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Global Universal Design Educators 
Monthly Online News

Produced and distributed monthly by Elaine Ostroff In cooperation with the Adaptive Environments Center, the Center for Universal Design and the Trace R&D Center; with support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

Volume 2 Number 7 , October 2000

CONTENTS

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EDITOR’S NOTE

We welcome the Trace R&D Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison and the Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University as two new sponsors of the Online News. The Trace Center has also generously agreed to host the Global Universal Design Educator’s e-mail ListServ. Subscription information is explained toward the end of the newsletter.

This issue is much longer than usual, as we catch up after the 3-month hiatus in publishing. Please note the important announcement from the United States, on the search for an Executive Director for the Center for Universal Design. The number of conferences that address inclusion and universal design is quite remarkable. We introduce the disabilityworld e-zine for those who may not have discovered it yet; provide news from several UK organizations and showcase two new design competitions that offer opportunities for students to consider universal design. This issue also reports on the status of access in Italian towns and more about the continuing efforts through the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability to support accessibility. We include news about the new online course developed by the AIA and the US Access Board as well as important notices from the US Access Board and the Federal Communications Commission. Our apologies to those who have sent material that is not included. If you sent materials not yet published, they will be in the November issue.

Information from the Monthly Online News may be freely copied and quoted as long as the individual author, and/or web site and this source is cited. Previous issues of the Online News are available online at the Adaptive Environments web site at:

http://www.adaptenv.org/global/default.asp?f=5.  

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NEWS FROM THE GLOBAL NETWORK

CANADA

The International Conference on Technology and Aging, Calls for Proposals  

The International Conference on Technology and Aging, will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto, Canada, September 12-14, 2001. It will explore how the technological revolution can contribute to a positive quality of life as we age. See the website for full information at http://www.icta.on.ca

The call highlights the following audiences:

Designers; Researchers; Policy; Senior Consumers; Industry; Caregivers or operators of homecare programs or long-term care facilities.                            

  • Abstract submission deadline: March 5, 2001
  • Notification of paper/poster acceptance: April 30, 2001
  • Optional final versions of paper due: June 15, 2001
  • Conference: September 12-14, 2001

Sponsored by: the Government of Ontario, Ontario Rehabilitation Technology Consortium (ORTC), Quebec Provincial Rehabilitation Research Network (REPAR), Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), and Sunnybrook & Women’s College Health Sciences Centre.

For more information contact: bbuchanan@look.ca or fax 416/979-1819.  

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13-acres International Design Competition

The 13-acres international design competition challenges designers to explore the schoolyard as a site for ecological rejuvenation, expression, and education.  The competition is for the design of a combined park and schoolyard site as a place for “site knowledge,” exploration, play, and learning for children, teachers, and the surrounding community.  Here, the complexities of park landscape, educational programming, poetics, and ecological design come together in a powerful way to provide inspiration for creative propositions.

The competition site is located within East Clayton, a sustainability demonstration site in Surrey, British Columbia.  Located between Vancouver and the U.S. border, East Clayton is a sustainable community planned for 15, 000 people, with 13 acres dedicated to combined school and park use.  The 13-acres competition builds upon the mission of this demonstration site by extending further to the park and schoolyard the plan’s sustainable mission.  The Design Program specifies that designers explore and envision designs that use constructed natural systems as both poetic devices and an educational materials.  Design entries should layer wetland areas, classroom use, play space, parkland, and community programs in one site.

Competition Information: This competition is open internationally to students and professionals. Interdisciplinary groups involving landscape architects and people who work with children are strongly encouraged to enter. The entry fee is $35US or $50CND.

Prizes

  • $15,000 first place

  • $10,000 second place

  • $5,000 third place

  • Publication of top twelve entries

Schedule

  • 1 September 2000 - March 2001 Registration Time

  • 1 March to 20 April 2001  - Receive Entries

  • 14 May 2001 - Winners Announced

For details and to register on-line at http://www.13-acres.org/, Or mail your name, address and phone number with a certified check for $35

US or $50 CDN to: 13-acres Design Competition Landscape Architecture Program, 2357 Main Mall University of British Columbia V6T 1Z4 CANADA.  For further details contact Susan Herrington at information@13-acres.org This competition is funded by The University of British Columbia. UBC Landscape Architecture Program and James Taylor Chair in Landscape & Livable Environments  

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DENMARK

European Accessibility Conference 2000 

European Accessibility Conference 2000: A Working Meeting- The implementation of Rule no. 5 of the UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on November 27th – 28th 2000. It is organized by the Danish Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

The object of the conference is to exchange experiences in relation to the carrying through of United Nation’s Standard Rule no. 5, which deals with accessibility in both the physical and the information environments, and to present the initiatives taken in different European countries (e.g. Denmark, England, Spain, Netherlands and Ireland).  Furthermore it is the intention to create a European network of people from the authorities, who deal with accessibility legislation and – planning and to create a forum for personal contacts within this area.

