehicle are modified in a way that affects or could affect accessibility, each such portion shall comply, to the extent practicable, with the applicable provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible buses be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices.
(a)
(b)
(2)
(ii)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(c)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(d)
(2)
(3)
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(7)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(a) Each vehicle shall contain sign(s) which indicate that seats in the front of the vehicle are priority seats for persons with disabilities, and that other passengers should make such seats available to those who wish to use them. At least one set of forward-facing seats shall be so designated.
(b) Each securement location shall have a sign designating it as such.
(c) Characters on signs required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum character height (using an upper case “X”) of
(a) Interior handrails and stanchions shall permit sufficient turning and maneuvering space for wheelchairs and other mobility aids to reach a securement location from the lift or ramp.
(b) Handrails and stanchions shall be provided in the entrance to the vehicle in a configuration which allows persons with disabilities to grasp such assists from outside the vehicle while starting to board, and to continue using such assists throughout the boarding and fare collection process. Handrails shall have a cross-sectional diameter between 1
(c) For vehicles in excess of 22 feet in length, overhead handrail(s) shall be provided which shall be continuous except for a gap at the rear doorway.
(d) Handrails and stanchions shall be sufficient to permit safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standing assistance, and alighting by persons with disabilities.
(e) For vehicles in excess of 22 feet in length with front-door lifts or ramps, vertical stanchions immediately behind the driver shall either terminate at the lower edge of the aisle-facing seats, if applicable, or be “dog-legged” so that the floor attachment does not impede or interfere with wheelchair footrests. If the driver seat platform must be passed by a wheelchair or mobility aid user entering the vehicle, the platform, to the maximum extent practicable, shall not extend into the aisle or vestibule beyond the wheel housing.
(f) For vehicles in excess of 22 feet in length, the minimum interior height along the path from the lift to the securement location shall be 68 inches. For vehicles of 22 feet in length or less, the minimum interior height from lift to securement location shall be 56 inches.
(a) Any stepwell or doorway immediately adjacent to the driver shall have, when the door is open, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured on the step tread or lift platform.
(b) Other stepwells and doorways, including doorways in which lifts or ramps are installed, shall have, at all times, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured on the step tread, or lift or ramp, when deployed at the vehicle floor level.
(c) The vehicle doorways, including doorways in which lifts or ramps are installed, shall have outside light(s)
Where provided, the farebox shall be located as far forward as practicable and shall not obstruct traffic in the vestibule, especially wheelchairs or mobility aids.
(a) Vehicles in excess of 22 feet in length, used in multiple-stop, fixed-route service, shall be equipped with a public address system permitting the driver, or recorded or digitized human speech messages, to announce stops and provide other passenger information within the vehicle.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) Where passengers may board or alight at multiple stops at their option, vehicles in excess of 22 feet in length shall provide controls adjacent to the securement location for requesting stops and which alerts the driver that a mobility aid user wishes to disembark. Such a system shall provide auditory and visual indications that the request has been made.
(b) Controls required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be mounted no higher than 48 inches and no lower than 15 inches above the floor, shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate controls shall be no greater than 5 lbf (22.2 N).
(a) Where destination or route information is displayed on the exterior of a vehicle, each vehicle shall have illuminated signs on the front and boarding side of the vehicle.
(b) Characters on signs required by paragraph (a) of this section shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum character height (using an upper case “X”) of 1 inch for signs on the boarding side and a minimum character height of 2 inches for front “headsigns”, with “wide” spacing (generally, the space between letters shall be
(a) New, used and remanufactured rapid rail vehicles, to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with this subpart.
(b) If portions of the vehicle are modified in a way that affects or could affect accessibility, each such portion shall comply, to the extent practicable, with the applicable provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices.
(c) Existing vehicles which are retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” of 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with §§ 1192.55, 1192.57(b), 1192.59 and shall have, in new and key stations, at least one door complying with § 1192.53(a)(1), (b) and (d). Removal of seats is not required. Vehicles previously designed and manufactured in accordance with the accessibility requirements of 49 CFR part 609 or Department of Transportation regulations implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that were in effect before October 7, 1991, and which can be entered and used from stations in which they are to be operated, may be used to satisfy the requirements of 49 CFR 37.93.
(a)
(2) If doorways connecting adjoining cars in a multi-car train are provided,
(b)
(c)
(d)
(2)
(3)
(a) Each vehicle shall contain sign(s) which indicate that certain seats are priority seats for persons with disabilities, and that other passengers should make such seats available to those who wish to use them.
(b) Characters on signs required by paragraph (a) of this section shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum character height (using an upper case “X”) of
(a) Handrails and stanchions shall be provided to assist safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standing assistance, and alighting by persons with disabilities.
(b) Handrails, stanchions, and seats shall allow a route at least 32 inches wide so that at least two wheelchair or mobility aid users can enter the vehicle and position the wheelchairs or mobility aids in areas, each having a minimum clear space of 48 inches by 30 inches, which do not unduly restrict movement of other passengers. Space to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility aids may be provided within the normal area used by standees and designation of specific spaces is not required. Particular attention shall be given to ensuring maximum maneuverability immediately inside doors. Ample vertical stanchions from ceiling to seat-back rails shall be provided. Vertical stanchions from ceiling to floor shall not interfere with wheelchair or mobility aid user circulation and shall be kept to a minimum in the vicinity of doors.
(c) The diameter or width of the gripping surface of handrails and stanchions shall be 1
Floor surfaces on aisles, places for standees, and areas where wheelchair and mobility aid users are to be accommodated shall be slip-resistant.
(a)(1)
(2)
(b) [Reserved]
(a)
(b)
(a) New, used and remanufactured light rail vehicles, to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with this subpart.
(b)(1) Vehicles intended to be operated solely in light rail systems confined entirely to a dedicated right-of-way, and for which all stations or stops are designed and constructed for revenue service after the effective date of standards for design and construction issued pursuant to subpart C of 49 CFR part 37, shall provide level boarding and shall comply with §§ 1192.73(d)(1) and 1192.85.
(2) Vehicles designed for, and operated on, pedestrian malls, city streets, or other areas where level boarding is not practicable shall provide wayside or car-borne lifts, mini-high platforms, or other means of access in compliance with § 1192.83 (b) or (c).
(c) If portions of the vehicle are modified in a way that affects or could affect accessibility, each such portion shall comply, to the extent practicable, with the applicable provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices.
(d) Existing vehicles retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” at 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with §§ 1192.75, 1192.77(c), 1192.79(a) and 1192.83(a) and shall have, in new and key stations, at least one door which complies with § 1192.73 (a)(1), (b) and (d). Vehicles previously designed and manufactured in accordance with the accessibility requirements of 49 CFR part 609 or Department of Transportation regulations implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that were in effect before October 7, 1991, and which can be entered and used from stations in which they are to be operated, may be used to satisfy the requirements of 49 CFR 37.93.
(a)
(2) If doorways connecting adjoining cars in a multi-car train are provided, and if such doorway is connected by an aisle with a minimum clear width of 30 inches to one or more spaces where wheelchair or mobility aid users can be accommodated, then such doorway shall have a minimum clear opening of 30 inches to permit wheelchair and mobility aid users to be evacuated to an adjoining vehicle in an emergency.
(b)
(c)
(d)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(a) Each vehicle shall contain sign(s) which indicate that certain seats are priority seats for persons with disabilities, and that other passengers should make such seats available to those who wish to use them.
(b) Where designated wheelchair or mobility aid seating locations are provided, signs shall indicate the location and advise other passengers of the need to permit wheelchair and mobility aid users to occupy them.
(c) Characters on signs required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum character height (using an upper case “X”) of
(a) Handrails and stanchions shall be sufficient to permit safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standing assistance, and alighting by persons with disabilities.
(b) At entrances equipped with steps, handrails and stanchions shall be provided in the entrance to the vehicle in a configuration which allows passengers to grasp such assists from outside the vehicle while starting to board, and to continue using such handrails or stanchions throughout the boarding process. Handrails shall have a cross-sectional diameter between 1
(c) At all doors on level-entry vehicles, and at each entrance accessible by lift, ramp, bridge plate or other suitable means, handrails, stanchions, passenger seats, vehicle driver seat platforms, and fare boxes, if applicable, shall be located so as to allow a route at least 32 inches wide so that at least
(a) Floor surfaces on aisles, step treads, places for standees, and areas where wheelchair and mobility aid users are to be accommodated shall be slip-resistant.
(b) All thresholds and step edges shall have a band of color(s) running the full width of the step or threshold which contrasts from the step tread and riser or adjacent floor, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.
(a) Any stepwell or doorway with a lift, ramp or bridge plate immediately adjacent to the driver shall have, when the door is open, at least 2 footcandles of illumination measured on the step tread or lift platform.
(b) Other stepwells, and doorways with lifts, ramps or bridge plates, shall have, at all times, at least 2 footcandles of illumination measured on the step tread or lift or ramp, when deployed at the vehicle floor level.
(c) The doorways of vehicles not operating at lighted station platforms shall have outside lights which provide at least 1 footcandle of illumination on the station platform or street surface for a distance of 3 feet perpendicular to all points on the bottom step tread. Such lights shall be located below window level and shielded to protect the eyes of entering and exiting passengers.
(a)(1)
(2)
(b)
(2)
(ii)
(iii)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(c)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(ii)
(7)
(8)
Where vehicles operate in a high-platform, level-boarding mode, devices or systems shall be provided to prevent, deter or warn individuals from inadvertently stepping off the platform between cars. Appropriate devices include, but are not limited to, pantograph gates, chains, motion detectors or other suitable devices.
(a) Each vehicle shall be equipped with an interior public address system permitting transportation system personnel, or recorded or digitized human speech messages, to announce stations and provide other passenger information. Alternative systems or devices which provide equivalent access are also permitted.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) New, used and remanufactured commuter rail cars, to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with this subpart.
(b) If portions of the car are modified in such a way that it affects or could affect accessibility, each such portion shall comply, to the extent practicable, with the applicable provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices.
(c)(1) Commuter rail cars shall comply with §§ 1192.93(d) and 1192.109 for level boarding wherever structurally and operationally practicable.
(2) Where level boarding is not structurally or operationally practicable, commuter rail cars shall comply with § 1192.95.
(d) Existing vehicles retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” at 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with §§ 1192.93(e), 1192.95(a) and 1192.107 and
(a)
(2) If doorways connecting adjoining cars in a multi-car train are provided, and if such doorway is connected by an aisle with a minimum clear width of 30 inches to one or more spaces where wheelchair or mobility aid users can be accommodated, then such doorway shall have, to the maximum extent practicable in accordance with the regulations issued under the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 (49 CFR parts 229 and 231), a clear opening of 30 inches.
(b)
(c)
(d)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(e)
(a)(1)
(2)
(b)
(2)
(ii)
(iii)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(c)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(ii)
(7)
(8)
(d)
(a) Where provided, handrails or stanchions within the passenger compartment shall be placed to permit sufficient turning and maneuvering space for wheelchairs and other mobility aids to reach a seating location, complying with § 1192.95(d), from an accessible entrance. The diameter or width of the gripping surface of interior handrails and stanchions shall be 1
(b) Where provided, handrails or stanchions shall be sufficient to permit safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standing assistance, and alighting by persons with disabilities.
