The DOTs for 2006
by Terri Ricci
Thank you to the readers who participated in the DOT contest in
the past few months. It was very hard to decide what focus to take
for the paper for the upcoming 2006 year; however, we had to choose,
so Susan Lasoff won for her submission of the Disability Access Symbols.
We have decided to run the Disability Access Symbols not only as
the DOT on the front page, but we are going to explain the usage
of one of the Disability Access Symbols each month and highlight
an article that can give the reader some more information about how
these symbols and their usage are beneficial to the disability community.
Alice Oden also sent
in 12 DOT ideas and we are going to use these DOTs on the Web site.
So those readers who only read the Web version of our newspaper,
you will have the benefit of these great ideas. If you don’t
get to the Web site often, this might give you the incentive you
need to read Access Press online.
The Disability Access Symbols created by the Graphic Artists Guild
Foundation in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts
launched these symbols to be used to promote and publicize accessibility
of places, programs and other activities for people with various
disabilities.
Organizations, both
public and private, are working to be fully accessible to this
country’s 54 million citizens with disabilities
as well as foreign visitors. Organizations that receive government
funding are required to provide accessible programs and services
under Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A more
recent law, the 1990 Americans with Disability Act (ADA), extends
accessibility provisions to the private sector in order to help guarantee
persons with disabilities employment and the right to enter the economic,
social and cultural mainstreams. The ADA goes well beyond federally
funded organizations to encompass private sector entities that serve
the public, including cultural organizations that do not receive
federal support, retail businesses, movie theaters, and restaurants.
These symbols are intended to help you advertise your access services
to customers, audiences, staff and other targeted public groups.
Advertisements, newsletters, conference and program brochures, membership
forms, building signage, floor plans and maps are examples of material
that might display these symbols. You are encouraged to place these
symbols next to the relevant information in all publications and
media.
Any language accompanying
the symbols should focus on the accommodation or service, not on
who uses it. For example, “Ramped Entrance” may
accompany the wheelchair symbol. This is important because not only
do individuals in wheelchairs use ramps, but so do people with baby
carriages, luggage, packages, etc. Language that fosters dignity
is important too. For example, “Reserved Parking” or “Accessible
Parking” may be used with the wheelchair symbol to indicate
that parking spaces are designated for people with disabilities.
Access Press wishes to encourage all of the groups that we provide
papers for, such as our advertisers, readers, corporations, non-profit
agencies and other companies to utilize these symbols when promoting
their goods, services or other information. If businesses are accessible,
we also hope that these groups share this information with others
through their newspapers, marketing materials or company information.
This month we are going to start out by featuring an article about
the Perkins Brailler and how it enhances the lives of those who are
unable to see.
For more information about the symbols you can visit the Graphic
Artists Guild at www.gag.org/resources/das.php or you may also obtain
Mac or PC floppy disk copies of all the symbols by contacting the
Graphic Artists Guild Foundation at 212-791-3400.
The symbols to watch
for in each upcoming issue include: Braille Symbol, Access for
Individuals Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision, Symbol for Accessibility,
Audio Description, Telephone Typewriter (TTY), Volume Control Telephone,
Assistive Listening Systems, Sign Language Interpretation, Accessible
Print, The Information Symbol, Closed Captioning, and Opened Captioning.
We invite you to watch for each new symbol featured in the coming
months, but if you can’t
wait, you can see them at www.gag.org/resources/das.php.
Braille
This symbol indicates that printed material is available in Braille,
including exhibition labeling, publications and signage.
Special thanks to the
National Endowment for the Arts. Graphic design assistance by the
Society of Environmental Graphic Design. Consultant: Jacqueline
Ann Clipsham © copyright 1995 - 2002, Graphic Artists.
