|
 Like us on facebook!
_________
Upcoming Events | |
October 16-18, 2012
Anaheim, CA
Jan 29 - Feb 1, 2013
Lake Mead
Webinar Archives
|
|
|
|
NCA Training Courses Set for 2013
Early Registration Equals Big Savings for Professional Development
The National Center on Accessibility will offer three open registration training courses during the first part of 2013. While agency budgets remain tight, an overwhelming number of trainees report the NCA training will save their agency in time, money and resources over the long term. Ever conscious of budget constraints, NCA will offer early registration discounts.
Access to Parks and Outdoor Recreation Areas
January 29 - February 1, 2013
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Boulder City, Nevada
Universal Approach to Interpretive Planning, Programs, and Design
Spring 2013
Washington, DC
Accessibility Management in Parks, Recreation and Tourism
June 17-21, 2013
Indiana University - Bloomington
CEUs will be offered for each course (an additional processing fee applies). Course details and registration information will continue to be updated on the NCA web site. |
|
NCA Staff on the Road
Meet Up with NCA Staff at NRPA
Are you headed to the National Recreation and Park Association Congress in Anaheim, October 16-18? Be sure to look for the National Center on Accessibility in the NRPA Expo. Nikki Montembeault, Jennifer Skulski and Sherril York will be on site. Be sure to stop by Booth #1524. In addition, Peggy Greenwell, U.S. Access Board, and Jennifer Skulski will be presenting a session on the findings of the playground surface study October 17. |
|
Report Finds 508 Compliance Challenging
DOJ Issues Report on Federal Compliance with Section 508
In September, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a status report on federal compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Within the report, Accessibility of Federal Electronic and Information Technology, a number of issues are cited as challenges for compliance. According to DOJ, agencies reported facing challenges in ensuring accessibility of software or multimedia they develop, in providing training and support for all staff who need information about Section 508 compliance, and in identifying specific Section 508 requirements, as opposed to general standardized language, to be incorporated in their procurements. They also face challenges ensuring their testing of products and websites is complete and robust. Only about thirty percent of agency components that developed videos or multimedia productions had included a process to ensure the accessibility of training or informational videos or multimedia productions. less than fifty percent of agency components incorporated specific applicable Section 508 Accessibility Standards as requirements in each procurement solicitations. A majority of the agency components only provided standardized compliance language or clauses in their solicitations. Additionally, instead of relying on actual product testing to validate Section 508 compliance, agency components most often relied on reviewing the materials submitted by the contractor or vender to evaluate whether the deliverables met the Section 508 requirements. Some agency components conducted no evaluation at all. Read more > |
|
Illinois Student Athlete Scores
IHSA to Adopt Sport Standards for Students with Disabilities
The Illinois Attorney General has entered into a settlement agreement with the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), a not-for-profit of 794 high schools across the state. The settlement comes on behalf of Mary Kate Callahan, a high school athlete with a disability seeking to represent her school in high school athletic competition. While Mary Kate has participated in swimming and track, she has been unable to earn points for her school in post-season competition since there has been a lack of qualifying standards for students with disabilities. In the settlement agreement, IHSA will establish qualifying standards and adopt the classification system used by the International Paralympic Committee. Read more > |
|
Netflix Appeals Caption Requirement
Questions Arise Regarding Captioning for Internet Streaming
In 2011, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a lawsuit against Netflix over its lack of captioning for movies streamed via the Internet. This summer Netflix appealed the judge's ruling claiming the ADA does not apply to streaming technology and conflicts with the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. While the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ruled streamed television content must be captioned, it is still a matter to see if the courts agree. This case is certainly one to watch. Many recreation and tourism web sites provide streaming video content and the Department of Justice contends captioning is required as part of the "program access" and "effective communication" regulations in the ADA. |
|
Census Bureau Releases New Report
Updated Survey Shows Increase in Population
of People with Disabilities
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 56 million people with disabilities in the United States with $200 billion in discretionary spending. The data analysis comes in a newly released Current Populations Report from the Census Bureau issued as part of the Americans with Disabilities 2010 - Household Economic Studies. The last report was published in 2005 as part of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The total number of people with disabilities has increased by 2.2 million. Statistically, while the percentage of people with disabilities has stayed the same, the percent of people with severe disabilities has increased. People with disabilities were found to be more likely to experience poverty and unemployment. People in the oldest age group were 8 times more likely to experience disability than people in the youngest age group. Review of the report is recommended for recreation practitioners with direct program and service responsibilities. Full report (PDF) > |
|
2013 National ADA Symposium
Call for Presentations
The National ADA Symposium, hosted by the Great Plains ADA Center, will be accepting proposals for presentations through October 1. The 2013 is scheduled to be held May 12-15 in San Antonio, Texas. More than 300 people attended the 2012 symposium held in Indianapolis where the National Center on Accessibility coordinated the recreation track. NCA encourages individuals with expertise in recreation access to submit a session proposal. For more information and instructions on submitting a proposal to the Great Plains ADA Center, visit the ADA Symposium web site. |
|
DOJ Gives More Time for Existing Pools
Public Comment Leads to Extension for Existing Pools
On May 18, 2012, the US Department of Justice announced that it is adopting a final rule extending the compliance date for sections 242 and 1009 of the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design, as they relate to the provision of accessible entry and exit to existing swimming pools, wading pools, and spas (pools built before March 15, 2012). These provisions for existing pools of Title II and Title III entities will now take effect on January 31, 2013.
The DOJ extension comes after several discussions with the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) earlier this year, a notice of proposed rulemaking and over 1,300 comments from the public. In addition to the extension, DOJ has issued a new guidance document Questions and Answers: Accessibility Requirements for Existing Swimming Pools at Hotels and Other Public Accommodations and revised the document from earlier this year ADA Requirements: Accessible Pools - Means of Entry and Exit. |
|
The National Center on Accessibility is a center of Indiana University's Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies within the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Since 1992, NCA has played a critical role in increasing awareness of inclusion of people with disabilities in parks, recreation and tourism while advancing the spirit and intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act and other disability legislation. Through research, technical assistance and training, NCA builds a continuum of comprehensive services for park and recreation practitioners, focusing on universal design and practical solutions that create inclusive recreation opportunities for people of all abilities. NCA is funded in part by the National Park Service.
National Center on Accessibility | 501 North Morton Street, Suite 109, Bloomington, IN 47404-3732 | Voice: (812) 856-4422 | TTY: (812) 856-4421 | Fax: (812) 856-4480 | Copyright © 2012 The Trustees of Indiana University |
|
|