(c) At entrances equipped with steps, handrails or stanchions shall be provided in the entrance to the car in a configuration which allows passengers to grasp such assists from outside the car while starting to board, and to continue using such assists throughout the boarding process, to the extent permitted by 49 CFR part 231.
(a) Floor surfaces on aisles, step treads, places for standees, and areas where wheelchair and mobility aid users are to be accommodated shall be slip-resistant.
(b) All thresholds and step edges shall have a band of color(s) running the full width of the step or threshold which contrasts from the step tread and riser or adjacent floor, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.
(a) Any stepwell or doorway with a lift, ramp or bridge plate shall have, when the door is open, at least 2 footcandles of illumination measured on the step tread, ramp, bridge plate, or lift platform.
(b) The doorways of cars not operating at lighted station platforms shall have outside lights which, when the door is open, provide at least 1 footcandle of illumination on the station platform surface for a distance of 3 feet perpendicular to all points on the bottom step tread edge. Such lights shall be shielded to protect the eyes of entering and exiting passengers.
(a) Each car shall be equipped with an interior public address system permitting transportation system personnel, or recorded or digitized human speech messages, to announce stations and provide other passenger information. Alternative systems or devices which provide equivalent access are also permitted.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) Each car shall contain sign(s) which indicate that certain seats are priority seats for persons with disabilities and that other passengers should make such seats available to those who wish to use them.
(b) Characters on signs required by paragraph (a) shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum character height (using an upper case “X”) of
(a) If a restroom is provided for the general public, it shall be designed so as to allow a person using a wheelchair or mobility aid to enter and use such restroom as specified in paragraphs (a) (1) through (5) of this section.
(1) The minimum clear floor area shall be 35 inches by 60 inches. Permanently installed fixtures may overlap this area a maximum of 6 inches, if the lowest portion of the fixture is a minimum of 9 inches above the floor, and may overlap a maximum of 19 inches, if the lowest portion of the fixture is a minimum of 29 inches above the floor, provided such fixtures do not interfere with access to the water closet. Fold-down or retractable seats or shelves may overlap the clear floor space at a lower height provided they can be easily folded up or moved out of the way.
(2) The height of the water closet shall be 17 inches to 19 inches measured
(3) A grab bar at least 24 inches long shall be mounted behind the water closet, and a horizontal grab bar at least 40 inches long shall be mounted on at least one side wall, with one end not more than 12 inches from the back wall, at a height between 33 inches and 36 inches above the floor.
(4) Faucets and flush controls shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate controls shall be no greater than 5 lbf (22.2 N). Controls for flush valves shall be mounted no more than 44 inches above the floor.
(5) Doorways on the end of the enclosure, opposite the water closet, shall have a minimum clear opening width of 32 inches. Doorways on the side wall shall have a minimum clear opening width of 39 inches. Door latches and hardware shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.
(b) Restrooms required to be accessible shall be in close proximity to at least one seating location for persons using mobility aids and shall be connected to such a space by an unobstructed path having a minimum width of 32 inches.
Where vehicles operate in a high-platform, level-boarding mode, and where between-car bellows are not provided, devices or systems shall be provided to prevent, deter or warn individuals from inadvertently stepping off the platform between cars. Appropriate devices include, but are not limited to, pantograph gates, chains, motion detectors or other suitable devices.
(a) New, used and remanufactured intercity rail cars, to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with this subpart to the extent required for each type of car as specified below.
(1) Single-level rail passenger coaches and food service cars (other than single-level dining cars) shall comply with §§ 1192.113 through 1192.123. Compliance with § 1192.125 shall be required only to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.
(2) Single-level dining and lounge cars shall have at least one connecting doorway complying with § 1192.113(a)(2), connected to a car accessible to persons using wheelchairs or mobility aids, and at least one space complying with § 1192.125(d) (2) and (3), to provide table service to a person who wishes to remain in his or her wheelchair, and space to fold and store a wheelchair for a person who wishes to transfer to an existing seat.
(3) Bi-level dining cars shall comply with §§ 1192.113(a)(2), 1192.115(b), 1192.117(a), and 1192.121.
(4) Bi-level lounge cars shall have doors on the lower level, on each side of the car from which passengers board, complying with § 1192.113, a restroom complying with § 1192.123, and at least one space complying with § 1192.125(d) (2) and (3) to provide table service to a person who wishes to remain in his or her wheelchair and space to fold and store a wheelchair for a person who wishes to transfer to an existing seat.
(5) Restrooms complying with § 1192.123 shall be provided in single-level rail passenger coaches and food service cars adjacent to the accessible seating locations required by paragraph (d) of this section. Accessible restrooms are required in dining and lounge cars only if restrooms are provided for other passengers.
(6) Sleeper cars shall comply with §§ 1192.113 (b) through (d), 1192.115 through 1192.121, and 1192.125, and have at least one compartment which can be entered and used by a person using a wheelchair or mobility aid and complying with § 1192.127.
(b)(1) If physically and operationally practicable, intercity rail cars shall comply with § 1192.113(d) for level boarding.
(2) Where level boarding is not structurally or operationally practicable, intercity rail cars shall comply with § 1192.125.
(c) If portions of the car are modified in a way that affects or could affect accessibility, each such portion shall comply, to the extent practicable, with the applicable provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices.
(d) Passenger coaches or food service cars shall have the number of spaces complying with § 1192.125(d)(2) and the number of spaces complying with § 1192.125(d)(3), as required by 49 CFR 37.91.
(e) Existing cars retrofitted to meet the seating requirements of 49 CFR 37.91 shall comply with §§ 1192.113(e), 1192.123, 1192.125(d) and shall have at least one door on each side from which passengers board complying with § 1192.113(d). Existing cars designed and manufactured to be accessible in accordance with Department of Transportation regulations implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that were in effect before October 7, 1991, shall comply with § 1192.125(a).
(a)
(2) Doorways at ends of cars connecting two adjacent cars, to the maximum extent practicable in accordance with regulations issued under the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 (49 CFR parts 229 and 231), shall have a clear opening width of 32 inches to permit wheelchair and mobility aid users to enter into a single-level dining car, if available.
(b)
(c)
(d)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(e)
(a) Where provided, handrails or stanchions within the passenger compartment shall be placed to permit sufficient turning and maneuvering space
(b) Where provided, handrails and stanchions shall be sufficient to permit safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standing assistance, and alighting by persons with disabilities.
(c) At entrances equipped with steps, handrails or stanchions shall be provided in the entrance to the car in a configuration which allows passengers to grasp such assists from outside the car while starting to board, and to continue using such assists throughout the boarding process, to the extent permitted by 49 CFR part 231.
(a) Floor surfaces on aisles, step treads and areas where wheelchair and mobility aid users are to be accommodated shall be slip-resistant.
(b) All step edges and thresholds shall have a band of color(s) running the full width of the step or threshold which contrasts from the step tread and riser or adjacent floor, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.
(a) Any stepwell, or doorway with a lift, ramp or bridge plate, shall have, when the door is open, at least 2 footcandles of illumination measured on the step tread, ramp, bridge plate or lift platform.
(b) The doorways of cars not operating at lighted station platforms shall have outside lights which, when the door is open, provide at least 1 footcandle of illumination on the station platform surface for a distance of 3 feet perpendicular to all points on the bottom step tread edge. Such lights shall be shielded to protect the eyes of entering and exiting passengers.
(a) Each car shall be equipped with a public address system permitting transportation system personnel, or recorded or digitized human speech messages, to announce stations and provide other passenger information. Alternative systems or devices which provide equivalent access are also permitted.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) If a restroom is provided for the general public, and an accessible restroom is required by § 1192.111 (a) and (e), it shall be designed so as to allow a person using a wheelchair or mobility aid to enter and use such restroom as specified in paragraphs (a) (1) through (5) of this section.
(1) The minimum clear floor area shall be 35 inches by 60 inches. Permanently installed fixtures may overlap this area a maximum of 6 inches, if the lowest portion of the fixture is a minimum of 9 inches above the floor, and may overlap a maximum of 19 inches, if the lowest portion of the fixture is a minimum of 29 inches above the floor. Fixtures shall not interfere with access to and use of the water closet. Fold-down or retractable seats or shelves may overlap the clear floor space at a lower height provided they can be easily folded up or moved out of the way.
(2) The height of the water closet shall be 17 inches to 19 inches measured to the top of the toilet seat. Seats shall not be sprung to return to a lifted position.
(3) A grab bar at least 24 inches long shall be mounted behind the water closet, and a horizontal grab bar at least 40 inches long shall be mounted on at least one side wall, with one end not more than 12 inches from the back wall, at a height between 33 inches and 36 inches above the floor.
(4) Faucets and flush controls shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate controls shall be no greater than 5 lbf (22.2 N). Controls for flush valves shall be mounted no more than 44 inches above the floor.
(5) Doorways on the end of the enclosure, opposite the water closet, shall have a minimum clear opening width of 32 inches. Doorways on the side wall shall have a minimum clear opening
(b) Restrooms required to be accessible shall be in close proximity to at least one seating location for persons using mobility aids complying with § 1192.125(d) and shall be connected to such a space by an unobstructed path having a minimum width of 32 inches.
(a)(1)
(2)
(b)
(2)
(ii)
(iii)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(c)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(ii)
(7)
(8)
(d)
(2)
(3)
(a) Sleeping compartments required to be accessible shall be designed so as to allow a person using a wheelchair or mobility aid to enter, maneuver within and approach and use each element within such compartment. (See Fig. 5.)
(b) Each accessible compartment shall contain a restroom complying with § 1192.123(a) which can be entered directly from such compartment.
(c) Controls and operating mechanisms (e.g., heating and air conditioning controls, lighting controls, call buttons, electrical outlets, etc.) shall be mounted no more than 48 inches, and no less than 15 inches, above the floor and shall have a clear floor area directly in front a minimum of 30 inches by 48 inches. Controls and operating mechanisms shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.
(a) New, used and remanufactured over-the-road buses, to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with this subpart.
(b) Over-the-road buses covered by 49 CFR 37.7(c) shall comply with § 1192.23 and this subpart.
(a) Floor surfaces on aisles, step treads and areas where wheelchair and mobility aid users are to be accommodated shall be slip-resistant.
(b) All step edges shall have a band of color(s) running the full width of the step which contrasts from the step tread and riser, either dark-on-light or light-on-dark.
(c)(1) Doors shall have a minimum clear width when open of 30 inches (760 mm), measured from the lowest step to a height of at least 48 inches (1220 mm), from which point they may taper to a minimum width of 18 inches (457 mm). The clear width may be reduced by a maximum of 4 inches (100 mm) by protrusions of hinges or other operating mechanisms.
(2)
(d) The overhead clearance between the top of the lift door opening and the sill shall be the maximum practicable but not less than 65 inches (1651 mm).
(a) Handrails and stanchions shall be provided in the entrance to the vehicle in a configuration which allows passengers to grasp such assists from outside the vehicle while starting to board, and to continue using such handrails or stanchions throughout the boarding process. Handrails shall have a cross-sectional diameter between 1
(b) Where provided within passenger compartments, handrails or stanchions shall be sufficient to permit safe on-board circulation, seating and standing assistance, and alighting by persons with disabilities.
(a) Any stepwell or doorway immediately adjacent to the driver shall have, when the door is open, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured on the step tread.
(b) The vehicle doorway shall have outside light(s) which, when the door is open, provide at least 1 foot-candle of illumination on the pathway to the door for a distance of 3 feet (915 mm) to the bottom step tread or lift outer edge. Such light(s) shall be shielded to protect the eyes of entering and exiting passengers.
