ADA In Focus: Spring 2012

Volume 16, Number 1
Spring 2012

ADA IN FOCUS is published three times yearly by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center. It is also available by request in large print, Braille, audio CD, and computer disk. To obtain copies in other formats, contact us.

ADA In Focus is intended for use by individuals, state and local governments, businesses, legal entities, and others interested in developments in the Americans with Disabilities Act. This publication is intended solely as an informal guidance and should not be construed as legally binding. ADA In Focus does not serve as determination of the legal rights or responsibilities under the ADA for any individual, business or entity. Learn more about the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center.

In this issue:

What's New

• Introducing the “New and Improved” Mid-Atlantic ADA Center!
• ADA and Transportation: New Regulations and Guidance from DOT
• 2010 ADA Standards for Design & New ADA Regulations for Hotel Reservation Policies Took Effect March 15th!
• Important Notice Regarding Pools and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design

Training News & Events  

Affiliate News

• Mid-Atlantic ADA Center Continues Partnership with State Coalitions and State Assistive Technology Programs

Court Decisions and Settlements

• Agreement between DOJ and Virginia is Intended to Ensure the Commonwealth’s Compliance with the ADA and Olmstead
• Department of Justice Informal Settlements
• HHS Settles Americans with Disabilities Act Allegations

Interesting Websites and Noteworthy Bits of News

Director's Corner

by Marian Vessels, Director, Mid-Atlantic ADA Center

We are so pleased to announce that we were successful in receiving funding here at TransCen to continue to operate the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center. We have a new Advisory Board that will work to advise us on all aspects of our programs, and it continues to be a very exciting time here at the Center as we move forward to fulfill the commitments of our grant application.

In the next five years we will be offering training through a variety of methods; more online courses will be available to you, more webinars on a variety of topics, several new training packages as train-the-trainer modules, and of course, our ever popular face to face training.

Additionally, we will be enhancing our youth resources page as well as looking at emergency preparedness issues in a variety of venues. We will be enhancing both of our websites to provide you on-demand, easy to use to resources on the ADA – valuable information available 24/7 at your fingertips. We hope you will join us on this next five year journey. We look forward to hearing from you, answering your questions, providing you superior customer service and enhancing your knowledge as we continue to put the ADA into action in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Ms. Vessels is Director of the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center. Serving in this role since 1996, among her primary areas of expertise are training and technical assistance on the ADA as it relates to employment, state and local government issues and the hospitality industry. She is in considerable demand as a speaker and trainer.

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