When it comes to accessibility compliance a lot of the time you’ll get nothing but excuses. A building manager might offer up the excuse that “it’s an old building” or “these kinds of things cost money.” What it really boils down to is how accessibility is taken for granted by those without disabilities, and often the solution to the problem is done in such a way that is not only cheap and rushed, but also dangerous to the public.
Take for example and “old building” which might be located in a thriving college campus. These are some of the things you might have run into, trying to navigate your campus:
- Safe zones are not clearly marked in case elevators are shut down in an emergency
- Alarm systems are not sufficient for notifying those with hearing impairments
- Stadium seating in lecture halls means limited or impossible access in classrooms
- The size of classrooms is not taken into consideration when multiple wheelchairs are in a single class
A campus has a responsibility to provide the best pedagogical environment for all of their students and teachers. Ironically, the same institutions of higher learning that will spend millions per year on coaches salaries or making their campus look prettier really have to dig deep in their pockets to make sure they are conforming to the Federal Law.
If you are being met with nothing but excuses and the runaround of “sorry, times are tough and there just isn’t the money for these kinds of projects” let us help you combat their ignorance and advocate on your behalf. If someone is caught speeding, can they use the same excuse with an officer of the law? “Sorry, Officer, but there just aren’t sufficient funds to pay for this ticket,” or “this is an old car, it’s hard to keep it under the speed limit.” Of course not. The law is there to protect citizens, and ADA laws are no exception.
Contact us for the resources and support you need with a difficult situation. After all, an institution of higher learning should be willing to keep themselves informed. Let us help.