(a)(1)
(2)
(b)
(2)
(ii)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(c)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(d)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
A minimum of 50% of aisle seats, including all moveable or removable seats at wheelchair or mobility aide securement locations, shall have an armrest on the aisle side which can be
(a) New, used and remanufactured vehicles and conveyances for systems not covered by other subparts of this part, to be considered accessible by regulations issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37, shall comply with this subpart.
(b) If portions of the vehicle or conveyance are modified in a way that affects or could affect accessibility, each such portion shall comply, to the extent practicable, with the applicable provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices.
(c) Requirements for vehicles and systems not covered by this part shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Transportation in consultation with the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board).
(a) Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) vehicles and systems, sometimes called “people movers”, operated in airports and other areas where AGT vehicles travel at slow speed, shall comply with the provisions of §§ 1192.53 (a) through (c), and 1192.55 through 1192.61 for rapid rail vehicles and systems.
(b) Where the vehicle covered by paragraph (a) of this section will operate in an accessible station, the design of vehicles shall be coordinated with the boarding platform design such that the horizontal gap between a vehicle door at rest and the platform shall be no greater than 1 inch and the height of the vehicle floor shall be within plus or minus
(c) In stations where open platforms are not protected by platform screens, a suitable device or system shall be provided to prevent, deter or warn individuals from stepping off the platform between cars. Acceptable devices include, but are not limited to, pantograph gates, chains, motion detectors or other appropriate devices.
(d) Light rail and rapid rail AGT vehicles and systems shall comply with subparts D and C of this part, respectively.
(a) All cars for high-speed rail systems, including but not limited to those using “maglev” or high speed steel-wheel-on-steel-rail technology, and monorail systems operating primarily on dedicated rail (i.e., not used by freight trains) or guideway, in which stations are constructed in accordance with subpart C of 49 CFR part 37, shall be designed for high-platform, level boarding and shall comply with § 1192.111(a) for each type of car which is similar to intercity rail, §§ 1192.111(d), 1192.113 (a) through (c) and (e), 1192.115 (a) and (b), 1192.117 (a) and (b), 1192.121 through 1192.123, 1192.125(d), and 1192.127 (if applicable). The design of cars shall be coordinated with the boarding platform design such that the horizontal gap between a car door at rest and the platform shall be no greater than 3 inches and the height of the car floor shall be within plus or minus
(b) All other high-speed rail cars shall comply with the similar provisions of subpart F of this part.
(a) New and used trams consisting of a tractor unit, with or without passenger accommodations, and one or
(b) Each tractor unit which accommodates passengers and each trailer unit shall comply with §§ 1192.25 and 1192.29. In addition, each such unit shall comply with § 1192.23 (b) or (c) and shall provide at least one space for wheelchair or mobility aid users complying with § 1192.23(d) unless the complete operating unit consisting of tractor and one or more trailers can already accommodate at least two wheelchair or mobility aid users.
This appendix contains materials of an advisory nature and provides additional information that should help the reader to understand the minimum requirements of the guidelines or to design vehicles for greater accessibility. Each entry is applicable to all subparts of this part except where noted. Nothing in this appendix shall in any way obviate any obligation to comply with the requirements of the guidelines themselves.
Slip resistance is based on the frictional force necessary to keep a shoe heel or crutch tip from slipping on a walking surface under conditions likely to be found on the surface. While the dynamic coefficient of friction during walking varies in a complex and non-uniform way, the static coefficient of friction, which can be measured in several ways, provides a close approximation of the slip resistance of a surface. Contrary to popular belief, some slippage is necessary to walking, especially for persons with restricted gaits; a
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends that walking surfaces have a static coefficient of friction of 0.5. A research project sponsored by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) conducted tests with persons with disabilities and concluded that a higher coefficient of friction was needed by such persons. A static coefficient of friction of 0.6 is recommended for steps, floors, and lift platforms and 0.8 for ramps.
The coefficient of friction varies considerably due to the presence of contaminants, water, floor finishes, and other factors not under the control of transit providers and may be difficult to measure. Nevertheless, many common materials suitable for flooring are now labeled with information on the static coefficient of friction. While it may not be possible to compare one product directly with another, or to guarantee a constant measure, transit operators or vehicle designers and manufacturers are encouraged to specify materials with appropriate values. As more products include information on slip resistance, improved uniformity in measurement and specification is likely. The Access Board's advisory guidelines on Slip Resistant Surfaces provides additional information on this subject.
The material used to provide contrast should contrast by at least 70%. Contrast in percent is determined by:
In addition to the requirements for handrails and stanchions for rapid, light, and commuter rail vehicles, consideration should be given to the proximity of handrails or stanchions to the area in which wheelchair or mobility aid users may position themselves. When identifying the clear floor space where a wheelchair or mobility aid user can be accommodated, it is suggested that at least one such area be adjacent or in close proximity to a handrail or stanchion. Of course, such a handrail or stanchion cannot encroach upon the required 32 inch width required for the doorway or the route leading to the clear floor space which must be at least 30 by 48 inches in size.
The characters and background of signs should be eggshell, matte, or other non-glare finish. An eggshell finish (11 to 19 degree gloss on 60 degree glossimeter) is recommended. Characters and symbols should contrast with their background—either light characters on a dark background or dark characters on a light background. Research indicates that signs are more legible for persons with low vision when characters contrast with their background by at least 70 percent. Contrast in percent is determined by:
The greatest readability is usually achieved through the use of light-colored characters or symbols on a dark background.
The following specifications, which are required for buses (§ 1192.39), are recommended for other types of vehicles, particularly light rail vehicles, where appropriate.
1. Where destination or route information is displayed on the exterior of a vehicle, each vehicle should have illuminated signs on the front and boarding side of the vehicle.
2. Characters on signs covered by paragraph IV.B.1 of this appendix should have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum character height (using an upper case “X”) of 1 inch for signs on the boarding side and a minimum character height of 2 inches for front “headsigns”, with “wide” spacing (generally, the space between letters shall be
The International Symbol of Accessibility should be displayed as shown in Figure 6.
There is currently no requirement that vehicles be equipped with an information system which is capable of providing the same or equivalent information to persons with hearing loss. While the Department of Transportation assesses available and soon-to-be
Announcements may be provided in a visual format by the use of electronic message boards or video monitors.
Electronic message boards using a light emitting diode (LED) or “flip-dot” display are currently provided in some transit stations and terminals and may be usable in vehicles. These devices may be used to provide real time or pre-programmed messages; however, real time message displays require the availability of an employee for keyboard entry of the information to be announced.
Video monitor systems, such as visual paging systems provided in some airports (e.g., Baltimore-Washington International Airport), are another alternative. The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) can provide technical assistance and information on these systems (“Airport TDD Access: Two Case Studies,” (1990)).
Assistive listening systems (ALS) are intended to augment standard public address and audio systems by providing signals which can be received directly by persons with special receivers or their own hearing aids and which eliminate or filter background noise. Magnetic induction loops, infra-red and radio frequency systems are types of listening systems which are appropriate for various applications.
An assistive listening-system appropriate for transit vehicles, where a group of persons or where the specific individuals are not known in advance, may be different from the system appropriate for a particular individual provided as an auxiliary aid or as part of a reasonable accommodation. The appropriate device for an individual is the type that individual can use, whereas the appropriate system for a station or vehicle will necessarily be geared toward the “average” or aggregate needs of various individuals. Earphone jacks with variable volume controls can benefit only people who have slight hearing loss and do not help people who use hearing aids. At the present time, magnetic induction loops are the most feasible type of listening system for people who use hearing aids equipped with “T-coils”, but people without hearing aids or those with hearing aids not equipped with inductive pick-ups cannot use them without special receivers. Radio frequency systems can be extremely effective and inexpensive. People without hearing aids can use them, but people with hearing aids need a special receiver to use them as they are presently designed. If hearing aids had a jack to allow a by-pass of microphones, then radio frequency systems would be suitable for people with and without hearing aids. Some listening systems may be subject to interference from other equipment and feedback from hearing aids of people who are using the systems. Such interference can be controlled by careful engineering design that anticipates feedback sources in the surrounding area.
The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) has published a pamphlet on Assistive Listening Systems which lists demonstration centers across the country where technical assistance can be obtained in selecting and installing appropriate systems. The state of New York has also adopted a detailed technical specification which may be useful.
Achieving a 30 inch wide front door on an over-the-road bus is considered not feasible if doing so would necessitate reduction of the bus approach angle, relocating the front axle rearward, or increasing the bus overall length.
The following is provided to assist manufacturers and designers to create restrooms which can be used by people with disabilities. These specifications are derived from requirements for rail vehicles and represent compromises between space needed for use and constraints imposed by vehicle dimensions. As a result, some persons with disabilities cannot use a restroom which meets these specifications and operators who do provide such restrooms should provide passengers with disabilities sufficient advance information about design so that those passengers can assess their ability to use them. Designers should provide additional space beyond these minimum specifications whenever possible.
(1) If an accessible restroom is provided, it should be designed so as to allow a person using a wheelchair or mobility aid to enter and use such restroom as specified in paragraphs (1)(a) through (e) of section VI.B of this appendix.
(a) The minimum clear floor area should be 35 inches (890 mm) by 60 inches (1525 mm). Permanently installed fixtures may overlap this area a maximum of 6 inches (150 mm), if
(b) The height of the water closet should be 17 inches (430 mm) to 19 inches (485 mm) measured to the top of the toilet seat. Seats should not be sprung to return to a lifted position.
(c) A grab bar at least 24 inches (610 mm) long should be mounted behind the water closet, and a horizontal grab bar at least 40 inches (1015 mm) long should be mounted on at least one side wall, with one end not more than 12 inches (305 mm) from the back wall, at a height between 33 inches (840 mm) and 36 inches (915 mm) above the floor.
(d) Faucets and flush controls should be operable with one hand and should not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate controls should be no greater than 5 lbs (22.2 N). Controls for flush valves should be mounted no more than 44 inches (1120 mm) above the floor.
(e) Doorways on the end of the enclosure, opposite the water closet, should have a minimum clear opening width of 32 inches (815 mm). Door latches and hardware should be operable with one hand and should not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.
(2) Accessible restrooms should be in close proximity to at least one seating location for persons using mobility aids and should be connected to such a space by an unobstructed path having a minimum width of 32 inches (815 mm).
Care should be taken so that the lift does not obscure the vision of the person occupying the securement position.
47 U.S.C. 255(e).
63 FR 5630, Feb. 3, 1998, unless otherwise noted.
This part provides requirements for accessibility, usability, and compatibility of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment covered by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 255).
This part provides requirements for accessibility, usability, and compatibility of new products and existing products which undergo substantial change or upgrade, or for which new releases are distributed. This part does not apply to minor or insubstantial changes to existing products that do not affect functionality.
Terms used in this part shall have the specified meaning unless otherwise stated. Words, terms and phrases used in the singular include the plural, and use of the plural includes the singular.
Where readily achievable, telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment shall comply with the requirements of subpart C of this part. Where it is not readily achievable to comply with subpart C of this part, telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment shall comply with the requirements of subpart D of this part, if readily achievable.