The conference is for participants from the European countries, which have signed UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. The target group is Government officials and others, on National and European levels, who deal with planning, implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations within the area of accessibility. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 75 people. Applicants for registration will be reviewed to assure both diversity and expertise. (Registration will be accepted on a first come, first served basis). The conference offers a unique opportunity to exchange experiences and create personal contacts to benefit future accessibility efforts.

The conference language will be English. Please note that interpretation will not be provided. The fee for the conference is 4.500 DKK/ 605 EUROS. For information or registration, contact: Conference Secretariat, Danish Centre for Accessibility, Telephone: + 45 87 41 24 24, E-mail: centil@hmi.dk.  

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ITALY

Nationwide Survey in Main Italian Towns

Altroconsumo, a major Italian consumers’ association, carried out a nationwide survey on accessibility and usability of public facilities in the main towns.  The results show how many improvements still need to enable all citizens to fully use and live their own urban environment. Following is an excerpt of a report sent to us by Luigi Biocca, CNR ICITE. Biocca is part of the association and can be contacted for the full report or more information at: Luigi Biocca, md3285@mclink.it.

Introduction

Imagine an ideal town made of houses, facilities and pedestrian areas easily within reach by all, obstacle-free walkways, together with mail offices, libraries and workplaces accessible and usable, finally a place where freedom of moving and welfare are no longer an exception. Now all that is still only a dream, however many people want it and someone is already at work: the program of a town usable by all seems gradually coming. A very ambitious goal, which defines every individual as the active role in his/her town space and life: definitely, a town where the needs of elderly, children and people with limited abilities are continuously merging without distinction. Every town should assure a high comfort and usability to all citizens, but the reality shows different perceptions from frail people facing daily mobility difficulties.

On this purpose, a well-known Italian Consumers’ Association promoted, in partnership with associations of people with mobility difficulties, a survey on the accessibility and usability of the main facilities located in a sample of Italian towns. Even if from the viewpoint of such people, the survey results can be extended to the benefit of all in testing the comfort of facilities and services.

The survey has examined the built environment of 17 Italian towns all over Italy, in order to obtain a general framework of the national situation. This will constitute a reference background of all what has been done and could be improved to the direction of a town’s usability.

Development and process of the survey

Seventeen towns, whose inhabitants vary from 50.000 to 3 millions, were selected for the survey, representing the head towns of 17 regions over 20, while 3 have been left out for their small land extension. The survey, supported by the local associations of people with disabilities, has been conducted on four evaluation levels:

Accessibility: ten main public buildings and facilities for every town have been visited and checked, resulting in a whole number of 170 visits.

Information: booklets, notices, web sites and any other communication on accessible facilities, provided by the City Offices to the citizens.

Mobility: transportation system has been analyzed in each town to check the effectiveness level offered to citizens with difficulties.

Usability: each town has been checked in its global effectiveness and utility for the citizens as results the basic facilities: for instance the City Office, the public library, and also leisure and sport facilities.

Summary of the main results:

Three towns of 17 resulted globally unsatisfactory in approaching buildings/facilities. This evaluation is both related to the building characters and general urban layout, location and landscape shape. The analyzed building/facility types resulted as not enough accessible to the public in 10 towns of 17. As a whole average, only 62% of those is usable by people with disabilities.

Information provided for the citizens

Although the municipalities have instituted an Information Office in charge to supply news on accessibility, the utilities for the benefit of citizens are still lacking in most cases. Only 7 towns of 17 provide for a good information level to those with mobility difficulties. Particularly, two towns of 17 totally lack information to the citizens, while three stand out relevantly in offering an extremely good level.

Public transportation

The transportation network can fulfill the mobility independence only partially.  The evaluation took into account every town’s size related to its transportation stock and accessible lines. 6 towns of 17 have been evaluated totally unsatisfactory: they have only partially accessible lines without reporting timetables and locations of accessible stops. The average level of most other towns reports carefully such information and provide for additional transportation call service.

