LEI3707 Accessibility Assignment

Ashley Ramphal
Florida International University

Abstract
The purpose of the ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal
is to identify existing barriers within buildings that prevent persons with
disabilities from having proper accessibility. By utilizing the checklist to identify
barriers, these barriers can then be removed or improved upon so that the
building becomes compliant with ADA standards. In completing the checklist, the
advantages and barriers can be considered when making improvement
recommendations.

Accessibility Assignment
The ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal serves to
assist public accommodations as the first step in a planning process for readily
achievable barrier removal (Institute for Human Centered Design, 2011).
Businesses and public areas are required to provide their services to those with
disabilities, as per the Americans With Disabilities Act; however there are many
buildings that are not up to the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Completing
the checklist alerts a business or building to the changes that should be made
not only to comply with the ADA, but also provide equal accessibility to persons
with disabilities. These places can include fitness centers, schools, hospitals,
parks, and libraries as well. The Palm Beach County Main Library is an example
of one of many places that should be readily accessible to the general public,
including those with disabilities. Through completing the checklist, the library can
be made aware of changes that can be made in the future, when they have more
ability to do so.
Advantages
There were several advantages noted when completing the ADA checklist,
one of the key ones being the availability of open spaces for disabled persons to
easily navigate through. The library is located on one floor; therefore there is no
need for stairs or elevators anywhere in the facility. Throughout the whole
building, the ground is level even as persons move from outdoors to indoors, as
well as from one section of the library to another. There were no ramps, as the
level ground throughout the building made no need for one. On the outside, the

building also stood level with the ground on the parking lot. There were no curbs,
therefore any need for curb ramps. The sidewalks and routes of the library with
flush with the ground of the parking lot, making it easy for persons with mobile
devices like wheelchairs to move on. Although the library had no ramps or
railings, they made navigating from the parking lot to the library a smooth
transition. There were also no thick threshold edges in the doorway that made it
hard for mobility devices to go over. The floor in the library was outfitted in carpet
from wall to wall, so that there was no possibility of carpet being overturned in the
process of wheels rolling over it. Carpets also made the floor surface slipresistant.
The library also had many accessible places throughout the buildings.
They had six accessible parking spots in a parking lot of a 150 spots. The ADA
checklist recommends 4 accessible spots for every 100 parking spots, so the
library seemed to be within the dimensions of this requirement. In addition to
having a row of accessible parking spots, the library was also designed to be
accessible on the interior. The floor plan of the library was very open, with the
main routes being very wide and free of any obstacles. All of the book aisles
were to the side of the walkway. The seating area was also very accessible. The
tables were spaced about 4-5 feet apart, making the process of going forward as
well as turning much easier. Of the 104 seats count, 64 of them were situated in
a way that mobility devices could easily navigate towards them. The seats could
be pulled all the way out from under the table, freeing space for a wheelchair to

take its place. The tables were about 60 inches in width, and 27 inches in height,
making it compliant with the ADA checklist.
There was one restroom within the library that was easily accessible from
the main route once a person entered the building. The restroom had one large
accessible stall, but the space to go forward from the entry towards it was about
9 feet in length. The width from the sink to the paper towel dispenser was about 8
feet, but moving forward, it narrowed as the stalls came into view, to about 3
feet. The restroom was spacious enough so that a person using a wheelchair
had more than the 60x60 space to turn around in. The accessible stall was also
very spacious in length and width. The sink and soap dispenser, along with the
coat hanger, were all positioned within compliance of the ADA checklist. The sink
also was free of any obstacles underneath it, making it easy for those using a
wheelchair to pull up close to it and use the faucet without having to reach
forward.
Throughout the library, they also utilized motion sensor devices, which are
very helpful when making a building accessible for persons who have difficulties
using their arms and hands. The entrance doors are automatic, so that no pulling
or pushing is necessary. The restroom also had motion sensor paper towel
dispensers. In addition, the library had even installed an electronic book-returning
device. Persons returning books only need to push a button and then place their
books on a revolving belt.