(a) Manufacturers shall evaluate the accessibility, usability, and compatibility of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment and shall incorporate such evaluation throughout product design, development, and fabrication, as early
(b) In developing such a process, manufacturers shall consider the following factors, as the manufacturer deems appropriate:
(1) Where market research is undertaken, including individuals with disabilities in target populations of such research;
(2) Where product design, testing, pilot demonstrations, and product trials are conducted, including individuals with disabilities in such activities;
(3) Working cooperatively with appropriate disability-related organizations; and
(4) Making reasonable efforts to validate any unproven access solutions through testing with individuals with disabilities or with appropriate disability-related organizations that have established expertise with individuals with disabilities.
When required by § 1193.21, telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment shall be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities and shall comply with §§ 1193.33 through 1193.43 as applicable.
(a) Manufacturers shall ensure access to information and documentation it provides to its customers. Such information and documentation includes user guides, installation guides for end-user installable devices, and product support communications, regarding both the product in general and the accessibility features of the product. Manufacturers shall take such other steps as necessary including:
(1) Providing a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of the product upon request, including, as needed, in alternate formats or alternate modes at no additional charge;
(2) Providing end-user product documentation in alternate formats or alternate modes upon request at no additional charge; and
(3) Ensuring usable customer support and technical support in the call centers and service centers which support their products at no additional charge.
(b) Manufacturers shall include in general product information the contact method for obtaining the information required by paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) Where manufacturers provide employee training, they shall ensure it is appropriate to an employee's function. In developing, or incorporating existing training programs, consideration shall be given to the following factors:
(1) Accessibility requirements of individuals with disabilities;
(2) Means of communicating with individuals with disabilities;
(3) Commonly used adaptive technology used with the manufacturer's products;
(4) Designing for accessibility; and
(5) Solutions for accessibility and compatibility.
Telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment shall pass through cross-manufacturer, non-proprietary, industry-standard codes, translation protocols, formats or other information necessary to provide telecommunications in an accessible format. In particular, signal compression technologies shall not remove information needed for access or shall restore it upon decompression.
(a) No change shall be undertaken which decreases or has the effect of decreasing the net accessibility, usability, or compatibility of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment.
(b) Exception: Discontinuation of a product shall not be prohibited.
Input, control, and mechanical functions shall be locatable, identifiable,
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
All information necessary to operate and use the product, including but not limited to, text, static or dynamic images, icons, labels, sounds, or incidental operating cues, shall comply with each of the following, assessed independently:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
When required by subpart B of this part, telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment shall be compatible with peripheral devices and specialized customer premises
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
1. This appendix provides examples of strategies and notes to assist in understanding the guidelines and are a source of ideas for alternate strategies for achieving accessibility. These strategies and notes are not mandatory. A manufacturer is not required to incorporate all of these examples or any specific example. Manufacturers are free to use these or other strategies in addressing the guidelines. The examples listed here are not comprehensive, nor does adopting or incorporating them guarantee an accessible product. They are meant to provide a useful starting point for evaluating the accessibility of a product or conceptual design and are not intended to inhibit innovation. For a more complete list of all of the published strategies to date, as well as for further information and links to on-going discussions, the reader is referred to the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research's Rehabilitation Engineering Center on Access to Telecommunications System's strategies Web site (
2. This appendix is organized to correspond to the sections and paragraphs of the guidelines in this part to which the explanatory material relates. This appendix does not contain explanatory material for every section and paragraph of the guidelines in this part.
1. Section 255 defines “readily achievable” as having the same meaning as in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, the ADA applies the term to the removal of barriers in existing public accommodations. Not all of the factors cited in the ADA or the Department of Justice (DOJ) implementing regulations (July 26, 1991) are easy to translate to the telecommunications context where the term applies to telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment which is designed, developed and fabricated after February 8, 1996, the effective date of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
2. It may not be readily achievable to make every product accessible or compatible. Depending on the design, technology, or several other factors, it may be determined that providing accessibility to all products in a product line is not readily achievable. The guidelines do not require accessibility or compatibility when that determination has been made, and it is up to the manufacturer to make it. However, the assessment as to whether it is or is not readily achievable cannot be bypassed simply because another product is already accessible. For this purpose, two products are considered to be different if they have different functions or features. Products which differ only cosmetically, where such differences do not affect functionality, are not considered separate products.
3. Below is a list of factors provided as interim guidance to manufacturers to assist them in making readily achievable assessments. The factors are derived from the ADA itself and the DOJ regulations and are presented in the order in which they appear in
a. One factor in making readily achievable assessments is the nature and cost of the action needed to provide accessibility or compatibility. The term readily achievable means that an action is “easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense.” The nature of the action or solution involves how easy it is to accomplish, including the availability of technology and expertise, and the ability to incorporate the solution into the production process. Obviously, knowing about an accessibility solution, even in detail, does not mean it is readily achievable for a specific manufacturer to implement it immediately. Even if it only requires substituting a different, compatible part, the new part must be ordered and integrated into the manufacturing process. A more extreme implementation might require re-tooling or redesign. On the other hand, a given solution might be so similar to the current design, development and fabrication process that it is readily achievable to implement it virtually overnight.
b. Another factor in making readily achievable assessments is the overall resources of the manufacturer, including financial resources, technical expertise, component supply sources, equipment, or personnel. The monetary resources of a manufacturer are obviously a factor in determining whether an action is readily achievable, but it may be appropriate to consider other resources, as well. For example, a company might have ample financial resources and, at first glance, appear to have no reason for not including a particular accessibility feature in a given product. However, it might be that the company lacks personnel with experience in software development, for example, needed to implement the design solution. One might reason that, if the financial resources are available, the company should hire the appropriate personnel, but, if it does, it may no longer have the financial resources to implement the design solution. One would expect that the company would develop the technical expertise over time and that eventually the access solution might become readily achievable.
c. Another factor in making readily achievable assessments is the overall financial resources of any parent corporation or entity, only to the extent such resources are available to the manufacturer. Both the ADA statutory definition of readily achievable and the DOJ regulations define the resources of a parent company as a factor. However, such resources are considered only to the extent those resources are available to the subsidiary. If, for example, the subsidiary is responsible for product design but the parent company is responsible for overall marketing, it may be appropriate to expect the parent company to address some of the marketing goals. If, on the other hand, the resources of a parent company are not available to the subsidiary, they may not be relevant. This determination would be made on a case-by-case basis.
d. A fourth factor in making readily achievable assessments is whether the accessibility solution results in a fundamental alteration of the product. This factor, derived by extension from the “undue burden” criteria of the ADA, takes into consideration the effect adding an accessibility feature might have on a given product. For example, it may not be readily achievable to add a large display for low vision users to a small pager designed to fit in a pocket, because making the device significantly larger would be a fundamental alteration of the device. On the other hand, adding a voice output may not involve a fundamental alteration and would serve both blind and low vision users. In addition, adding an infrared port might be readily achievable and would allow a large-display peripheral device to be coupled to it. Of course fundamental alteration means a change in the fundamental characteristic of the product, not merely a cosmetic or esthetic change.
1. This section requires manufacturers to evaluate the accessibility, usability, and compatibility of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment and incorporate such evaluation throughout product design, development, and fabrication, as early and consistently as possible. Manufacturers must develop a process to ensure that products are designed, developed and fabricated to be accessible whenever it is readily achievable. Since what is readily achievable will vary according to the stage of development (i.e., some things will be readily achievable in the design phase which
2. The details of such an evaluation process will vary from one company to the next, so this section does not specify its structure or specific content. Instead, this section sets forth a series of factors that a manufacturer must consider in developing such a process. How, and to what extent, each of the factors is incorporated in a specific process is up to the manufacturer.
3. Different manufacturers, or even the same manufacturer at different times, have the flexibility to tailor any such plan to its own particular needs. This section does not prescribe any particular plan or content. It does not require that such a process be submitted to any entity or that it even be in writing. The requirement is outcome-oriented, and a process could range from purely conceptual to formally documented, as suits the manufacturer.
4. The goal is for designers to be aware of access and incorporate such considerations in the conceptualization of new products. When an idea is just beginning to take shape, a designer would ask, “How would a blind person use this product? How would a deaf person use it?” The sooner a manufacturer makes its design team cognizant of design issues for achieving accessibility; and proven solutions for accessibility and compatibility, the easier this process will be.
1. The guidelines do not require market research, testing or consultation, only that they be considered and incorporated to the extent deemed appropriate for a given manufacturer. If a manufacturer has a large marketing effort, involving surveys and focus groups, it may be appropriate to include persons with disabilities in such groups. On the other hand, some small companies do not do any real marketing, per se, but may just notice that a product made by XYZ Corporation is selling well and, based on this “marketing survey” it decides it can make a cheaper one. Clearly, “involvement” of persons with disabilities is not appropriate in this case.
2. A manufacturer must consider how it could include individuals with disabilities in target populations of market research. It is important to realize that any target population for which a manufacturer might wish to focus a product contains individuals with disabilities, whether it is teenagers, single parents, women between the ages of 25 and 40, or any other subgroup, no matter how narrowly defined. Any market research which excludes individuals with disabilities will be deficient.
1. Including individuals with disabilities in product design, testing, pilot demonstrations, and product trials will encourage appropriate design solutions to accessibility barriers. In addition, such involvement may result in designs which have an appeal to a broader market.
1. Working cooperatively with appropriate disability-related organizations is one of the factors that manufacturers must consider in their product design and development process. The primary reason for working cooperatively is to exchange relevant information. This is a two-way process since the manufacturer will get information on barriers to the use of its products, and may also be alerted to possible sources for solutions. The process will also serve to inform individuals with disabilities about what is readily achievable. In addition, manufacturers will have a conduit to a source of subjects for market research and product trials.
2. Manufacturers should consult with representatives from a cross-section of disability groups, particularly individuals whose disabilities affect hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech, and interpretation of information.
3. Because of the complex interrelationship between equipment and services in providing accessibility to telecommunications products, coordination and cooperation between manufacturers and service providers will be beneficial. Involving service providers in the product development process will encourage appropriate design solutions to accessibility barriers and permit the exchange of relevant information.
1. Manufacturers must consider how they can make reasonable efforts to validate any unproven access solutions through testing with individuals with disabilities or with appropriate disability-related organizations that have established expertise with individuals with disabilities. It is important to obtain input from persons or organizations with established expertise to ensure that input is not based merely on individual preferences or limited experience.
2. This input should be sought from representatives from a cross-section of disability groups, particularly individuals whose disabilities affect hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech, and interpretation of information.
1. This section requires that manufacturers provide access to information and documentation. The information and documentation includes user guides, installation guides, and product support communications, regarding both the product in general and the accessibility features of the product. Information and documentation should be provided to people with disabilities at no additional charge. Alternate formats or alternate modes of this information is also required to be available. Manufacturers should also encourage distributors of their products to establish information dissemination and technical support programs similar to those established by the manufacturer.
1. Alternate formats may include, but are not limited to, Braille, ASCII text, large print, and audio cassette recording. Alternate modes may include, but are not limited to, voice, fax, relay service, TTY, Internet posting, captioning, text-to-speech synthesis, and video description.
2. In considering how to best provide product information to people with disabilities, it is essential that information be provided in an alternate format or mode that is usable by the person needing the information. For example, some individuals who are blind might require a manual in Braille to understand and use the product effectively. Other persons who are blind may prefer this information on a computer disk. Persons with limited reading skills may need this information recorded on audio cassette tape so they can listen to the manual. Still other persons with low vision may be able to read the text version of the manual if it is provided in a larger font. Likewise, if a tutorial video is provided, persons who are deaf may require a captioned version so that they will understand how to use the product effectively. Finally, individuals who rely on TTYs will need direct TTY access to a customer service line so they can ask questions about a product like everyone else.