Towns’ usability

The final evaluation pointed out that only 8 towns of 17 reached a good evaluation level for all the analyzed factors: 7 of those 8 are located in Northern Italy, and among them Bologna (Emilia-Romagna) stands out as the town providing for the best utilities and facilities to the citizens with mobility difficulties.

Conclusion

The survey shows how the divergence in providing services/facilities is globally still considerable between Northern and Southern towns. Results from the survey show that the direction towards a fully usable urban environment is still far to reach. However, many towns, mostly located in Northern Italy, are carrying on a big effort to fill the gap with the new and changing needs of the population: railways and bus stations, newly built housing and facilities, museums and green areas are in some cases undergoing renovation plans to provide a better quality for all the citizens.

The awareness of adapting the built environment can really give a boost to the local city governments in emulating the proposals addressed by some advanced urban realities. Therefore it is desirable that any other urban environment will develop an effective policy for a town renovation plan to move towards a direction that can no longer be deferred.

References:

Altroconsumo no. 127, May 2000, pp. 7-12, Editoriale Altroconsumo.     

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PORTUGAL

Autonomy and Accessibility

The International Meeting “Autonomy and Accessibility” promoted by the Social Affairs of Lisbon City Council will take place on 4th - 5th December.  The main purpose of this meeting is the search for solutions to build cities for all, especially for people with disabilities and ageing population, aiming essentially questions related to concepts of Universal Design and Independent Living.

Adolf Ratzka from the Institute on Independent Living, Sweden, Elaine Ostroff from Adaptive Environments and Richard Skaff from the City of San Francisco (USA) will address these issues in plenary sessions.  The meeting will also include 8 Workshops lead by several experts in more specific issues:

Understanding Disability;  What is Ageing?; Technical Aids to Autonomy; Internet and Telecommunications; Access to Cultural Contents; Transportation for All; Accessible Housing; Family and Autonomy.

Translation will only be available during the presentations in the plenary session. The (registration)inscription for the Meeting is free. For more information:

Jorge Falcato, jfalcato@cm-lisboa.pt.  

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SINGAPORE

Swimming Pool Query

Jim Harrison asks for usable information and feedback on pool access solutions. He says, “This seems to a major and very much underestimated problem, not just in rich countries either - I am in the process of correspondence with some people in India who are looking for low-cost solutions; and I have a Master’s dissertation student on this topic, too. Swimming is such a boon for many people, but I keep hearing that so many older people do not do it any more, because they can’t get in or out”! His contact information is: James Harrison at: akiharri@nus.edu.sg.  

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UNITED KINGDOM

DRS_NEWS: Free International Design Research Newsletter

DRS_NEWS is a digital newsletter promoted by the Design Research Society.  For nearly 5 years the newsletter has communicated announcements of conferences, funding, competitions, articles, book reviews etc. related to design research to an international audience.

This audience comprises practitioners and educators in all areas of design practice (including art & design, engineering, architecture, systems, management, CAD, etc.), together with design history, the philosophy of design, design theory, and related subjects such as ergonomics, psychology, and computer science. Over 2000 key researchers around the world receive the newsletter every month. Please note that this is NOT a discussion list - only the newsletter will be sent. DRS_NEWS will be mailed to you automatically at the beginning of each month and it is absolutely free.  You may subscribe easily at the following site:

http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/design-research/join.html  

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Helen Hamlyn Research Center: Include Conference

The Helen Hamlyn Research Center at the Royal College of Art, London, announces a conference, ‘Include: Innovation through inclusive design and communication’ April 18-20, 2001. The full announcement and call for participation is at:  

http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/events/include/index.html. 

There is a substantial discount if you register by November 30, 2000.

Introduction

This event is a must for anyone involved in design, marketing or communications and for all those with a research interest in these areas.

Inclusive approaches offer the key to opening up the biggest market of the new century. As we move into the 21st Century, two converging trends will have a significant impact on businesses worldwide. First, greatly enhanced life expectancy and low birth-rates mean that in Europe half the adult population will soon be aged 50 or over. Second, disability legislation, now in place in most of the developed world, will increasingly oblige manufacturers and service providers to ensure that people are enabled, not disabled, and can play a full part in society.

