This course is part of the ADA Academy

Photo courtesy of Inpro

An elevator is a great example of a tool often used in commercial and public spaces that can be designed for universal accessibility.

An elevator is a great example of a tool often used in commercial and public spaces that can be designed for universal accessibility. Other applications in these types of communal accessed spaces include accessible entrances, ramps, and restrooms that include grab bars, lowered sinks, and wide stalls.

Indoor Signage as Universal Design

Another important avenue for hitting accessibility benchmarks in building design is specifying a universally accessible signage system, which helps people with diverse needs find and use the tools designed to enable ease in the use of the building. Additionally, signage enables any building occupant to navigate the space effortlessly, leading to increased satisfaction and positive perceptions of the building.

Those tasked with creating a signage system should consider certain qualities to meet universal design standards. High visibility and readability help make signage user-friendly for all people, including those with visual impairments. Legible fonts and appropriate sizing make signage easier to read, and tactile elements like braille can also be included to add another point of accessibility. High-contrast color schemes make signage accessible for those with low vision or color blindness. This means avoiding color combinations that are too similar and that may cause confusion. Pictograms and symbols can help communicate across language barriers. The placement of signage in a building should be appropriate for those of various heights and mobility levels. Importantly, signage in a building should follow a consistent and intuitive system. A cohesive design enhances the overall user experience for anyone navigating a building.

As with any part of a building, signage can both age physically and become dated stylistically. Regular building audits can help prevent confusion for building users by catching signs of system aging such as faded, scratched, or vandalized signs, or signs with Braille that are missing dots. The posting of make-shift signs, like ones written by hand and taped to a wall or door, should signal to designers or building managers that more or improved signage is needed. Signage also offers the opportunity for a business or space to stay on-brand through color schemes and styles.

A New Frontier of Universal Design

Other universal design features may apply to residential spaces, including zero-step entrances, roll-in showers, adjustable countertops and cabinetry, and open, reconfigurable floor plans with wide, clear pathways.

As we implement more smart technologies into our homes, public and commercial spaces, and transportation systems, these technologies represent new opportunities for universal design. Voice-activated devices and home automation systems can help streamline user effort.

Many universal design priorities can be coupled with sustainability priorities.² Energy-efficient and water-saving technologies, sustainable materials, and ventilation and air filtration systems may help architects and designers accomplish multiple goals at once.

Universal design helps designers meet the needs of our current population, including diverse ages, experiences, and abilities. Leaning into the principles of universal design also can guide designers and architects to think ahead in new ways and ensure our built environment meets the changing needs of the people who use built spaces and their surrounding areas.

ADA COMPLIANCE: REGULATING UNIVERSAL DESIGN SECTION TITLE

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law written for people living with disabilities when it was signed into law by President George W. H. Bush in 1990.³ The law prohibits discrimination based on disability, especially regarding workplaces and services provided by state and local governments. The legal definition of a person with a disability, as written in the ADA, is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities, someone who has a history or record of impairment of that kind (such as someone who has had cancer but is in remission), or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment (including people with scars from severe burns).⁴ The ADA also established design requirements for both the construction and alteration of facilities in the private and public sectors.

It’s important to note that the requirements of ADA are not synonymous with universal design. However, the legal need to comply with the ADA is also an opportunity for architects to consider the greater framework concepts of universal design. Architects striving to create a more welcoming, inclusive, and accessible built environment will benefit from thinking through universal design options from the outset of their projects.

Over the decades, the ADA has been amended to apply to designs for a wider range of structure types. The Department of Justice in 2010 adopted a set of ADA standards that are enforceable by federal law and include specific provisions for all ADA-covered facilities including assembly areas, medical care facilities, lodging places, housing at schools, correctional facilities, social service centers, and residential dwelling units. These are called the ADA Standards for Accessible Design and they lay out the scoping and technical requirements needed to implement the ADA in these spaces. Subsequent laws and amendments have furthered the goals of the ADA by implementing them in other systems and services including children’s play areas, recreation facilities, voting places, transportation hubs and systems, and medical diagnosis equipment.⁵ At this point, ADA requirements apply to most private and public facilities, with the exception of religious organizations, private clubs, and other facilities run by these organizations, like a daycare center run by a church.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., approximately six million Americans live with vision loss, and one million live with blindness.⁶ Rates of visual impairments are harder to measure but add to those numbers as well. As the baby boomer generation continues to age, rates of impairment are expected to increase drastically. The ADA includes requirements around signage to support those with vision problems.

Americans with Disabilities Act as Applied to Signage

The public is expected to uphold ADA requirements around signage and there may be penalties for those that overlook compliance. A patron who feels their rights through ADA have not been upheld can file a federal lawsuit. The courts can award monetary damages of up to $75,000 for the first ADA violation and up to $150,000 for each subsequent violation for facilities found to be out of compliance. A violation could be as simple as using the wrong type of Braille on a sign. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has jurisdiction over state and local facilities, though a state may amend its building codes as long as it receives approval from the DOJ. Enforcement of state codes is done at a local level by building inspectors.

Violations are commonly identified within access tools like doorways, restrooms, pedestrian ramps, seating, and parking. And there are common violations involving signage: signs that misidentify or do not identify access routes, stairs, and exits. Signs, themselves, can be violations if they’re outdated, missing, incorrect, hard to find, or mounted incorrectly or at the wrong height.

Now that the stakes of poorly made signage have been identified, let’s identify the characteristics of an ADA-compliant sign. There are clear ADA guidelines for permanent room identification signs. A women’s bathroom sign falls into this category. There are three sections of guidelines for ADA regulations: sign composition, mounting, and finish and contrast.