3. This portion of the appendix explains how to provide information in alternate formats (Braille, ASCII text, large print, audio cassette) to persons with disabilities.
4. Some persons who are blind rely on the use of Braille in order to obtain information that is typically provided in print. These persons may need Braille because of the nature of their disability (such as persons who are deaf-blind) or because of the complexity of the material. Most large urban areas have companies or organizations which can translate printed material to Braille. On the other hand, manufacturers may wish to consider producing Braille documents “in house” using a personal computer, Braille translation software, and a Braille printer. The disadvantage is the difficulty in ensuring quality control and accuracy. Software programs exist which can translate common word processing formats directly into Braille, but they are not always error free, especially if the document contains special characters, jargon, graphics, or charts. Since the typical office worker will not be able to proofread a Braille document, the initial apparent cost saving may be quickly lost by having to re-do documents. The Braille translation software costs approximately $500 and most Braille printers sold range from $2,000 to $5,000, however some Braille printers, depending on the speed and other features, do cost more. Depending on the quality of Braille to be generated, a Braille printer in the $4,000 range should be adequate for most users. By using automatic translation software, individuals who do not have knowledge of Braille or who have limited computer skills may be able to produce simple Braille documents without much trouble. If the document is of a complex format, however, such as a text box over multiple columns, a sophisticated knowledge of Braille translation software and formatting will be required.
5. People who are blind or have low vision and who have access to computers may be able to use documents in electronic form. Electronic text must be provided in ASCII or a properly formatted word processor file. Using electronic text allows this information to be transmitted through e-mail or other on-line telecommunications. Blind or low vision persons who have access to a personal computer can then read the document using synthetic speech, an electronic Braille display, a large print computer monitor, or they can produce a hard copy in large print or Braille.
6. Documents prepared for electronic transmission should be in ASCII. Documents supplied on disk should also be provided in either ASCII or a word processor format usable by the customer. Word processing documents should be properly formatted before distribution or conversion to ASCII. To be correctly formatted, the document should be in Courier 10 point size and formatted for an 80 character line. Tables should be converted to plain text. Graphics or text boxes should be deleted and explained or described in text format. This will allow the reader to understand all of the documentation being presented. Replace bullets (•) with “*” or “-” and convert other extended ASCII characters into text. When converting a document into ASCII or word processor formats, it is important to utilize the appropriate “tab key” and “centering key” rather than using the space bar. This is necessary because Braille translation software relies on the proper use of commands to automate the formatting of a Braille document.
7. Persons with low vision may require documentation to be provided in large print. Large print documents can easily be produced using a scalable font from any good word processing program and a standard laser printer. Using the document enlargement option on a photocopier will usually yield unsatisfactory results.
8. To obtain the best results follow these guidelines:
a. It is preferable to use paper that is standard 8
b. The best contrast with the least glare is achieved on very pale yellow or cream-colored non-glossy paper, such as paper that is used for photocopying purposes. To produce a more aesthetic looking document, an off-white paper may be used and will still give good contrast while producing less glare than white. Do not use dark colors and shades of red. Double-sided copying (if print does not bleed through) will produce a less bulky document.
c. Remove formatting codes that can make reading more difficult. For example, centered or indented text could be difficult to track because only a few words will fit on a line. All text should begin at the left margin. Use only left margin justification to maintain uniform spacing across lines. Right margin justification can produce uneven spacing between letters and words. Use 1
d. There is no standard typeface or point size. For more universal access, use 18 point type; anything larger could make text too choppy to read comfortably. Use a good strong bold typeface. Do not use italics, fine, or fancy typefaces. Do not use compressed typefaces; there should be normal “white space” between characters.
e. Use upper and lowercase letters.
f. Using these instructions, one page of print (11-12 point type) will equal approximately three pages of large print (14-18 point) depending on the density of the text.
9. Some persons who are blind or who have learning disabilities may require documentation on audio cassettes. Audio materials can be produced commercially or in-house. Agencies sometimes record material in-house and purchase a high speed tape duplicator ($1,000-2,000) which is used to make cassette copies from the master. The cost of a duplicator can be higher depending upon the number of copies produced on a single run, and whether the duplicator can produce standard speed two-sided copies or half-speed four-sided copies. Although unit costs can be reduced by using the four-track, half-speed format, this will require the reader to use a specially designed playback machine. Tapes should be produced with “tone indexing” to allow a user to skip back and forth from one section to another. By following a few simple guidelines for selecting readers and creating recordings, most organizations will be able to successfully record most simple documents.
10. Further guidance in making cassette recordings includes:
a. The reader should be proficient in the language being recorded.
b. The reader should be familiar with the subject. Someone who is somewhat familiar with the technical aspects of a product but who can explain functions in ordinary language would be a logical person to record an audio cassette.
c. The reader should have good diction. Recording should be done in a conversational tone and at a conversational pace; neither too slow nor too fast.
d. The reader should be familiar with the material to minimize stumbling and hesitation.
e. The reader should not editorialize. When recording a document, it should be read in full. Graphic and pictorial information available to sighted readers should be described in the narrated text. Tables and charts whose contents are not already contained in text should be converted into text and included in the recording.
f. The reader should spell difficult or unusual words and words of foreign origin.
g. At the beginning of the tape, identify the reader, i.e., “This document is being read by John Smith.”
h. On each side of the tape, identify the document and the page number where the reader is continuing, i.e., “tape 2, side 1, Guide to Barrier Free Meetings, continuing on page 75.”
i. For blind users, all cassettes should be labeled in Braille so that they can easily be referenced in the appropriate order.
11. Information is provided increasingly through a variety of means including television advertisements, Internet postings, information seminars, and telephone. This portion of the appendix explains how to provide information in some alternate modes (captioning, video description, Internet postings, relay service, and TTY).
12. When manufacturers of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment provide videos with their products (such as tutorials or information explaining various components of a product) the video should be available with captioning. Closed captioning refers to assistive technology designed to provide access to television for persons with hearing disabilities that is visible only through the use of a decoder. Open captions are visible at all times. Captioning is similar to subtitles in that the audio portion of a television program is displayed as printed words on the television screen. Captions should be carefully placed to identify speakers, on-and off-screen sound effects, music and laughter. Increased captioning was made possible because of the Television Decoder Circuitry Act which requires all television sets sold in the United States with screens 13 inches or larger to have built-in decoder circuitry.
13. Although captioning technology was developed specifically to make television and video presentations accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people, there has been widespread interest in using this technology to provide similar access to meetings, classroom teaching, and conferences. For meetings, video-conferences, information seminars, and the like, real-time captioning is sometimes provided. Real-time captioning uses a stenographic machine connected to a computer with translation software. The output is then displayed on a monitor or projected on a screen.
14. Just as manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment need to make their videos accessible to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, they must also be accessible to persons who are blind or have low vision. This process is known as video description. Video description may either be a separate audio track that can be played simultaneously with the regular audio portion of the video material (adding description during pauses in the regular audio), or it can be added to (or “mixed” with) an existing soundtrack. The latter is the technique used for videotapes.
15. The fastest growing way to obtain information about a product is through use of the Internet, and specifically the World Wide Web. However, many Internet users with disabilities have difficulty obtaining this information if it is not correctly formatted. This section provides information on how to make a World Wide Web site more accessible to persons with disabilities
16. The level of accessibility of the information on the Web is dependent on the format of the information, the transmission media, and the display system. Many of the issues related to the transmission media and the display system cannot be affected by the general user. On the other hand, anyone creating information for a Web server has control of the accessibility of the information. Careful design and coding of information will provide access to all people without compromising the power and elegance of the Web site.
17. A few suggestions are:
a. Every graphic image should have associated text. This will enable a person using a character-based program, such as Lynx, to understand the material being presented in the graphical format. It also allows anyone who does not want to wait for graphics to load to have quick access to the information on the site.
b. Provide text transcriptions or descriptions for all audio output. This will enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to have access to this information, as well as individuals who do not have sound cards.
c. Make any link text descriptive, but not verbose. For example, words like “this”, “here”, and “click” do not convey enough information about the nature of the link, especially to people who are blind. Link text should consist of substantive, descriptive words which can be quickly reviewed by the user. Conversely, link text which is too long bogs down efficient browsing.
d. Provide alternate mechanisms for on-line forms. Forms are not supported by all browsers. Therefore, it is important to provide the user with an opportunity to select alternate methods to access such forms.
e. All Web pages should be tested using multiple viewers. At a minimum, pages should be tested with the latest version of Lynx to ensure that they can be used with screen reader software.
18. By using telecommunications relay services (TRS), it has now become easier for persons with hearing and speech disabilities to communicate by the telephone. TRS links TTY users with those who do not have a TTY and use standard telephones. With TRS, a TTY user communicates with another person with the help of a communications assistant who is able to talk on the telephone and then communicate by typing the message verbatim, to the TTY user. The communications assistant also reads the message typed by the TTY user, or the TTY user may speak for him or herself using voice carry over.
19. There are now TRS programs in every state. Although TRS is very valuable, it does have limitations. For example, relay calls take longer, since they always involve a third party, and typing words takes longer than speaking words.
20. A TTY also provides direct two-way typed conversations. The cost of these devices begins at approximately $200 and they can be operated by anyone who can type.
21. The following information is excerpted from the brochure “Using a TTY” which is available free of charge from the Access Board:
a. If the TTY line is also used for incoming voice calls, be sure the person who answers the phone knows how to recognize and answer a TTY call. You will usually hear silence, a high-pitched, electronic beeping sound, or a pre-recorded voice message when it is a TTY call. If there is silence, assume it is a TTY call.
b. TTYs should be placed near a standard telephone so there is minimal delay in answering incoming TTY calls.
c. To initiate a TTY call, place the telephone headset in the acoustic cups of the TTY adapter. If the TTY unit is directly connected to the phone line, there is no need to put the telephone headset in the acoustic cups. Turn the TTY on. Make sure there is a dial tone by checking for a steady light on the TTY status indicator.
d. Dial the number and watch the status indicator light to see if the dialed number is ringing. The ring will make a long slow flash or two short flashes with a pause in between. If the line is busy, you will see short, continuous flashes on the indicator light. When the phone is answered, you will see an irregular light signal as the phone is picked up and placed in the cradle. If you are calling a combination TTY and voice number, tap the space bar several times to help the person on the other end identify this as a TTY call.
e. The person who answers the call is the first to type. Answer the phone as you would by voice, then type “GA”.
f. “GA” means “I'm done, go ahead and type”. “HD” means hold. “GA or SK” means “Is there anything more, I'm done”. “SK” means stop keying. This is how you show that the conversation is ended and that you will hang up. It is polite to type good-bye, thank you for calling, or some other closing remark before you type “SK”. Stay on the line until both parties type SKSK.
22. Because of the amount of time it takes to send and receive messages, it is important to remember that short words and sentences are desired by both parties. With some TTY calls it is often not possible to interrupt when the other person is typing. If you get a garbled message in all numbers or mixed numbers and letters, tap the space bar and see if the message clears up. If not, when the person stops typing, you should type, “Message garbled, please repeat.” If the garbled messages continue, this may mean that one of the TTYs is not working properly, there is background noise causing interference, or that you may have a bad connection. In this case you should say something like, “Let's hang up and I'll call you back.”
