ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act- a landmark civil rights law that ensures equal access and prohibits discrimination based on disability. First signed into law in 1990 and amended in 2010.
ADA Coordinator - a required position in any government entities with fifty or more employees, the ADA Coordinator is responsible for ensuring compliance across departments with all aspects of the ADA, as well as receiving and responding to citizen grievances.
ADA Notice - government entities are required to adopt, publish, and post a notice of their obligations under the ADA, as well as information about how to contact the ADA Coordinator.
ADA Standards - the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design set enforceable accessibility requirements. For government entities, the ADA Standards incorporate Title II regulations at 28 CFR 35.151 as well as the 2004 ADAAG at 36 CFR part 1191, appendices B and D.
ADAAG - ADA Accessibility Guidelines
APS - Accessible Pedestrian Signal- pedestrian signal system that includes standard visual indications as well as audible and vibrotactile information to convey pedestrian timing information to those who are blind or have low vision.
Auxiliary Aid s - devices and services that enable effective communication for people with disabilities. These include but are not limited to sign language interpreters, large print or braille documents, screen readers, assistive listening devices, and audio recordings of printed materials.
Cross Slope - the slope perpendicular to the direction of travel
Curb - a raised border forming the edge of a sidewalk where it meets the roadway
Curb Ramp - a short ramp meant to transition between the sidewalk height and the roadway height
Detectable Warning - a feature to warn of hazards in a walking path, most commonly truncated domes at a road crossing.
Diagonal Ramp - a single curb ramp that is located at the apex of the corner in an intersection such that traveling down the ramp leads diagonally into the center of the intersection.
Disability - a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.
DOJ - United States Department of Justice- responsible for enforcing the ADA
FHWA - Federal Highway Administration- provides guidance to government entities regarding requirements for accessible features on roadways
Grade - the slope of a roadway or sidewalk. Also see running slope.
Grievance Procedure - the procedure set by a government entity that outlines how to file a complaint of an ADA violation, the time frames for each step of the process, and information on how to appeal an adverse decision.
Gutter slope - slope of the gutter meeting the curb ramp, if the pavement slope and ramp slope are too steep a level strip may be needed to prevent wheelchairs from getting stuck.
NCDOT - North Carolina Department of Transportation- sets accessibility guidelines for pedestrian facilities in the state and provides guidance on inspecting existing facilities.
Running Slope - the slope parallel to the direction of travel. Also see grade.
Truncated Domes - pre-manufactured high contrast detectable warnings that consist of raised flat topped domes in order to warn of a hazard in the walking path, such as a roadway or rail line.
USDOT- United States Department of Transportation- Sets standards for accessibility that are applicable to transportation facilities.