Barriers
There were several barriers noted in and around the library when filling out
the checklist. The first one is the location of the parking spaces in proximity to the
entrance. The library parking lot is rather large, and there is only one accessible
entrance at the front of the building; however, the accessible parking spaces are
located around the corner of the building. This is not in accordance with standard
1.12 in Priority 1- Approach and Entrance of the ADA checklist that requires
accessible spaces to be located on the closest accessible route to the accessible
entrance (Institute for Human Centered Design, 2011). In addition, there are no
van-accessible parking spaces, making the library non-compliant with standard
1.3 of Priority 1- Approach and Entrance, which states that for every six
accessible parking spots, at least one should be van-accessible (Institute for
Human Centered Design, 2011). Persons that may be affected by this include
persons with manual mobility devices, like wheelchairs and walking sticks, as the
distance requires more effort and exertion of strength on this part. Persons may
be even further hindered if they are carrying large items, like backpacks and
large books, which can increase the burden of navigating that distance. Also,
persons that have accessible automobiles will be hindered by the lack of vanaccessible spaces, as these vehicles are sometimes larger in width and require
more space.
Within the library, there is an open-plan concept for the majority of the
space. However, the book aisles are narrow in comparison to what the ADA
Checklist requires. Standard 2.47 of Priority 2- Access to Goods and Services

requires aisles to be at least 36 inches in width; however the library aisles have a
width of 31 inches (Institute for Human Centered Design, 2011). For persons
using wheelchairs, they would be much too narrow to navigate through,
especially if they want to turn around into another aisle.
In regards to Priority 3- Toilet Rooms, while there is adequate space to
navigate through, the library lacks signage indicating the availability of an
accessible restroom stall. There are no signs on the outside of the restroom that
indicate there is an accessible stall, even though there is one. On the inside as
well, there is no sign on the door or anywhere else to indicate that the stall is
accessible, though it is. This is non-compliant with standards 3.2 and 3.3 of
Priority 3- Toilet Rooms. A lack of signage can be unhelpful to persons with
cognitive disabilities. A universal symbol of accessibility is commonly recognized
and understood across the world, and a lack of one can confuse and disorient
persons who are used to seeing that symbol and using it to navigate. The door of
the stall is also not self-closing, which is recommended in standard 3.43 (Institute
for Human Centered Design, 2011). The accessible stall also lacks a grab bar
along the rear wall behind the toilet, which is recommended in standard 3.34 of
Priority 3-Toilet Rooms. The lack of a rear grab bar provides difficulties for
persons that use it to stand, balance, and transfer themselves from the lavatories
to their mobility devices. It can also provide challenges for a person without
disabilities when helping a person with disabilities, as a rear grab bar can provide
support.

Accessibility Recommendations
For the accessibility issues in Priority 1- Approach and Entrances, there
are several viable solutions to make the area up to standard. For standard 1.12,
accessibility parking proximity, since there is only one accessible entrance for the
public, the easiest and most efficient solution would be to reconfigure the spaces.
Accessible parking spaces could be reconfigured to the front of the building.
Although there is no accessible route leading to the building, the library can make
future plans to make one, as the checklist is just the first step in removing
barriers. In the case of standard 1.3, the most logical way would be to repaint the
lines so that one of the parking spaces becomes van-accessible. Since there are
six parking spaces, it would be compliant with the ADA checklist, since for every
6 spaces, one must be van-accessible. Taking into consideration the spirit of the
law, namely the perceived intention of the law rather than just the written word,
further changes can be made beyond what the ADA describes (Garcia, Chen,
Gordon, 2014). If the library were to make accessibility changes simply for the
sake of increasing accessibility throughout the building and for the consideration
of their clients, they can also create multiple accessible entrances rather than just
have one.
For the issues in Priority 2- Access to Goods and Services, the solutions
are also simple, efficient and logical. The aisles can just be rearranged, so that
the space becomes wider. The library relies on an open space concept, and so
they have a lot of extra space to utilize. Next to the book aisles is the table
seating area, which has more than enough accessible space between tables. By