23. The typical TTY message will include many abbreviations and jargon. The message may also include misspelled words because, if the meaning is clear, many callers will not bother to correct spelling since it takes more time. Also, some TTY users communicate in American sign language, a language with its own grammar and syntax. English may be a second language. Extend the same patience
1. This paragraph requires manufacturers to supply a point of contact for obtaining information about accessibility features of the product and how to obtain documents in alternate formats. This could be the name of a specific person, a department or an office. Supplying a telephone number, and preferably a separate TTY number, is the most universal method. Web site and e-mail addresses are also desirable, but should not substitute for a telephone number since many more people have access to a telephone than have e-mail or Internet access. Of course, the means for requesting additional accessibility information must, itself, be accessible.
2. Automated voice response systems are not usable by deaf and hard of hearing persons. An approach to consider is to augment an automated voice response system with an automated TTY response system that also detects whether a caller is using voice or TTY.
3. The phone number should be prominently displayed in product literature. Ideally, it should be displayed on the outside of the package so that a potential buyer can obtain information about the accessibility before purchase. In addition, manufacturers should acquaint their distributors with this information so that they can assist customers with disabilities, such as a blind person unable to read the package information.
1. This paragraph requires manufacturers to consider including information on accessibility in training a manufacturer provides to its staff. For example, if technical support staff are trained on how to provide good technical support, such a program should be expanded to include information on accessibility features of the manufacturer's products and peripheral devices that are compatible with them. Such staff should also have basic information on how to handle TTY and relay calls. Personnel who deal directly with the public, including market researchers, should be trained in basic disability “etiquette.”
1. Although this section is reserved, manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment are encouraged to provide redundancy such that input and output functions are available in more than one mode.
2. Alternate input and output modes should be selectable by the user.
3. Products should incorporate multiple modes for input and output functions so the user is able to select the desired mode.
a. Since there is no single interface design that accommodates all disabilities, accessibility is likely to be accomplished through various product designs which emphasize interface flexibility to maximize user configurability and multiple, alternative and redundant modalities of input and output.
b. Selectability is especially important where an accessibility feature for one group of individuals with disabilities may conflict with an accessibility feature for another. This potential problem could be solved by allowing the user to switch one of the features on and off. For example, a conflict may arise between captioning (provided for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing) and a large font size (provided for persons with low vision). The resulting caption would either be so large that it obscures the screen or need to be scrolled or displayed in segments for a very short period of time.
c. It may not be readily achievable to provide all input and output functions in a single product or to permit all functions to be selectable. For example, switching requires control mechanisms which must be accessible and it may be more practical to have multiple modes running simultaneously. Whenever possible, it is preferable for the user to be able to turn on or off a particular mode.
4. Some experiments with smart cards are showing promise for enhancing accessibility. Instead of providing additional buttons or menu items to select appropriate input and output modes, basic user information can be stored on a smart card that triggers a custom configuration. For example, insertion of a particular card can cause a device to increase the font size on a display screen or activate speech output. Another might activate a feature to increase volume output, lengthen the response time between sequential operations, or allow two keys to be pressed sequentially instead of simultaneously. This technology, which depends on the issuance of a customized card to a particular individual, would allow redundancy and selectability without adding additional controls which would complicate the operation. As more and more functions are provided by software rather than hardware, this option may be more readily achievable.
5. The increasing use of “plug-ins” allow a product to be customized to the user's needs. Plug-ins function somewhat like peripheral devices to provide accessibility and there is no fundamental problem in using plug-ins to provide access, as long as the accessibility plug-ins are provided with the product. For example, at least one computer operating system comes packaged with accessibility enhancements which a user can install if wanted. In addition, modems are typically
1. Individuals who are blind or have low vision cannot locate or identify controls, latches, or input slits by sight or operate controls that require sight. Products should be manufactured to be usable independently by these individuals. For example, individuals who cannot see must use either touch or sound to locate and identify controls. If a product uses a flat, smooth touch screen or touch membrane, the user without vision will not be able to locate the controls without auditory or tactile cues.
2. Once the controls have been located, the user must be able to identify the various functions of the controls. Having located and identified the controls, individuals must be able to operate them.
3. Below are some examples of ways to make products accessible to persons with visual disabilities:
a. If buttons are used on a product, make them discrete buttons which can be felt and located by touch. If a flat membrane is used for a keyboard, provide a raised edge around the control areas or buttons to make it possible to locate the keys by touch. Once an individual locates the different controls, he or she needs to identify what the keys are. If there is a standard number pad arrangement, putting a nib on the “5” key may be all that is necessary for identifying the numbers. On a QWERTY keyboard, putting a tactile nib on the “F” and “J” keys allows touch typists to easily locate their hands on the key.
b. Provide distinct shapes for keys to indicate their function or make it easy to tell them apart. Provide Braille labels for keys and controls for those who read Braille to determine the function and use of controls.
c. Provide large raised letters for short labels on large objects. Where it is not possible to use raised large letters, a voice mode selection could be incorporated that announces keys when pressed, but does not activate them. This would allow people to turn on the voice mode long enough to explore and locate the item they are interested in, then release the voice mode and press the control. If it is an adjustable control, voice confirmation of the status may also be important.
d. Provide tactile indication on a plug which is not a self-orienting plug. Wireless connections, which eliminate the need to orient or insert connectors, also solve the problem.
e. Avoid buttons that are activated when touched to allow an individual to explore the controls to find the desired button. If touch-activated controls cannot be avoided (for example, on a touch screen), provide an alternate mode where a confirm button is used to confirm selections (for example, items are read when touched, and activated when the confirm button is pressed). All actions should be reversible, or require confirmation before executing non-reversible actions.
f. Once controls have been located and users know what the functions are, they must be operable. Some types of controls, including mouse devices, track balls, dials without markings or stops, and push-button controls with only one state, where the position or setting is indicated only by a visual cue, will not be usable by persons who are blind or have low vision. Providing a rotational or linear stop and tactile or audio detents is a useful strategy. Another is to provide keyboard or push-button access to the functions. If the product has an audio system and microprocessor, use audio feedback of the setting. For simple products, tactile markings may be sufficient.
g. Controls may also be shaped so that they can easily be read by touch (e.g., a twist knob shaped like a pie wedge). For keys which do not have any physical travel, some type of audio or tactile feedback should be provided so that the individual knows when the key has been activated. A two-state key (on/off) should be physically different in each position (e.g., a toggle switch or a push-in/pop-out switch), so the person can tell what state the key is in by feeling it.
h. If an optional voice mode is provided for operating a product, a simple “query” mode can also be provided, which allows an individual to find out the function and state of a switch without actually activating it. In some cases, there may be design considerations which make the optimal mode for a sighted person inaccessible to someone without vision (e.g., use of a touch screen or mouse). In these cases, a primary strategy may be to provide a closely linked parallel method for efficiently achieving the same results (e.g., keyboard access) if there is a keyboard, or “SpeedList” access for touch screens.
1. Individuals with low vision often also have hearing disabilities, especially older individuals. These persons cannot rely solely on audio access modes commonly used by people who are blind. Tactile strategies are still quite useful, although many older persons may not be familiar with Braille. The objective, therefore, is to maximize the number of people who can use their residual vision, combined with tactile senses, to operate a product.
2. Strategies for addressing this provision may include the following: a. Make the information on the product easier to see. Use high-contrast print symbols and visual indicators, minimize glare on the display and control surfaces, provide adequate lighting, position controls near the items they control to make them easy to find, and use Arabic instead of Roman numerals.
b. The type-face and type-spacing used can greatly affect legibility. The spacing between letters should be approximately 1/16 the height of uppercase letters and the spacing should be uniform from one label to the next. Also, symbols can sometimes be used which are much more legible and understandable than fine print.
c. Where the display is dynamic, provide a means for the user to enlarge the display and to “freeze” it. In addition to making it easier to see, there are strategies which can be used to reduce the need to see things clearly in order to operate them.
d. A judicious use of color-coding, always redundant with other cues, is extremely helpful to persons with low vision. These cues should follow standard conventions, and can be used to reduce the need to read labels (or read labels more than the first time). In addition, all of the tactile strategies discussed under section 1193.41 (a) can also be used here.
1. Many people are unable to distinguish between certain color combinations. Others are unable to see color at all.
2. Strategies for addressing this provision include:
a. Eliminate the need for a person see color to operate the product. This does not eliminate the use of color completely but rather requires that any information essential to the operation of a product also be conveyed in some other fashion.
b. Avoid color pairs such as red/green and blue/yellow, that are indistinguishable by people with limited color perception.
c. Provide colors with different hues and intensity so that colored objects can be distinguished even on a black and white screen by their different appearance. Depending upon the product, the manufacturer may also be able to allow users to adjust colors to match their preferences and visual abilities.
d. Avoid colors with a low luminance.
1. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot locate or identify controls that require hearing. Products that provide only audio prompts cannot be used by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. For example, a voice-based interactive product that can be controlled only by listening to menu items and then pressing buttons is not accessible. By addressing the output issues under section 1193.43(d) many accessibility problems that affect input under this section can be solved.
2. Some strategies include:
a. Text versions of audio prompts could be provided which are synchronized with the audio so that the timing is the same.
b. If prompts are provided visually and no speech or vocalization is required, most problems associated with locating, identifying, and operating controls without hearing will be solved.
1. Individuals may have difficulty manipulating controls on products for any number of reasons. Though these disabilities may vary widely, these persons have difficulty grasping, pinching, or twisting objects and often have difficulty with finer motor coordination. Some persons may use a headstick, mouthstick, or artificial limb.
2. Below are some strategies which will assist in designing products which will meet the needs of these persons:
a. Provide larger buttons and controls, or buttons which are more widely spaced, to reduce the likelihood that a user will accidentally activate an adjacent control.
b. Provide guard bars between the buttons or near the buttons so that accidental movements would hit the guard bars rather than accidentally bumping switches.
c. Provide an optional mode where buttons must be depressed for a longer period of time (e.g., SlowKeys) before they would accept input to help separate between inadvertent motions or bumps and desired activation.
d. Where two buttons must be depressed simultaneously, provide an option to allow them to be activated sequentially (e.g., StickiKeys).
e. Avoid buttons which are activated merely by touch, such as capacitance switches. Where that is difficult to do (e.g., with touchscreens), provide a “confirm” button
f. Avoid latches, controls, or key combinations which require simultaneous activation of two or more buttons, or latches. Also, avoid very small controls or controls which require rotation of the wrist or pinching and twisting. Where this is not possible, provide alternate means for achieving the same functions.
g. Controls which have non-slip surfaces and those that can be operated with the side of the hand, elbow or pencil can be used to minimize physical activity required. In some cases, rotary controls can be used if they can be operated without grasping and twisting (e.g., a thin pie slice shape control or an edge control). Providing a concave top on buttons makes them easier to use.
h. Make it easier to insert cards or connectors by providing a bevel around the slot or connector, or use cards or connectors which can be inserted in any orientation or which self-center or self-align. Placing the slot or connector on the front and near a ledge or open space allows individuals to brace their hands or arms to make use of the slot or connector easier.
i. For some designs, controls which pose problems for individuals with disabilities may be the most efficient, logical or effective mechanism for a majority of users. In these cases, provide alternate strategies for achieving the same functions, but which do not require fine manipulation. Speech input or voice recognition could be provided as an alternate input, although it should not be the only input technique.
