ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

A. About Appendices 1 and 2

Reviewing programs and facilities for accessibility is one of the most effective ways for state and local governments to ensure that they are complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The survey forms in Appendix 1 of this Tool Kit and the survey instructions in Appendix 2 are resources that will assist you in conducting surveys and identifying architectural barriers to access. The materials in Appendices 1 and 2 guide surveyors – even those with little or no knowledge of accessibility or experience surveying – through the process of surveying elements in a step-by-step manner while explaining common sources of confusion along the way.

The survey forms in Appendix 1 serve as the foundation of the accessibility survey. The forms tell you what information to collect during the survey and provide a place for you to record that information. Consisting of a series of yes/no questions, the survey forms are designed to make identifying architectural barriers easy because the questions are formulated so that responding “no” (circling “N” on the form) indicates a barrier.

The survey forms contain some questions and terms that people unfamiliar with accessibility requirements or surveying might not fully understand. When that occurs, surveyors need to refer to the survey instructions in Appendix 2. The survey instructions, which include illustrations and explanations, are intended to be used in tandem with the survey forms. Each question on the survey forms has a number in the left-hand column, and that number corresponds to an explanation in the survey instructions. Surveyors should refer to the instructions the first time they use a form and as often as needed to make sure they are taking the required measurements and answering the questions correctly. These forms and instructions are intended to help you identify many of the most common architectural barriers to access for people with disabilities. They will not teach you to identify all architectural barriers to access. To identify all architectural barriers, you must refer to one of the applicable design standards – either the ADA Standards for Accessible Design (excluding the elevator exception contained in § 4.1.3(5) of the Standards) or the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards – and survey for compliance with each of the applicable requirements. The survey materials included in this Tool Kit are based on the requirements in the ADA Standards.