making it slightly narrower but still keeping it within regulation, the book aisles
can be slightly widened to improve upon space. A solution within the spirit of the
law dimensions would be to expand the library to have even more space,
therefore creating much more accessibility in the process. With more room, the
open-plan concept can be expanded, and there could be plenty of room for
navigation between aisles, among other things.
Priority 3- Toilet Rooms improvements involve the installation of small but
effective objects. An easy fix for standards 3.2 and 3.3 would be to install signage
both outside of the restroom and within the restroom. In doing so, the restroom
becomes much more accessible to persons with disabilities, especially those who
rely on these signs to navigate. Installing a closer on the stall door would resolve
the issue of the door remaining open, and comply with standard 3.43. Lastly,
installing a rear grab bar behind the lavatory can instant increase the accessibility
of the restroom, as it is helpful to persons with disabilities and persons assisting
those with disabilities. In the spirit of the law, the library can go beyond
expectations and built a second set of restrooms on the other side of the building,
so that disabled persons can use the one closest to them, and do not have to
wait until the only existing stall is vacant.
Global Review of Disability and Accessibility
In my opinion, the Americans with Disabilities Act revolutionized the way
society viewed people who have disabilities. Beforehand, people with disabilities
were stigmatized and discriminated against for reasons beyond their control.
They were thought of as unintelligent, and in some places, not even as a person.

The Americans with Disabilities Act opened societys eyes to the fact that a
person was not defined by the disability they had, and that people with disabilities
were still people who still had rights, dreams, ambition, and goals. Society
became aware of the fact that people with disabilities were prevented from living
full lives because of the stigma they faced, as well as the physical obstacles they
faced on a daily basis. The ADA helped society to realize the challenges the
disability community had faced for centuries, and created an opportunity for
justice and equality to finally be made.
For persons with disabilities, the ADA changed the world they lived in, and
set the stage for further opportunities to made for future generations. It was the
start of a civil rights movement that sought to put persons with disabilities on an
equal footing with the rest of the society, and an opportunity for them to achieve
goals and dreams because they finally had a voice through the ADA, and the
attention of the government and society. It created a new world for persons with
disabilities, a world of equal opportunity in the education and workforce settings
as well as one of accessibility.
I chose Canada to explore when it came to global disability rights. In
Canada, disability rights started around the same time during the 1970s, just as
the United States also began to implement change within society. After realizing
the difficulties the disability community faced, Canada sought to implement laws
that would provide equal opportunity for all. In 1977, Canada passed the
Canadian Human Rights Act, brought to light the need for all Canadian citizens
to be treated equally, but it did not specifically address the needs of the disabled

(1800 Wheelchair, 2015). Alongside the Canadian Human Rights Act was the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms of 1982, which guarantees personal
rights and freedom (Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, 2015). This
was the first step in Canadian history of disability rights, however it did not
specifically outline disability rights. In 1981, after the International Year of the
Disabled was implemented, global awareness began to spread about disability
issues. Because of this, Canada soon began making investigative reports into
the challenges the disabled community faced. This report was called the
Obstacles Report, and because of its findings, Canada began to implement
specific acts and laws that catered towards the equality and wellbeing of the
disabled community, like the Blind Persons Act in 1990 and the Employment
Equity Act in 1998, as well as others (1800 Wheelchair, 2015).
Historically, their timeline began around the same time as the United
States; however, they are behind on creating equal opportunity for the disabled
community. When comparing Canada to the United States, as well as their civil
rights laws to the Americans With Disability Act, the United States is much more
developed in terms of disability rights. Although they have specific laws for the
disabled, Canada does not have an all-encompassing law that guarantees the
protection and opportunity for equality for the disabled community. In fact,
although Canada had beginnings in disability rights around the same time as the
United States, they only recently began the process for a federal act that would
guarantee disability rights in regards to multiple facets of society, including
medicine and education. Whereas the United States implemented the ADA in