1. Some individuals may have difficulty operating systems which require reach or strength. The most straight-forward solution to this problem is to place the controls where they can be easily reached with minimal changes to body position. Many products also have controls located on different parts of the product.
2. When this is the case, the following strategies may be used:
a. Allow the functions to be controlled from the keyboard, which is located directly in front of the user.
b. Allow voice recognition to be used as an option. This provides input flexibility, but should never be the only means for achieving a function.
c. Provide a remote control option that moves all of the controls for the product together on a unit that can be positioned optimally for the individual. This allows the individual to operate the product without having to move to it. If this strategy is used, a standard communication format would be important to allow the use of alternate remote controls for those who cannot use the standard remote control.
d. Reduce the force needed to operate controls or latches and avoid the need for sustained pressure or activity (e.g., use guards rather than increased strength requirements to avoid accidental activation of crucial switches).
e. Provide arm or wrist rests or supports, create short cuts that reduce the number of actions needed, or completely eliminate the need to operate controls wherever possible by having automatic adjustments.
f. Section 4.34.3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) also contains specific information concerning reach ranges. ADAAG gives specific guidance concerning access to the built environment. Section 4.34.3 indicates the reach ranges for a front or parallel approach to equipment for individuals using a wheelchair. This information may prove useful for those telecommunications manufacturers whose equipment is stationary, such as an information kiosk.
1. Many persons find it very difficult to operate time-dependent controls.
2. Some strategies which address this problem include:
a. Avoid any timed-out situations or provide instances where the user must respond to a question or moving display in a set amount of time or at a specific time (e.g., a rotating display).
b. Where timed responses are required or appropriate, allow the user to adjust them or set the amount of time allotted to complete a given task. Warn users that time is running out and allow them to secure extended time.
c. If the standard mode of operation would be awkward or inefficient, then provide an alternate mode of operation that offers the same functions.
1. Many individuals cannot speak or speak clearly. Products which require speech in order to operate them should also provide an alternate way to achieve the same function.
2. Some strategies to achieve this include:
a. Provide an alternate mechanism for achieving all of the functions which are controlled by speech. If a product includes speech identification or verification, provide an alternate mechanism for this function as well.
b. Include individuals who are deaf or who have speech disabilities in the subject populations that are used to develop voice recognition algorithms, so that the algorithms will better accommodate a wider range of speech patterns.
1. Many individuals have reduced cognitive abilities, including reduced memory, sequence tracking, and reading skills. This does not necessarily prevent these persons from using a telecommunications product or feature.
2. The following strategies are extensions of techniques for making products easier for everyone to learn and use:
a. Use standard colors and shapes and group similar functions together. On products which have some controls that are used by everyone and other controls which would only be used by advanced users, it is generally good practice to separate the two, putting the more advanced features behind a door or under a separate menu item.
b. Products which read the contents of the display aloud, or controls which announce their settings, are easier for individuals who have difficulty reading.
c. Design products that are self-adjusting to eliminate additional controls which must be learned, and reduce the visual clutter.
d. On products which have sign-in procedures, allow user settings to be associated with them when they sign in or insert their identification card. The system can then autoconfigure to them. Some new “smart cards” are being designed with user preferences encoded on the card.
e. Where a complex series of steps is required, provide cuing to help lead the person through the process. It is also helpful to provide an “undo” or back up function, so that any mistakes can be easily corrected. Most people will find this function helpful.
f. Where functions are not reversible, request some type of confirmation from the user before proceeding. On labels and instructions, it is helpful to use short and simple phrases or sentences. Avoid abbreviations wherever possible. Eliminate the need to respond within a certain time or to read text within a certain time.
1. Just as persons with visual or cognitive disabilities need to be able to operate the input, controls, and mechanical functions of a product, they must also have access to the output functions.
2. The following are strategies for addressing this provision:
a. Provide speech output of all displayed text and labels. For information which is presented in non-text form (e.g., a picture or graphic), provide a verbal description unless the graphic is just decorative. When speech output is provided, allow for the spoken message to be repeated if the message is very long. Also, if the information being provided is personal in nature, it is recommended that headphones be provided in order to assure privacy. A message for stepping through menus is also helpful.
b. Providing Braille labels for controls is an extremely effective mechanism for those individuals who read Braille.
c. Large raised print can also be used but is generally restricted to rather large objects due to the size of the letters.
1. Individuals with low vision often also have hearing disabilities, especially older individuals. These persons cannot rely solely on audio access modes commonly used by people who are blind. Tactile strategies are still quite useful. Many people who have low vision can use their vision to access visually presented information on a product.
2. Strategies for meeting this provision involve:
a. Provide larger, higher contrast text and graphics. Individuals with 20/200 vision can see lettering if they get close to it, unless it is very small or has very poor contrast. Although 14 or 18 point type is recommended for visual displays, it is usually not possible to put this size text on small products.
b. Make the lettering as large and high contrast as possible to maximize the number of people who can use the product.
c. On displays where the font size can be varied, allow the user to increase the font size, even if it means that the user must pan or move in order to see the full display.
1. Moving text can be an access problem because individuals with low vision, or other disabilities may find it difficult or impossible to track moving text with their eyes.
2. Strategies to address this requirement may include the following:
a. Provide a mechanism for freezing the text. Thus, persons could read the stationary text and obtain the same information.
b. Provide scrolling to display one full line at a time, with a pause before the next line replaces it.
c. Provide the same information in another type of display which does not move. The
1. Individuals who have hearing disabilities are unable to receive auditory output, or mechanical and other sounds that are emitted by a product. These sounds are often important for the safe or effective operation of the product. Therefore, information which is presented auditorial should be available to all users.
2. Some strategies to achieve this include the following:
a. Provide a visual or tactile signal that will attract the person's attention and alert the user to a call, page, or other message, or to warn the user of significant mechanical difficulties in the product.
b. In portable products, a tactile signal such as vibration is often more effective than a visual signal because a visual signal may be missed. An auxiliary vibrating signaler might be effective if it is not readily achievable or effective to build vibration into a portable product.
c. For stationary products, a prominent visual indicator in the field of vision (e.g., a screen flash for a computer, or a flashing light for a telephone) is effective. To inform the user of the status of a process (e.g., line status on a telephone call, power on, saving to disk, or disconnected), text messages may be used. It is also desirable to have an image or light that is activated whenever acoustic energy is present on a telephone line.
d. Speech messages should be portrayed simultaneously in text form and displayed where easily seen by the user. Such captions should usually be verbatim and displayed long enough to be easily read. If the product provides speech messages and the user must respond to those messages (e.g., interactive voice response and voice mail), a TTY accessible method of accessing the product could be provided.
e. TTY to TTY long distance and message unit calls from pay telephones are often not possible because an operator says how much money must be deposited. Technology exists to have this information displayed on the telephone and a test installation is currently operating at the Butler plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In addition, if the product provides interactive communication using speech and video, it would be helpful to provide a method and channel for allowing non-speech communication (e.g., text conversation) in parallel with the video.
f. Certain operations of products make sounds that give status information, although these sounds are not programmed signals. Examples include the whir of an operating disk drive and the click of a key being pushed. Where sounds of this type provide information important for operating the product, such as a “beep” when a key is activated, provide a light or other visual confirmation of activation.
1. People who are hard of hearing but not deaf can often use their hearing to access auditory information on a product.
2. Strategies for addressing this requirement may include the following:
a. Improve the signal to noise ratio by making the volume adjustable, between 18-25 dB, increasing the maximum undistorted volume, and minimizing background noise by such methods as better coupling between the signal source and the user.
b. Alerting tones are most likely to be heard if they involve multiple tones, separated in frequency, which contrast with the environment.
c. Occasionally, varying tones may be preferred for attracting attention. If speech is used, it is best to test its intelligibility with individuals who are hard of hearing to maximize its clarity and ease of understanding. Provide the ability for the user to have any messages repeated or to repeat the message if no response is received from the user.
d. For essential auditory information, the information might be repeated and an acknowledgment from the user requested.
e. The intelligibility of the output can also be maximized by the location of the speakers and by keeping the speakers away from noise sources. However, visual displays are often more desirable than loud prompts or alerts, because the latter reduce privacy and can annoy others unless the amplified signal is isolated by means of a headphone, induction coupling, direct plug-in to a hearing aid, or other methods.
f. The use of a telephone handset or earcup which can be held up to the ear can improve intelligibility without disturbing others in the area. If a handset or earcup is used, making it compatible with a hearing aid allows users to directly couple the auditory signal to their hearing aids. If the microphone in the handset is not being used, turning it off will also reduce the amount of background noise which the person hears in the earpiece. Providing a headphone jack also allows individuals to plug in headphones, induction loops, or amplifiers which they may use to hear better.
1. Individuals with photo-sensitive epilepsy can have a seizure triggered by displays
2. Strategies to address this requirement involve reducing or eliminating screen flicker or image flashing to the extent possible. In particular, the rates of 2 Hz or lower or 70 Hz or higher are recommended. This recommendation reflects current research data on people with photosensitive epilepsy which indicates that the peak sensitivity for these individuals is 20 Hz and that the sensitivity then drops off in both directions.
3. The chance of triggering seizures can also be reduced by avoiding very bright flashes which occupy a large part of the visual field (particularly in the center of the visual field) in order to minimize the impact on the visual cortex.
1. Individuals using the audio access mode, as well as those using a product with the volume turned up, need a way to limit the range of audio broadcast.
2. If an audio headphone jack is provided, a cut-off switch can be included in the jack so that insertion of the jack would cut off the speaker. If a telephone-like handset is used, the external speakers can be turned off when the handset is removed from the cradle.
1. Individuals who are hard of hearing use hearing aids and other assistive listening devices but these devices cannot be used if a telecommunications product introduces noise into the listening aids because of stray electromagnetic interference.
2. Strategies for reducing this interference (as well as improving hearing aid immunity) are being researched. The most desirable strategy is to avoid the root causes of interference when a product is initially designed. If the root sources of interference cannot be removed, then shielding, placement of components to avoid hearing aid interference, and field-canceling techniques may be effective. Standards are being developed to limit interference to acceptable levels, but complete elimination for some technologies may not yet be practical.
3. In April 1996, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) established a task group (ANSI C63) under its subcommittee on medical devices to develop standards to measure hearing aid compatibility and accessibility to digital wireless telecommunications. The C63.19 task group is continuing to develop its standard, C63.19-199X, American National Standard for Methods of Measurement for Hearing Aid Compatibility with Wireless Communications Devices. When the standard is completed, the Board intends to reference it in this appendix.
1. Many individuals who are hard of hearing use hearing aids with a T-coil (or telecoil) feature to allow them to listen to audio output of products without picking up background noise and to avoid problems with feedback, signal attenuation or degradation.
2. The Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) Act defines a telephone as hearing aid compatible if it provides internal means for effective use with hearing aids and meets established technical standards for hearing aid compatibility.
3. The technical standards for HAC telephones are specified in ANSI/EIA-504-1989, “Magnetic Field Intensity Criteria for Telephone Compatibility with Hearing Aids,” ANSI/TIA/EIA-504-1-1994, “An Addendum to EIA-504,” which adds the HAC requirements, and the FCC regulations at 47 CFR 68.317 (a).
4. A good strategy for addressing this requirement for any product held up to the ear would be to meet these same technical requirements. If not readily achievable to provide built-in telecoil compatibility, other means of providing the electro-magnetic signal is the next strategy to be considered.