These two trends will together force a radical reassessment of strategic priorities for manufacturers, service providers, retailers, advertising and marketing companies, leisure and education organizations, and for the design community. Those that respond in a positive, pro-active way will see their markets grow and build better, longer-lasting relationships with their customers, effectively tapping into the lucrative and expanding older market sector.

Through a series of presentations, case studies and workshops, the participants will share expertise, understand each other’s priorities, and identify opportunities and strategies for success. Over the course of the three days there will be ample opportunities for networking and really getting to grips with the key ideas, strategies and possibilities.

  • 18 April: Keynotes, overview and showcase business initiatives

  • 19 April: Research day - latest findings and speculations

  • 20 April: Work shops and networking day

Include is organized by the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre at the Royal College of Art (London) in collaboration with the Contemporary Trends Institute.

Call for Contributions

The conference will include oral presentations, poster presentations and workshops. Contributions are invited in all three areas.

Please send summary proposals of not more than 250 words to include@rca.ac.uk.  The deadline for receipt of proposals is 31 December 2000. Please send proposals as attached Microsoft Word files, or alternatively put the text of the proposal in the body of the e-mail message. Submissions can also be made by fax to: +44 (0)20 7590 4244 but electronic versions will be required later if your proposal is accepted. 

Registration

  • Pre-register by 30 November 2000 for a special rate of £495, including £100 discount. (Payment must be completed by 31 December 2000 to qualify)

  • Registration after 30 November 2000 costs £595. The conference fee includes

  • three-day attendance at all seminar and workshop sessions, paper abstracts,

  • refreshments, lunch and a Royal College of Art drinks reception. Registration is

  • only available for the full three-day event, not individual or part days. VAT

  • will not be charged. Either complete the on-line booking form,

  • e-mail your requirements and full contact details to: include@rca.ac.uk,

  • or fax to +44 20 7590 4244  

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Royal Society of Arts News

RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) provides updates on recent work and offers a CD-Rom and publications to the international readers of the Online News.

Student Design Awards 1999/2000: The results have now been announced and the winning work can be found on line at: 

http://www.rsa.org.uk/sda/default.html.  

For the first time, the Review of the whole scheme has been produced in the form of a CD-Rom. This allows for much more information to be provided on all of the winning entries and also comments from the judges about each of the projects.  Copies of this CD-Rom are available (free of charge) from Noni McOmish at the RSA, email: hutchind@rsa-uk.demon.co.uk, telephone: 44 (0)207 451 6853.

Readers of this newsletter will be interested in the entries for the ‘New Design for Old’ project which aims to encourage students to consider the needs, aspirations and lifestyles of older people in whatever they design- products, systems, services etc. This year’s entries were particularly successful including Hugh Glover’s ingenious ‘t-bag’, which won him the overall competition Master’s Medal Prize. Designed to aid those who have difficulty with carrying and pouring a full teapot, the ‘t-bag’, constructed from expanded polyethylene, encompasses stylish form with practicality. Another winner, Sally Cobs, designed the ‘Memories’ package. The package incorporates a book, which guides the user through the process of writing their life stories and a small ‘Memories’ box to store mementos and sentimental objects.  Richard Mann’s ‘Induction Mug’ was also a winner in this category. The ergonomically designed ceramic mug boils water when placed on a powered base and incorporates design features such as a large handle which allows a secure grip and sensors which automatically switch the unit off once the water has boiled.

RSA Student Design Awards 2000/01: Full details of the projects in the new competition will be available on the SDA Website: http://www.rsa.org.uk from the end of July. We welcome entries from students in any EU country. As well as the New Design for Old project, this year we have introduced the new GENIUS project.

New RSA Publication: ‘Moving Forward,’ edited by Susan Hewer, has just been published by the RSA. Having started the ‘New Design for Old’ project (funded by Helen Hamlyn) in 1986 it was time to examine how the early winners of this project were faring in their professional careers and whether or not they had carried through and were still working on the philosophy of the project. The results make interesting reading. Copies (free of charge) are available by contacting Noni McOmish, email: hutchind@rsa-uk.demon.co.uk, telephone: 44 (0)20 7451 6853.

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UNITED NATIONS

International Seminar on Environmental Accessibility

The preliminary report of the “International Seminar on Environmental Accessibility; planning and design of accessible urban development in developing countries” including recommendations and reports from several countries is available at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disisea.htm.

