Design, Construction, and ADA’s Five Titles

Course Description

This course is an introductory-level exploration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its impact on engineering design and the built environment. The course covers the five main titles of the ADA, focusing particularly on how they relate to building professionals, including civil, structural, transportation, and MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) engineers who design sites, infrastructure, and building systems. The course delves into employment considerations, public services requirements, and accessibility standards for both public and private spaces. This course aims to equip engineers and other design professionals with a comprehensive understanding of ADA regulations and their practical applications in creating inclusive, accessible facilities, infrastructure, and building systems while supporting their obligation to protect public health, safety, and welfare.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the main components of each of the five ADA Titles.

2. Recall the main features and important aspects of Titles I and II, such as providing reasonable accommodations to employees and physical features needed in transportation facilities, as they apply to engineers and the built environment and public infrastructure.

3. Understand the impact that Title III has on the profession of engineering, the entities that are covered, how engineers use the Title III provisions to plan, design, and coordinate accessible sites, infrastructure, and building systems, and why adherence to Title III is so vital.

4. Recognize the main features and important aspects of Title V as they apply to engineers and the built environment, particularly the fundamental alteration and reasonable accommodation modification provisions.