1990, Canada only brought the idea to their Parliament in 2008, stating that they
continue to develop and implement a national disability act to promote and
ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of Canadian society
(Prince, 2010). They have some catching up to do, especially in comparison to
their neighboring country, with whom they do share many societal views.
Canada has some accessibility standards in place that include barrier-free
travel, elevator access, restroom access, and much more (Ontario Ministry of
Municipals Affairs and Housing, 2015). However, these standards are specific to
the province that regulates them, which is Ontario. In addition to implementing a
federal disability rights law, Canada could also benefit from having federal
accessibility regulations that are standard across the nation. The ADA checklist
would help to provide a guideline as to what standards could be easily
implemented across the board (like multiple accessible parking spaces) and what
could be planned for future renovations (adding elevators, lifts, and multiple
accessible ramps, guardrails, and even restrooms in future buildings).
Globally, the world has come a long way in the way that they view persons
with disabilities. As stated earlier, the disabled community has been stigmatized
and discriminated against for centuries. With the world becoming a more
connected place, awareness rose for the challenges of the disabled community,
as well as the humanness of the community. People began to realize that
persons with disabilities were, in the end, just people, who had thoughts,
emotions, and aspirations like anyone else. The world went from treating the
disabled community like outcasts to recognizing their presence internationally.

For instance, international symbols of access are one of many architectural

examples of how far the world has come in its awareness of an entire population
of people, and in just a few decades. Airports, hospitals, schools, and many other
facilities across the world implement accessible standards in their building
designs.
However, there are issues that still need to be tackled, such as a cultural
stigma that the disabled community faces in countries that are often more rural.
For instance, in places where manual labor is depended on for survival, persons
with disabilities are outcast. This was instilled in cultures for hundreds and
thousands of years. One of the biggest issues to tackle is resolving the way the
disabled community is still viewed in some places, despite the large leaps they
have taken. It is a matter of redirecting perspective, and teaching societies that
persons with disabilities have a valid presence like any other.
Recreational therapy plays an important part in helped the disabled
community to reach fully equal status across the globe. Recreation and leisure is
internationally recognized in many forms, like sports and art. By utilizing these
many disciples of recreation to demonstrate the capability, strength, and
humanness of the disabled community, global awareness can increase even
more, and help to eliminate the stigmatizing issues that linger in some places
around the world.

References
Canadian charter of rights and freedoms. (2015). Retrieved from http://dredf.org/
legal-advocacy/international-disability-rights/international-laws/canadiancharter-of-rights-and-freedoms/
Garcia, S. M., Chen, P., & Gordon, M. T. (2014). The letter versus the spirit of the
law: A lay perspective on culpability. Judgement and DecisionMaking,9(5).
Guide to disability rights in canada. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.1800wheel
chair.ca/news/post/disability-rights-in-canada.aspx
Overview of updated accessibility requirements. (2015). Retrieved from Ontario
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website: http://www.mah
.gov.on.ca/Page10547.aspx
Prince, M. J. (2010). What about a disabilities rights act for canada? Practices
and lessons from america, australia, and the united kingdom. Canadian
Public Policy, 36(2).
What is program accessibility. (2011). Retrieved from Institute for Human
Centered Design website: http://www.adachecklist.org/about.html#what

Dear Mr. Davis,

I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to conduct my
assessment of the Summit Library and letting me use the library as the basis for
my assignment. I greatly appreciate the time you lent me, and would like to tell
you that it was truly a rewarding experience for me, because I was able to
actually interact with my assignment.
I wanted to let you know that the Summit library did wonderfully when comparing
its accessibility to the ADA checklist. There were many good outcomes that I was
able to determine. The library has a great amount of accessible parking spaces
in relation to the total parking space count. It is also extremely level around and
throughout the building, making a ramp and guardrails unnecessary for the
facility. A person using a mobility device would easily be able to transition from
their vehicle to the pavement and into the library without encountering any
slopes. The library is also great because it uses automatic sliding doors, so there
is no need to pull or push to gain access. The interior of the library is also very
spacious, especially regarding the seating area. The accessible restroom stall
was also very spacious.
The changes that could be made are all very minimal. The main change
that I believe the library could benefit from would be to add a van-accessible
space. Additionally, widening the book aisles would help those using a
wheelchair to easily navigate through the aisles. Lastly, adding a rear grab bar in
the restroom stall would help persons with disabilities to retain balance when
using the restroom.

All in all it, was a very pleasant experience, and one that I truly appreciate.
Thank you once again for your time and participation!
Best regards,
Ashley Ramphal