The seminar was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and held at United Nations House, Beirut, from 30 November to 3 December 1999. Thirty-one participants attended the Seminar, which included experts in their individual capacity from member States of the United Nations, from the United Nations system and from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The Seminar was co-financed by a grant from the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability.

ESCWA organized a parallel session to the Seminar, the “Regional Training Workshop on Environmental Accessibility” (in Arabic), which provided important opportunities for technical exchanges and institutional and joint presentations.  The Seminar and Workshop held a joint closing session on 3 December to observe the 1999 International Day of Disabled Persons, which had the central theme “accessibility for all for the new Millennium”.  

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Developing Economies And Universal Design                    

Representatives from nine countries - Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Uganda - participated in the Developing Economies Workshop organized in conjunction with Designing for the 21st Century II conference held in Providence, RI, June 12-19, 2000. The workshop purpose was to address environmental access and inclusive design as part of the United Nations resolution, “Implementation of the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons: towards a society for all in the twenty-first century.”  Coordinated by the South African Federal Council on Disability (SAFOD) and the Adaptive Environments Center, the workshop was co-financed by a grant from the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability.

Phillip Thompson of SAFOD, facilitator of the week-long session reports, “The delegates were unanimous in their desire to move beyond specialized access requirements to a mainstream, universal designing approach. Now, they are each are following up the workshop with efforts to incorporate universal design in their regional work to assure equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.” He noted that the African participants would link their work to the African Decade of the Disabled.

The Developing Economies Workshop included presentations from each country, on the status of environmental accessibility. Kalfan H. Kalfan of Tanzania, President of the Pan African Federation of the Disabled, and Thomas Ong’olo of Kenya, Executive Director of the African Union of the Blind, led a discussion on strategic engagement with design in the 21st century.  The representatives were also active participants in sessions of the international conference, including the Educators Forum and working groups. Updated information on universal design and developing economies can be found at: http://www.worldenable.net/.  

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2nd Annual “Caring Communities For The 21st Century: Imagining The Possible

An International Conference addressing the “Age of Longevity will be held In support of the Second World Assembly on Aging. The Conference is organized by the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC) in collaboration with the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Department of Public Information, NGOs and the private sector. Its purpose is to build bridges and develop projects, services and products that support the needs of people of all ages.  Each month the world’s older population increases by 1.2 million! The quantity of life change has become a quality of life challenge.

Please check UN Website for Conference up-date:

http://www.un.org/events/agingcf.htm or Contact International Council for Caring Communities. (ICCC) Fax: (212) 759-5893, email: iccc@undp.org  

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UNITED STATES

AIA and US Access Board: Online Course

The AIA and the U.S. Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) have jointly developed an Accessibility Guidelines Online Education Course, with funding provided by the Access Board. It can be found at:

http://www.e-architect.com/conted/access/menu.htm

The course covers some new provisions in the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), developed by the Access Board. The course does not cover all of ADAAG.  It is limited to two sections-state and local government facilities and building elements designed for children’s use.

The course is intended to support architects in their efforts to understand and implement two Final Rules issued by the Access Board in January 1998 that provide guidance on the design of new and altered judicial, legislative, regulatory, detention, and correctional facilities, as well as building elements designed for children’s use. The course includes a very useful ‘pretest’ (with answers) in each module as a way to assess your own level of knowledge.

The introduction notes that although the guidelines in this course are likely to be required in the near future, they have not yet been adopted by the Department of Justice into existing ADA regulations (Ed. Note: These guidelines, as part of the newest ADAAG, are still undergoing some review based on the comments received during the recent public comment period. However, these guidelines represent the latest published guidance on these facility types). The introduction advises architects, “However, we encourage you to begin following the guidelines as a matter of good practice, since providing accessible facilities is already required by the ADA.”

The AIA/Access Board Accessibility Guidelines Education Course has four parts:

  • Introduction/Course Supplement

  • Module 1: Judicial, Legislative and Regulatory Facilities

  • Module 2: Detention and Correctional Facilities

  • Module 3: Building Elements Designed for Children’s Use

This course is being offered at no charge for an indefinite period of time. Each of the four parts is worth three hours of AIA continuing education credit, all in the Health, Safety, Welfare category.  

