U.S. Access Board Webinar: Looking Ahead – "Frontier Accessibility Issues" (December 7th)

The next webinar in the U.S. Access Board's free monthly series will take place December 7 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and will review new design trends, products, and technologies that impact or advance accessibility for people with disabilities. Examples include mobility devices used on commercial airlines, inclusive exercise equipment, adult changing tables, autonomous vehicles, and wayfinding technologies.

 Register for the webinar  www.accessibilityonline.org 

Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the webinar. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions or comments on specific technologies and trends in advance.

Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site.

Source: United States Access Board

Webinar: Web Content Accessibility Guideline Resources (November 28)

The next U.S. Access Board webinar in the Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series will take place November 28 from 1:00 to 2:30 (ET) and review available resources explaining the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Issued by the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), WCAG 2.0 is a globally recognized, technology-neutral standard for accessible web content. The U.S. Access Board's updated Section 508 Standards reference WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria Level A and AA and apply them to web-based content and to other electronic content. This session will cover various technical assistance materials issued by the W3C's WAI to support use of the WCAG 2.0, including a customizable reference guide and guidance on developing conformant web content.

For more details or to register for this or other webinars in the free series, visit www.accessibilityonline.org/cioc-508/schedule.

The Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series provides helpful information and best practices for federal agencies in meeting their obligations under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act which ensures access to information and communication technology in the federal sector. This webinar series is made available by the Accessibility Community of Practice of the CIO Council in partnership with the Access Board.

Section 508 Best Practices: W3C WCAG 2.0 Resources   
November 28, 2017, 1:00 - 2:30 (ET)
Presenters:
 • Bruce Bailey, IT Accessibility Specialist, U.S. Access Board
 • Judy Brewer, Director of W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative
 • Timothy Creagan, Senior Accessibility Specialist, U.S. Access Board (moderator) 

Registration: https://www.accessibilityonline.org/cioc-508/session/?id=110616

source: United States Access Board

U.S. Access Board Meeting and Webcast (November 15, 2017)

The U.S. Access Board will hold its next meeting on November 15 from 1:30 – 3:00 (ET) at the Board's conference space in downtown Washington, D.C. The public is welcome to attend in person or through a live webcast of the meeting. A public comment period will be held during the final 15 minutes of the meeting. Those interested in making comments in person or by phone should send an email to Rose Bunales at bunales@access-board.gov by November 8 with "Access Board meeting - Public Comment" in the subject line. Please include your name, organization, state, and topic of your comment in the body of the message.

Meeting of the U.S. Access Board     
November 15, 1:30 – 3:00 (ET)
Webcast link: www.access-board.gov/webcast
Access Board Conference Center 
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 
Note: For the comfort of all participants and to promote a fragrance-free environment, attendees are requested not to use perfume, cologne, or other fragrances.

source: United States Access Board

U.S. Access Board to Host Workshop Comparing Accessibility in the U.S. and Australia on Nov. 13, 2017

The U.S. Access Board will host a workshop with accessibility experts from Australia on November 13 that will compare how building accessibility is addressed in Australia and the U.S. The public is welcome to the free event which will explore methods used in both countries to regulate, monitor, and enforce compliance with accessibility requirements. The goal is to foster a better understanding of how covered entities meet their responsibilities under civil rights and other laws governing access to the built environment.

Representing Australia will be Michael Small, a former government official and the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship to study building accessibility from an international perspective. He was active in drafting Australia's building accessibility regulations and standards and also produced a variety of resources to assist building professionals in meeting them. He will be joined by Robin Banks, a consultant in human rights who formerly headed the Australian Public Interest Advocacy Centre and served as a state Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.

The Access Board has invited panelists from disability rights organizations, building codes groups, government, the design profession, and industry. The structured portion of the program will run from 9:30 to noon. Following a break for lunch, there will be an informal guided discussion with invited panelists, other participants, and members of the public that will cover implementation, particularly in relation to alterations and additions to existing facilities. The public can attend in person or remotely through a phone bridge with communication access real-time translation (CART). Call-in instructions and the CART link will be posted on the U.S. Access Board's website at a later date.

For further information, contact Marsha Mazz at (202) 272-0020(v), (202) 272- 0076 (TTY), or mazz@access-board.gov.

Achieving Access for People with Disabilities in the Built Environment: An International Comparison
November 13, 9:30 – 12:00 (ET), followed by an informal discussion after the lunch break
Access Board Conference Center
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, D.C.
Dial-in Number: (877) 701-1628, International: (517) 268-2743; Passcode: 69545743
CART Link: [to be posted]
Note: For the comfort of all participants and to promote a fragrance-free environment, attendees are requested not to use perfume, cologne, or other fragrances.

source: U.S. Access Board 

U.S. Access Board Webinar: Accessible Trails (November 5)

The next webinar in the U.S. Access Board's free monthly series will take place November 5 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and will cover access to trails. This session will review requirements for trails that the Board issued in 2013 as part of a supplementary rule on outdoor areas developed by the federal government. These provisions, while applicable to national parks and other federal lands covered by the Architectural Barriers Act, can be used as a resource in addressing access to trails on other types of sites. Representatives from the Board and the National Park Service will conduct the session.

For more information, including registration instructions, visit www.accessibilityonline.org. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits (CEUs). Questions can be submitted in advance of the session (total limited to 25) or can be posed during the webinar.

Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site. The webinar series is made available in cooperation with the ADA National Network.

as shared by the U.S. Access Board

U.S. Access Board Webinar: Access Board Sponsored Research Projects (June 4)

The next webinar in the U.S. Access Board's free monthly series will take place June 4 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and will provide an overview of research sponsored by the Access Board. The Board funds research on accessibility to support its development of accessibility guidelines and standards and technical assistance materials. This session will review various Board-sponsored projects undertaken over the past 15 years, including research on human measures and wheeled mobility, exterior surfaces, playground surfaces, and swimming pool accessibility. 

Questions can be submitted in advance of the session (total limited to 25) or can be posed during the webinar.

For more information, including registration instructions, visit www.accessibilityonline.org.

#as shared by the United States Access Board

Comments Due May 28 on the U.S. Access Board's Updated ICT Accessibility Requirements

In February, the U.S. Access Board released for public comment a proposed rule updating accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) in the federal sector covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The rule also would jointly update guidelines for telecommunications equipment subject to Section 255 of the Communications Act. The Board is updating these requirements so that they adequately address accessibility and keep pace with the ever-changing nature of the technologies covered.

Public comments on the proposed ICT rule are due May 28. Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent feasible. Comments can be submitted or viewed through the www.regulations.gov website. The proposed rule includes instructions on submitting comments.

For further information, visit the Board's website.