Accessibility

OverviewADA Logo

In 1990, the Federal Government enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA required all public organizations to adopt a Transition Plan identifying physical obstacles limiting access to programs, services and activities by persons with disabilities.

Concord adopted its ADA Transition Plan in 1993 and its ADA Self Evaluation and Transition Plan Update (SETP) in 2009. City facilities, programs, services, policies, practices, and procedures were surveyed as part of the SETP. Public sidewalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian features of existing signalized intersections were added to the SETP. The City continues to review the SETP as new construction projects are identified and legal interpretation of the ADA occurs.

Please submit comments on the accessibility of City programs and facilities using the "Send Comments" form provided above. If you prefer to speak to someone directly, please contact the City's ADA Coordinator.

Summary

This Website was designed in conformance with Section 508 guidelines to enable use by individuals with disabilities. The City of Concord uses the following accessibility and usability standards in the development of City Web pages:

W3C Code Standards Improve the Web Browsing Experience

The underlying code for this Web site was developed according to the W3C code specifications for XHTML 1.0 Transitional and Cascading Style Sheets 2.0 (CSS2).

Following these code specifications improves the user experience for all site visitors by allowing for a richer, more interactive Web site experience, and paves the way to accessing Web page content on various devices such as PDAs, phones and other handheld devices.

CSS2 is a technology that allows the Web developer to separate Web page formatting from content, making it much easer for disabled individuals who rely on assistive technologies such as braille readers to use the Internet.

Section 508

  • The U.S. Rehabilitation Act (USRA) is companion legislation to the more widely know Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Both pieces of legislation apply to accommodating people with disabilities.
  • The ADA generally defines access requirements for buildings, streets, sidewalks, etc. while the USRA defines steps that must be taken to allow the public, including the disabled, the same access to jobs, education, and Government services and information. Section 508 of the USRA specifically addresses the needs of the disabled community as they relate to accessing public information via electronic systems including the Web.
  • The purpose of Section 508 is to help people with disabilities obtain equal access to electronic information by establishing a set of guidelines that information technology developers can follow when designing products such as software and Web sites.
  • Section 508 compliance is a requirement of federal agencies, not municipalities. However, the City of Concord has chosen to conform to these important standards in an effort to improve access to information by all residents.

Additional Usability & Accessibility Resources on the Internet

Local Accessibility Resources

Usability & Accessibility Guidelines