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Boston Society of Architects: Build Boston

This is the 16th annual event, November 14-16, 2000, sponsored by the Boston Society of Architects in Boston,MA. Again there are numerous workshops on universal design as well as the ADA. Workshops sponsored by the Adaptive Environments Center can be seen at:

http://www.adaptenv.org/newsevents/buildboston00.asp or go to

http://www.buildboston.com and click on workshops. You can search on universal design and find more, including those organized by the US Access Board. Build Boston is unique in that there is no general registration fee; you only pay for workshops that you want to attend. If you register by 3:00PM on October 20, you save $10 per session.  

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Center for Universal Design, Executive Director Search

The Center for Universal Design, College of Design, North Carolina State University announces the search for an executive director.

Description: The Center for Universal Design (CUD) is a national design innovation, research, technical assistance, and training center focusing on the design of products and environments that are usable by all persons regardless of age or ability.  The Center operates multiple research, design development, training and materials development projects with total funding exceeding 1.5 million per year.

Requirements: The Director’s primary responsibilities are to provide energetic leadership in strategic planning, resource development and project implementation.  The Director has overall responsibility for staff recruitment and coordination, fiscal management and contractual accountability to multiple public and private funding sources.  In addition, the Director will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with professional design constituencies, disability communities, business communities, and government agencies while also serving as the Center’s senior spokesperson to diverse national and international audiences.  The successful candidate will have the opportunity to teach and conduct research within the College of Design.  The position involves a moderate amount of travel.

Qualifications: The candidate preferably will hold a professional design degree or advanced research degree and will have a minimum of five years of experience in administration of research, design, training, or service programs in areas related to accessible and universal design or assistive technology.  However, other strong combinations of education and experience in a field related to universal design will be considered as a qualification for candidacy.  The candidate must have a successful track record in grant writing, resource development and fundraising, and knowledge of private and public funding sources.  The position demands excellent written, verbal communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability both to lead and work effectively within groups.  The candidate should also have the ability to conceptualize and communicate the relationship of universal design to issues of disability rights and independent living.

Position Status: Full-time appointment, includes University fringe benefits.  The position is funded by the College of Design and grants from the National Institute on Disability and  Rehabilitation Research in the US Department of Education.  The Director reports to the Dean of the College of Design; the position includes appointment to research faculty status in the most relevant School of Design department.

Applications should be submitted as soon as possible.  The position is available January 1, 2001 however, it will remain open until filled.

Application: Send letter of interest, curriculum vitae, samples of writing, names of three persons who can be contacted to provide recommendations. Forward all materials to:

Search Committee
The Center for Universal Design
College of Design, Box 8613
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8613

Accommodations in the application process for individuals with disabilities are available on request.  Please contact: Ms. Rosette J. Tavolacci, voice: 919)

515-8553, fax: (919 515-3023, e-mail: Rosette_Tavolacci@ncsu.edu.

NC State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  

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Chicago Public Schools Design Competition

The Chicago Public Schools have initiated the first public schools design competition that invites a universal design approach. The following is excerpted and adapted from their extensive website at: http://schooldesigncomp.org/.

In the fall of 1999, a coalition of educational reform organizations came together with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to begin the process of hosting a national design competition to build two new public schools in Chicago. In the midst of an unprecedented building boom in new school construction, groups in Chicago felt that the time was right to host a design competition for public schools - a competition that, in the words of Yale School of Architecture Dean Robert A.M. Stern, would feature “architecture in the service of democracy.” The schools that are the subject of this competition will be new pre-K - 8th grade schools designed to serve an integrated population of students with and without disabilities. The schools will be designed with universal design principles - one of the first times nationally that universal design principles have been applied to new school construction. In addition, the Sponsors seek solutions for creative ways of designing a larger-than-ideal school building to accommodate what we know works best for students - small schools. Thus, this competition is innovative in many respects. It will not only result in two new beautiful school buildings for Chicago students, but it will focus community and national attention on the programmatic importance of both universal design and small schools as both design challenges and educational philosophies.

Goal and Structure of the Competition

The goal of the Chicago Public Schools Design Competition is to produce high-quality designs and innovative and architecturally-significant new buildings, while at the same time spotlighting generally the importance of school design and innovative methods of incorporating “universal design” techniques and small school philosophies in buildings that house a larger-than-ideal number of students.

Competition Process 

The Chicago Public Schools Design Competition is a national, two-stage design competition for new public schools in Chicago. The Competition has both invited and open components. The finalists in the First Stage will each receive a $15,000 cash prize. The winners of the Second Stage will be awarded the first right to negotiate for a Design Commission.

