U.S. Access Board to Celebrate 50 Years of the Architectural Barriers Act (September 7)

U.S. Access Board to Celebrate 50 Years of the Architectural Barriers Act (September 7)

ABA 50th 1968 - 2018

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), the first federal law to address accessibility for people with disabilities. Passed unanimously by Congress in 1968, the law requires facilities funded by the federal government to be accessible. The U.S. Access Board was created to enforce the ABA, which it continues to do to this day. The Board also issues and maintains accessibility guidelines for facilities covered by the law.

The public is invited to join the Access Board for a celebration of the ABA on September 7 from 1:30 – 3:30 at the Board's conference space. The event will feature Judith Heumann, Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation, and other guest speakers, including representatives from federal agencies that issue accessibility standards under the ABA. The Board will also unveil an exhibit on the ABA and the first accessibility standards in the U.S. The event will be streamed live online. A complimentary reception will immediately follow.

Registration is not required. Direct any questions to Dave Yanchulis at yanchulis@access-board.gov or (202) 272-0026 (v), or (202) 272-0027 (TTY).

A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Architectural Barriers Act
September 7, 1:30 – 3:30 (ET)
Webcast link: https://www.access-board.gov/
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.

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U.S. Access Board Webinar: Federal Facilities and the ABA Accessibility Standards (September 6)

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), the U.S. Access Board will conduct a webinar on the law and the accessibility standards that are used to enforce it on September 6 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET). Passed in 1968, the ABA is the first law passed by Congress to address accessibility and applies to facilities funded by the federal government. The Access Board was created to enforce the ABA and will use this webinar to explain how it ensures compliance through the investigation of complaints. It will also review the most common barriers raised in complaints. The Board will be joined by a representative from the General Services Administration, which issues standards under the ABA, who will review the ABA standards and their application to federal facilities.

Visit www.accessibilityonline.org for more information or to register. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the webinar. 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.

In addition, the public is welcome to join the Board for a celebration of the ABA on September 7 from 1:30 – 3:30 (ET) at its conference space. The event will feature Judith Heumann, Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation, and other guest speakers, including representatives from federal agencies that issue accessibility standards under the ABA. The Board will also unveil an exhibit on the ABA and the first accessibility standards in the U.S. The event will be streamed live online. A complimentary reception will immediately follow.