Accessibility Services is part of an exciting initiative with SUNY Buffalo’s Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDeA) in regards to public transportation for people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research has awarded researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and SUNY Buffalo the IDeA Center a $4.7 million dollar grant to combine information systems technology with design. The goal is to improve the usability of public transportation for people with disabilities.

A part of the collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University and the IDeA Center is the establishment of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Accessible Transportation (RERC-APT). The mission of the RERC-APT is to “Research and develop methods to empower consumers and service providers in the design and evaluation of accessible transportation, equipment, information services, and physical environments.” Please see the RERC-APT website: www.rercapt.org for additional information.

Accessibility Services staff will be part of this worthwhile project and will focus on improving accessible transportation by working toward the development of enhanced transportation regulations and standards for building codes and federal requirements.

Currently, Accessibility Services staff is developing a course that will be included in the IDeA Center’s online training program. The course will include links to a podcast, readings, quiz questions and a discussion board. AIA credit is currently pending for the course.

Update: Accessible Transportation Facility Design & Compliance with the Revised ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines

The goal of this course is to enable participants to learn the minimum requirements for accessibility at transportation facilities covered under the US Department of Transportation regulations using the Revised ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines.

This course will provide an overview of the accessibility requirements that affect transportation facilities that fall under US DOT jurisdiction, including:

• Basic “building blocks” of accessibility (i.e. reach ranges)
• Exterior and interior accessible routes
• Ramps
• Curb ramps
• Elevators and lifts
• Accessible parking
• Doors
• Plumbing (toilet rooms, drinking fountains)
• Bus Boarding and Alighting Areas
• Bus Shelters
• Bus Signs
• Rail Platforms
• Detectable Warnings
• Rail Station Signs

Accessibility Services staff is looking forward to working on this exciting project. To register for this online course, please go to http://www.udeworld.com/training/continuing-education/registration.html

To learn more about the IDeA Center’s online continuing education program, please visit: http://www.udeworld.com/training/continuing-education.html