The CPS Design Competition is open to individuals or teams holding architectural or engineering licenses.               

The Competition website provides this description of universal design: Universal design is the art and science of creating products and buildings that are functional, accessible and attractive to all types of people. Work with universal design stemmed in part from accessible design and technology. With the help of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other recent legislation, architects and designers have become much more aware of the impact of their work on those with disabilities, and have worked to improve the accessibility of their products. However, universal design goes well beyond simple compliance with legislation. Unlike accessible design, universal design is not disability-centered. Instead, it incorporates all principles of sound design (such as functionalism and aesthetics) and combines them with the concept of accessibility to create buildings and products that are better for everyone.

It also describes how universal design apply to schools:

A building built with universal design principles would incorporate accessibility features into the regular environment: ramps instead of stairs, levers instead of doorknobs and wheel chair access in general toilet rooms.  However, universal design also recognizes the needs of those who are not disabled but appreciate an environment designed to fit their needs: families and people with children, left-handed and right-handed people, elderly and young people, short people and tall people; in short, everyone.  Instead of creating separate, stigmatizing environments for those with special needs, universal designs are aesthetically pleasing and have mass appeal.

In schools, issues of universal design are especially important in terms both of integrating students with disabilities into the general school population and teaching all children a respect for diversity and recognition of the needs of others. According to researcher Flora Gathorne-Hardy, schools designed with universal design principles in mind would not only be accessible to the traditionally “disabled” student but would “foster small group play, combat bullying, create spaces for reflection and privacy and enable pupils to feel a sense of ownership over the schools in which they spend the bulk of their time.” Universally designed schools use the mediums of architecture and design to challenge, nurture and teach all children.

The competition program package became available on September 25 and will be mailed to all registrants.

Registration Details

The registration fee for the Competition is $95. There is no official registration form. Registrants need only include their name and address in a letter with the fee. Checks, money orders, or bank drafts must be made payable in United States dollars to BPI. Cash will not be accepted. Send fee to:

Jennifer Salvatore
BPI
25 E. Washington, Suite 1515
Chicago IL 60602.

The CPS Design Competition has been made possible through generous grants from the Richard Driehaus Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Graham Foundation for advanced studies in the Fine Arts, the Oppenheimer Family Foundation, and the Chicago Association of Realtors Education Foundation.  

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Doors to Inclusion Conference

The Louisiana Assistive Technology Network, and its collaborative partners representing playgrounds to banks to assisted living facilities, invite your participation in the conference, Doors to Inclusion: Universal Access. The conference will be held December 3 – 6, 2000, at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The goal of the conference is to create a single ‘user-friendly’ environment where the technologies, theories, practices and modalities work together for the benefit of all people, children and adults. 

Featured speakers include Louisiana legislator, Melinda B. Schwegmann; Judith Heumann, US Department of Education (invited); Bobby Silverstein and Justin Dart, of Washington, DC; and Raymond Jetson, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. The website details the array of national presenters, pre-conference intensive sessions and the concurrent sessions. See http://www.doors2access.org for more information on registration, the Disco party, hotels, exhibitor and sponsor opportunities. Early-bird registration is due by October 27.  

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Disabilityworld – New ‘e-zine’

Take a cybertrip today to www.disabilityworld.org and find out the latest international and national developments in 18 countries around the planet.  This issue, produced as a collaboration among five U.S. based international disability and rehabilitation groups, features the following stories:

  • A lively interview with the new President of Rehabilitation  

  • International Review of a deeply biased New York Times article on China’s leading disability rights advocate  

  • Survey in India of who is hired and who is not by disability NGO’s  

  • Reflection on press coverage of President of Indonesia  

  • Deep divide between wheelchair producers and philanthropists on how to address needs of developing countries  

  • Appeal to South African employers on increasing jobs for disabled applicants  

  • New RESNA international working group on appropriate technology  

  • The state of independent living in Japan  

  • Gadgets galore: fly fishing for quadriplegics, augmentative communications device, low cost labels for blind people, pressure sore mapping unit  

  • Disability rights & history radio series in Ireland  

  • 10 country report on progress by disabled women’s groups in Asia & Pacific, Europe, Africa and Latin America  

