Direct Access

The aim of an ADA Transition Plan is to identify and implement improvements to a public-facing site and help it achieve compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards. While many site owners think they might comply with ADA regulations by merely providing a wheelchair-accessible ramp, the reality is

Implementing Accessible Pedestrian Facilities: At the New York BUILD Expo 2024, Steven will present a presentation titled “Accessible Design and Inclusive City Centers: Understanding the Public Right of Way rule”. This bespoke presentation was formulated in response to the news that in August 2023, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board issued its final

This month, the U.S. Access Board addressed inequity of access in public spaces for people with disabilities by issuing a final rule on accessibility guidelines for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way. This is a significant win in the world of accessibility for Americans with disabilities across the country, since

Ensuring that your website is fully accessible to disabled people is becoming an increasingly vital element in the success of any institution with a public-facing platform. Whether you are a small charity owner, servant of a local government, or CEO of a large conglomerate business, chances are you also own

How Direct Access reviews apartment buildings for accessibility The Americans with Disabilities Act sets out clear expectations (in addition to legal precedence) which outlines the ways in which building owners must promote the personal independence and comfort of their residents, of which many of are statistically likely to be disabled,

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that a new report finds that nearly half of the workplace accommodations made for people with disabilities can be implemented at no cost to employers. Of those that incur a one-time cost, the median expenditure has decreased compared to previous reports to only $300.

Disabled people have almost always been the most overlooked group within the American job market. However, it warms the heart of the whole team at Direct Access to learn that reportedly, there has been an uptake and surge in the number of disabled people in employment since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our partnership with the City of Allen, Texas resulted in a contract to complete the self-evaluation and ADA transition plan for all of the city’s parks. Working with City of Allen’s Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), Direct Access conducted ADA field surveys of all the department’s facilities and parks. Overall,

Modern coffee shops are ground zero for low-pressure social activity for people of all ages, creeds, and backgrounds. However, as the industry dominates in cities across the world, from small independents to the likes of Starbucks, each coffee shop must individually meet the demand for accessibility requirements that their disabled

Today on the Direct Access blog, we set out to answer the question of what exactly makes an accessible restroom space. The specific size of an accessible toilet space is something that is not outlined nor specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, there are a lot of

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is when we recognize the ingenuity, creativity, and adaptability of disabled individuals within our workplaces. However, in addition to being a celebration of the contributions disabled people make in our lives, it is also a period where discussions about the various social and economic issues

Direct Access will be at the National Recreation and Parks conference at the Phoenix Convention Center this September 20-22. The Direct Access team will be at stand 2539 demonstrating our innovative tactile maps that enable people with sensory disabilities to navigate around parks and buildings. QR codes provide audio descriptions

InTents, the trade magazine for the Advanced Textiles Association kindly produced an article on how big tents and festivals could look beyond the ADA. This can be found at https://intentsmag.com/2022/08/01/beyond-ada/

Boston-based disability accessibility consultancy Direct Access has secured its DOBE® certification from Disability:IN. It recognizes that our management team are all people with disabilities. The Disability-Owned and Operated Business Enterprise (DOBE®) certification is granted to businesses that are at least 51 percent owned, operated, controlled, and managed by a person

Do I need a DDA Access Audit? A facilities audit (also known as a Barrier-Free Audit, or People with Disabilities Access Audit) is an assessment of a building or facility, an environment, or a service compared to best practice standards to benchmark its accessibility to people with disabilities. The key

Since 2019, World Braille Day has been celebrated to create awareness of the importance of Braille; an access and communication tool that has played a key role in the realization of human rights for blind and partially sighted people. Braille is the system of raised dots used for reading and

Deciding on a gift to get your loved ones, friends, and colleagues at Christmas can be a difficult and strenuous task. For many, gift-giving is an annual minefield where we worry ourselves about everything from settling on a socially acceptable price, whether a gift is too generic and impersonal, and

Uber Technologies Inc has come under fire (rightly) for allegedly overcharging disabled passengers, being sued by the US Justice Department on Wednesday. The Department has also asked a federal court to order compliance with anti-discrimination law. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in San Francisco, targets an April

New federal guidance has been released which offers details on what qualifies as competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. A frequently asked questions document by the U.S Department of Education has served as guidance for the vocational rehabilitation program, which has been updated for the first time since 2017. 

At Direct Access, our mission is to guide people towards creating an accessible, disability-friendly society through education and action. However, at the same time, we appreciate that creating a just and equal society for disabled people takes time, patience, and money to adapt to the challenges. Over the years, we