ADA 20th Anniversary: Ode to the Digital Level and Other Tools of the “Accessiologist†Trade
As we close in on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, there is sure to be much pontification on what has changed and what has stayed the same over the last two decades. One thing is for certain, technology has helped to educate millions of consumers, advocates and recreation practitioners on the ADA regulations. Advancements in technology, software and digital tools have made the life work of the “accessiologist” (one who studies or advocates for the improvement of accessibility for people with disabilities, aka “accessibility coordinator”) much more efficient. 
As we continued to purge boxes during the spring cleaning, there was an interesting, albeit archaic, measuring tool that was discovered. It was a paper laminated inclinometer. This version, designed at the Cal Poly Design Institute, was fashioned to measure slope the “low tech” way. The bottom edge of the laminated sheet was placed parallel to the environmental slope with the right corner positioned uphill. Then a weighted line dropped from the center of the sheet would point to the corresponding slope ratio. Imagine yourself during an accessibility assessment down on your hands and knees trying to read the corresponding slope ratio along the 500 ft path from the accessible parking to the entrance. Thank goodness California carpenter, Andrew G. Butler, followed through on his idea to combine the bubble-type spirit level with digital electronics to develop and launch the first SmartLevel in 1989 (read more about the History of the SmartLevel: Records of Wedge Innovations, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, 2007). 
The digital level has certainly made the assessment work of the accessiologist so much easier when it comes to identifying physical barriers for people with mobility impairments. So too goes for the digital camera. The accessiologist was once limited by the number of photos and amount of film that could be carried on an assessment. Now our assessment teams can take hundreds of pictures to graphically communicate areas requiring accessibility improvements and document the “before” and “after” makeovers.
Who would have ever thought 20 years ago that today’s smart phone users would be able to say “There’s an app for that” and use a smart phone to both measure the slope and take a digital photo or video of the barrier? Many of us were still getting over the amazing idea of adding the rope to the hook of the fish scale in order to measure the opening force for doors.
How has technology contributed to your accessibility management program?
Do you have predictions for how technology will benefit accessibility management in the next 20 years?
Share your thoughts, send us an e-mail. We’ll post your comments in the next issue.