  • Universal benefit mooted in New Zealand  

  • A Philippine-American faces her ethnic identity at Beijing+5 seminar  

  • Children’s books on disability and difference  

  • A new disability paradigm percolates to the surface in India  

  • nternational conferences on law, ethics & access in Canada and  

  • Australia  

  • Britain’s Employers Disability Forum  

  • A Japanese view on the proposed UN Convention on Disability Rights  

  • Wheelchair design in Uganda and Peru  

  • Disability rights demonstrations around the world, reported in the  

  • “What’s New” column

The disabilityworld ezine is produced in English and Spanish editions as a collaborative project supported by the U.S. National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The participating organizations are: Independent Living Resource Utilization (ILRU), InterAmerican Institute on Disability (IID), Rehabilitation International (RI), Whirlwind Wheelchair International (WWI) and the World Institute on Disability (WID).  For more information, contact: Rosangela Berman Bieler at: iidisab@aol.com.  

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Fashion Institute of Technology, Clarification of Call for Proposals

The Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, invites participation in ‘Integrating Differences: Theories and Applications of Universal Design to be held October 19-20, 2001. The deadline for 250-300 word proposals is November 15, 2000.  The initial announcement noted that topics to be addressed would include, but not be limited to, development, marketing and technology in the fields of accessories, apparel, graphic design, home products, interior design, jewelry, packaging, textiles and toys. “Proposals related to architecture, landscape architecture and urban design are also welcome”, said Desiree Koslin, Co-coordinator of the Planning Committee.

The detailed guidelines are on the FIT website at http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu/USD.html or contact Dr Desiree Koslin, The Teaching Institute. Room C913, Fashion Institute of Technology, Seventh Avenue at 27th Street, New York, NY 10001-5992 , e-mail koslinde@fitsuny.edu or fax 212.217.7910.  

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Federal Communications Commission: Notice On Interactive Voice Menus

The FCC’s public notice of September 29, 2000 reminds companies that make interactive voice menu products and services to develop and design for disability access under Section 255 of the Telecom Act or get fined. The full notice is on the web at http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Public_Notices/da002162.html.

Following are excerpts:

Section 255 requires manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and providers of telecommunications service to ensure that such equipment and services are accessible to persons with disabilities, if readily achievable. Section 251(a)(2) provides that each telecommunications carrier has the duty not to install network features, functions, or capabilities that conflict with the guidelines and standards established pursuant to section 255. The Report and Order, along with the rules and guidelines adopted, was published in the Federal Register. See 64 FR 63235 (Nov. 19, 1999).

In the Report and Order, the Commission determined that in order for it to Implement meaningfully the accessibility requirements of section 255, comparable requirements should apply to two information services that the Commission deemed critical to making telecommunications accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Therefore, the Commission extended the section 255 accessibility requirements to the providers of voicemail and interactive menu service and to the manufacturers of the equipment that perform those functions.

FCC staff has informally received information suggesting that many consumers with disabilities may be continuing to have difficulties accessing and using voicemail and interactive menu services. For example, these systems may remain largely inaccessible to users of text telephones (TTYs) who wish to interact with these systems directly. In addition, we understand that TTY users who seek to use telecommunications relay service (TRS) to access interactive and voice menus may be frequently encountering lengthy delays or are frustrated by their inability to complete calls to schools, banks, employers and other public and private institutions that use these systems. It also appears that many interactive menus may not allow adequate time for a TTY user to have the information from the automated device relayed to the caller’s TTY and a response from the caller relayed back to the device through TRS. We have also received reports that the sounds or instructions provided with some interactive and voice menus may often be so fast that a person who is hard of hearing or is cognitively delayed cannot process them quickly enough. Similarly, we have been informed that the speed of these menus may not provide persons who are blind or have a motor disability with enough time to input the numbers or other information needed to select from a list of menu choices. These difficulties are exacerbated by the fact that interactive menus frequently may not offer an option to connect the caller with a human operator.

For disability related questions you may email the FCC at Access@fcc.gov.  

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US Access Board: Updates

Congress Extends Section 508’s Compliance Date

On July 13, 2000, President Clinton signed into law a military appropriations bill that includes an amendment to section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Section 508 requires access to the Federal government’s electronic and information technology to the extent it does not pose an “undue burden.”  The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under the new amendment, the effective date of section 508’s enforcement provisions are delayed to allow more time for compliance with the Board’s final standards.  As originally written, the enforcement provisions of section 508 would have taken effect August 7, 2000. This date was based on final standards being completed last February, which would have allowed six months before enforcement provisions took effect.

The amended language revises the effective date of the enforcement provisions