1. Some individuals with severe or multiple disabilities are unable to use the built-in displays and control mechanisms on a product.
2. The two most common forms of manipulation-free connections are an infrared connection or a radio frequency connection point. Currently, the Infrared Data Association (IrDA) infrared connection point is the most universally used approach.
3. The Infrared Data Association together with dominant market players in the cellular and paging industries, Ericsson, Matsushita/Panasonic, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Puma, and TU-KA Phone Kansai, announced on April 25, 1997 a proposed set of standards that will empower wireless communication devices, such as cellular phones, pagers and personal computers to transfer useful information over short distances using IrDA infrared data communication ports. Because the proposed standard is designed to be scalable, it is easy-to-adopt by a wide range of wireless devices from pagers
4. Adding an infrared connector to the serial port of a peripheral device or specialized customer premises equipment will make these products more compatible with each other and with customer premises equipment.
5. An infrared link can provide a mechanism for providing access to smaller, more advanced telecommunication devices and provide a safety net for products which are unable to incorporate other technologies. There is a joint international effort to develop a Universal Remote Console Communication (URCC) protocol which would achieve this functionality. (See
1. Individuals using audio peripheral devices such as amplifiers, telecoil adapters, or direct-connection into a hearing aid need a standard, noise free way to tap into the audio generated by a product.
2. Individuals who cannot hear well can often use products if they can isolate and enhance the audio output. For example, they could plug in a headphone which makes the audio louder and helps shut out background noise; they might feed the signal through an amplifier to make it louder, or through filters or frequency shifters to make it better fit their audio profile. If they are wearing a hearing aid, they may directly connect their hearing aid to the audio signal or plug in a small audio loop which allows them to couple the audio signal through their hearing aid's built-in T-coil.
3. Devices which can process the information and provide visual and/or tactile output are also possible. The most common strategy for achieving this requirement is the use of a standard 9 mm miniature plug-in jack, common to virtually every personal tape player or radio. For small products, a subminiature phone jack could be used.
1. Individuals who have artificial hands or use headsticks or mouthsticks to operate products have difficulty with capacitive or heat-operated controls which require contact with a person's body rather than a tool. Individuals who wear prosthetics are unable to operate some types of products because they either require motions that cannot easily be made with a prosthetic hand, or because products are designed which require touch of the human skin to operate them (e.g., capacitive touchscreen kiosks), making it impossible for individuals with artificial arms or hands to operate, except perhaps with their nose or chin. Some individuals who do not have the use of their arms use either a headstick or a mouthstick to operate products. Controls and mechanisms which require a grasping and twisting motion should be avoided.
1. Acoustic coupling is subject to interference from ambient noise, as many handsets do not provide an adequate seal with TTYs. Therefore, alternate (non-acoustic) connections are needed. Control of the microphone is needed for situations such as pay-phone usage, where ambient noise picked up by the mouthpiece often garbles the signal. For the use of voice carry-over, where the person can speak but not hear, the user needs to be able to turn the microphone on to speak and off to allow them to receive the TTY text replies.
2. A TTY can be connected to and used with any telecommunications product supporting speech communication without requiring purchase of a special adapter, and the user is able to intermix speech and clear TTY communication. The most common approach today is to provide an RJ-11 jack. On very small products, where there may not be room for this large jack, a miniature or subminiature phone-jack wired as a “headset” jack (with both speaker and microphone connections) could be used as an alternate approach. In either case, a mechanism for turning the phone mouthpiece (microphone) on and off would reduce garbling in noisy environments, while allowing the user to speak into the microphone when desired (to conduct conversations with mixed voice and TTY). For equipment that combines voice communications, displays, keyboards and data communication functions, it is desirable to build in direct TTY capability.
1. Some telecommunications systems compress the audio signal in such a manner that standard signals used by a TTY is distorted or attenuated preventing successful TTY communication over the system. A TTY can be used with any product providing voice communication function.
2. The de facto standard of domestic TTYs is Baudot which has been defined in ITU-T Recommendation V.18. Although the V.18 standard has been adopted, products are not yet available which meet its requirements.
3. This provision can be addressed by ensuring that the tones used can travel
29 U.S.C. 794d.
65 FR 80523, Dec. 21, 2000, unless otherwise noted.
The purpose of this part is to implement section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d). Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.
(a) Products covered by this part shall comply with all applicable provisions of this part. When developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology, each agency shall ensure that the products comply with the applicable provisions of this part, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.
(1) When compliance with the provisions of this part imposes an undue burden, agencies shall provide individuals with disabilities with the information and data involved by an alternative means of access that allows the individual to use the information and data.
(2) When procuring a product, if an agency determines that compliance with any provision of this part imposes an undue burden, the documentation by the agency supporting the procurement shall explain why, and to what extent, compliance with each such provision creates an undue burden.
(b) When procuring a product, each agency shall procure products which comply with the provisions in this part when such products are available in the commercial marketplace or when such products are developed in response to a Government solicitation. Agencies cannot claim a product as a whole is not commercially available because no product in the marketplace meets all the standards. If products are commercially available that meet some but not all of the standards, the agency must procure the product that best meets the standards.
(c) Except as provided by § 1194.3(b), this part applies to electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by agencies directly or used by a contractor under a contract with an agency which requires the use of such product, or requires the use, to a significant extent, of such product in the performance of a service or the furnishing of a product.
(a) This part does not apply to any electronic and information technology operated by agencies, the function, operation, or use of which involves intelligence activities, cryptologic activities related to national security, command and control of military forces, equipment that is an integral part of a weapon or weapons system, or systems which are critical to the direct fulfillment of military or intelligence missions. Systems which are critical to the direct fulfillment of military or intelligence missions do not include a system that is to be used for routine administrative and business applications (including payroll, finance, logistics, and personnel management applications).
(b) This part does not apply to electronic and information technology that is acquired by a contractor incidental to a contract.
(c) Except as required to comply with the provisions in this part, this part does not require the installation of specific accessibility-related software or the attachment of an assistive technology device at a workstation of a Federal employee who is not an individual with a disability.
(d) When agencies provide access to the public to information or data through electronic and information technology, agencies are not required to make products owned by the agency available for access and use by individuals with disabilities at a location other than that where the electronic and information technology is provided to the public, or to purchase products for access and use by individuals with disabilities at a location other than that where the electronic and information technology is provided to the public.
(e) This part shall not be construed to require a fundamental alteration in the nature of a product or its components.
(f) Products located in spaces frequented only by service personnel for maintenance, repair, or occasional monitoring of equipment are not required to comply with this part.
The following definitions apply to this part:
Nothing in this part is intended to prevent the use of designs or technologies as alternatives to those prescribed in this part provided they result in substantially equivalent or greater access to and use of a product for people with disabilities.
(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually.
(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer.
(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that assistive technology can track focus and focus changes.
(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to assistive technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.
(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or
(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.
(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.
(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.
(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided.
(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via “alt”, “longdesc”, or in element content).
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.
(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.
(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with § 1194.21(a) through (l).
(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
1. The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1
2. Paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section are different from WCAG 1.0. Web pages that conform to WCAG 1.0, level A (
(a) Telecommunications products or systems which provide a function allowing voice communication and which do not themselves provide a TTY functionality shall provide a standard non-acoustic connection point for TTYs. Microphones shall be capable of being turned on and off to allow the user to intermix speech with TTY use.
(b) Telecommunications products which include voice communication functionality shall support all commonly used cross-manufacturer non-proprietary standard TTY signal protocols.
(c) Voice mail, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response telecommunications systems shall be usable by TTY users with their TTYs.
(d) Voice mail, messaging, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response telecommunications systems that require a response from a user within a time interval, shall give an alert when the time interval is about to run out, and shall provide sufficient time for the user to indicate more time is required.
(e) Where provided, caller identification and similar telecommunications functions shall also be available for users of TTYs, and for users who cannot see displays.
(f) For transmitted voice signals, telecommunications products shall provide a gain adjustable up to a minimum of 20 dB. For incremental volume control, at least one intermediate step of 12 dB of gain shall be provided.
(g) If the telecommunications product allows a user to adjust the receive volume, a function shall be provided to automatically reset the volume to the default level after every use.
(h) Where a telecommunications product delivers output by an audio transducer which is normally held up to the ear, a means for effective magnetic wireless coupling to hearing technologies shall be provided.
(i) Interference to hearing technologies (including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive listening devices) shall be reduced to the lowest possible level that allows a user of hearing technologies to utilize the telecommunications product.
(j) Products that transmit or conduct information or communication, shall pass through cross-manufacturer, non-proprietary, industry-standard codes, translation protocols, formats or other information necessary to provide the information or communication in a usable format. Technologies which use encoding, signal compression, format transformation, or similar techniques shall not remove information needed for access or shall restore it upon delivery.
(k) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys, shall comply with the following:
(1) Controls and keys shall be tactilely discernible without activating the controls or keys.
(2) Controls and keys 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 keys shall be 5 lbs. (22.2 N) maximum.
(3) If key repeat is supported, the delay before repeat shall be adjustable to at least 2 seconds. Key repeat rate shall be adjustable to 2 seconds per character.
(4) The status of all locking or toggle controls or keys shall be visually discernible, and discernible either through touch or sound.
(a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer equipment that includes analog television receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not later than July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television (DTV) displays measuring at least 7.8 inches vertically, DTV sets with conventional displays measuring at least 13 inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners, whether or not they are marketed with display screens, and computer equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals.
(b) Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in computers, shall be equipped with secondary audio program playback circuitry.
(c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed captioned.
(d) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be audio described.
(e) Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or audio descriptions shall be user-selectable unless permanent.
(a) Self contained products shall be usable by people with disabilities without requiring an end-user to attach assistive technology to the product. Personal headsets for private listening are not assistive technology.
(b) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
(c) Where a product utilizes touchscreens or contact-sensitive controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with § 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).
(d) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.
(e) When products provide auditory output, the audio signal shall be provided at a standard signal level through an industry standard connector that will allow for private listening. The product must provide the ability to interrupt, pause, and restart the audio at anytime.
(f) When products deliver voice output in a public area, incremental volume control shall be provided with output amplification up to a level of at least 65 dB. Where the ambient noise level of the environment is above 45 dB, a volume gain of at least 20 dB above the ambient level shall be user selectable. A function shall be provided to automatically reset the volume to the default level after every use.
(g) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
(h) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a range of color selections capable of producing a variety of contrast levels shall be provided.
(i) Products shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
(j) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following:
(1) The position of any operable control shall be determined with respect to a vertical plane, which is 48 inches in length, centered on the operable control, and at the maximum protrusion of the product within the 48 inch length (see Figure 1 of this part).
(2) Where any operable control is 10 inches or less behind the reference plane, the height shall be 54 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor.
(3) Where any operable control is more than 10 inches and not more than 24 inches behind the reference plane, the height shall be 46 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor.
(4) Operable controls shall not be more than 24 inches behind the reference plane (see Figure 2 of this part).
(a) All mechanically operated controls and keys shall comply with § 1194.23(k)(1) through (4).
(b) If a product utilizes touchscreens or touch-operated controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with § 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).
(c) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.
(d) Where provided, at least one of each type of expansion slots, ports and connectors shall comply with publicly available industry standards.
(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.
(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for assistive technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.
(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided.
(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided.
(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.
(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.
(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.
(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.
(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.