School Accessibility.pptVIP

School Accessibility An Overview for Professionals and Newcomers Griff Campbell Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Delaware Department of Labor Michael Gamel-McCormick Center for Disabilities Studies University of Delaware What will we cover today? Legislative background Physical accessibility requirements Educational accessibility guidelines Resources for support Funding strategies But first… Take out a piece of paper and pen or pencil Relax and take a moment to think about your typical day From the moment you leave your house or apartment, what do you need to do to get into and settled at your workplace ready to work? Write down as many of the steps as possible Now… Think back to when you were a student in High school Middle school Elementary school Preschool From the moment you left your house or apartment, what did you need to do to get to and settled in at school? Write down as many of the steps as possible School Accessibility should be about… Making sure that all students and their families can Get to school Get in school Interact with students, teachers, staff, and administration at school Access the curriculum at school Participate in all activities at school, including extra-curricular activities Legislative Background Architectural Barriers Act (1968)—first substantial federal law requiring accessibility to all buildings and facilities financed with federal funds (which includes most school buildings); requires access to facilities designed, built, altered, or leased with federal funds after 1968; requires buildings and facilities covered by the law meet accessibility standards. Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards cover walks, ramps, curb ramps, entrances, elevators, and rest rooms; indicate how many of a certain item, such as accessible parking spaces, are required, where they must be located, and how they must be built or installed so they can be used by everyone; given structural constraints, it was difficult to retrofit buildings to attain