What an accessible web we weave.When surfing the World Wide Web, accessibility coordinators can find some pretty "gnarly (jargon) gnarly - /nar'lee/ Both obscure and hairy. "Yow! - the tuned assembler implementation of BitBlt is really gnarly!" From a similar but less specific usage in surfer slang. " waves of resources through the simple point and click of a mouse. The following Web sites highlight some of the most useful accessibility resources on the Internet; they should be bookmarked by anyone who is interested in accessibility or is looking for sources of information to help his or her agency comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Americans with Disabilities Act, U.S. civil-rights law, enacted 1990, that forbids discrimination of various sorts against persons with physical or mental handicaps. . National Center on Accessibility www.indiana.edu/~nca NCA provides technical assistance, training, and research on accessibility issues of interest to parks, recreation, and tourism. The NCA Web pages highlight resources on making swimming pools, golf courses, trails, and playgrounds accessible. The pages also list back issues of NCP/s newsletters and links to other accessibility sites on the Web. U.S. Access Board www.access-board.gov The U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board's Web page outlines the most current status of accessibility standards and proposed Guidelines), Recommendations for Swimming Pool Access, and Recommendations for Play Facilities, is posted for review. Future Access Board meetings, minutes from previous meetings, the Access Board newsletter, and publications are also posted. U.S. Department of Justice ADA Ada, city, United States Ada (ā`ə), city (1990 pop. 15,820), seat of Pontotoc co., S central Okla.; inc. 1904. It is a large cattle market and the center of a rich oil and ranch area. www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahoml.htm The U.S. DOJ (Department Of Justice) The legal arm of the U.S. government that represents the public interest of the United States. It is headed by the Attorney General. Web site is another "must" bookmark A stored location for quick retrieval at a later date. Web browsers provide bookmarks that contain the addresses (URLs) of favorite sites. Most electronic references, large text databases and help systems provide bookmarks that mark a location users want to revisit in the future. for those interested in accessibility. The site lists technical assistance materials for program access. But most beneficial are its periodic status reports on disability-related complaints and litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. . The settlement information can provide guidance for park and recreation providers. Cases include the use of auxiliary aids at Walt Disney World Noun 1. Walt Disney World - a large amusement park established in 1971 to the southwest of Orlando Orlando - a city in central Florida; site of Walt Disney World and architectural access to temporary exhibits at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair, an interactive outdoor event which focuses on recreating the look and feel of a fictional 16th Century "England-like" fantasy kingdom.. . Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers www.icdi.wvu.edu/tech/dbtac.htm Title II and III entities requiring technical assistance to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act can locate their regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC DBTAC Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center ) on this Web site. Many of the regional DBTAC Web sites include recent newsletters and FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) A group of commonly asked questions about a subject along with the answers. Vendors often display them on their Web sites for use as troubleshooting guidelines. . Graphic Artists Guild Foundation www.gag.org/das Looking for symbols of accessibility to use in signage, brochures, or other materials? The Graphic Artists Guild Foundation has posted disability access symbols, which were developed through support and technical assistance from the Office for Special Constituencies, National Endowment for the Arts National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Independent agency of the U.S. government that supports the creation, dissemination, and performance of the arts. It was created by the U.S. . Downloadable symbols include those indicating audio description, volume control, sign language interpretation, dosed captioning, and more. Alberta www.abledata.com Searching for products to provide access to programs and facilities? Alberta is a national online database of assistive technology. This search-driven database can link park and recreation planners with manufacturers, products, and organizations that offer technical assistance on ADA guidelines. Center for Universal Design www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud North Carolina State University's Center for Universal Design Web site offers a comprehensive discussion of the principles of universal design. The site reviews the concept of designing products and environments usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Additionally, the site uses graphic examples to illustrate each principle. Accessibility Data Management System www.pn.usbr.gov/adms/index.html Developed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Accessibility Data Management System is the most advanced system to date for managing facility and program accessibility evaluations and project planning. Trace Research and Development Center www.trace.wisc.edu/index.html The Trace Center is an interdisciplinary research, development, and resource center for technology and disability. It is part of the Waisman Center and the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The site includes current research projects and proposed draft requirements for designing accessible Web pages. National Center on Accessible Media (WGBH) www.boston.com/wgbh/ncam The National Center on Accessible Media is a research and development facility that strives to provide media accessibility for people with disabilities, minority language users, and those with undeveloped literacy skills. The NCAM NCAM National Center for Accessible Media NCAM Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule NCAM North Carolina Aviation Museum Web site includes information on the innovative Rear-Window movie-captioning system, Web access features, and methods for providing accessible media. Project ACTION www.projectaction.org Project ACTION (Accessible Community Transportation in Our Nation) is a congressionally created national technical assistance program authorized under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; ISTEA, pronounced Ice-Tea) is a United States federal law that posed a major change to transportation planning and policy, as the first U.S. (ISTEA ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act ISTEA Initial Screening Training Effectiveness Analysis ). Project ACTION works to promote cooperation between the disability community and the transportation industry for the planning and implementation of accessible transportation systems in U.S. communities. Beneficial Designs www.beneficialdesigns.com An engineering and design firm specializing in technologies that enhance access for people of all abilities, Beneficial Designs has participated in national research projects covering topics ranging from trails to human performance. The Beneficial Designs Web page also highlights the firm's innovative Universal Trail Assessment Process. Jennifer K. Bowerman is the assistant Director of training and technical assistance At the Great Lakes Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center. |
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