The Story of a Campus Map:ACCESSIBILITY, GIS, AND CAMPUS PARTNERS

Matthew Tafoya, GIS Manager, Facility ServicesLauren Copeland-Glenn, AAP/ADA Coordinator, Co-Chair for the Commission on Disability Access and DesignChristopher Lanterman, Senior Lecturer, Co-Chair for the Commission on Disability Access and Design

Overview

• History of NAU’s map project

• Collaboration

• Relevant laws• What is an accessible map?

• Purpose of this project

• Steps taken in GIS to work toward accessibility

History of NAU’s Map Project

• Idea from ITS to replace PDF only campus map

• Published with very little about accessibility taken into consideration

• Reorganization at ITS

• New GIS Manager hired at Facility Services

• Collaboration between CDAD and Facility Services• Re-envisioned campus map project

History of NAU’s Map Project

Commission on Disability Access and Design (CDAD)

• The Commission on Disability Access and Design's vision is a university community free from physical and attitudinal barriers to services, programs and activities through Universal Design.

• CDAD works with the university community to create a welcoming, supportive and inclusive university environment. The commission supports and reaffirms NAU's stated commitment to affirmative action and diversity.

CDAD and Facility Services Collaboration

• Began as collaboration to ensure building compliance

• MOU signed

• Collaboration between compliance and GIS practitioners

Laws Mandating Accessibility

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) passed in 2008

• WCAG 2.0

What is an Accessible Map?

• A completely accessible map is both technologically and informationally available to all users regardless of disability• Universal Design

• The vision is to have:o One map that will house all of the physical campus

information Centralization will allow for accuracy and quality control Ensure accessibility Provide a consistent map for many stakeholders across campus Allow for data analysis of the physical environment

Surface Condition Analysis –ADA Accessibility

NAU ADA Accessibility SCA Project • Conduct a surface condition analysis (SCA) based on ADA accessibility standards.

• Create a geodatabase schema that would be consistent with communicating a condition code for all pedestrian paths of travel. The basis of the code shall be the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 accessibility design code for both building and onsite civil projects.

• The Geodatabase schema should include customized datasets, feature classes, domains and subtypes as necessary to perform SCA analysis using ArcGIS 10.2.

• Apply the code standards to a portion of the pedestrian network then use the network analysis to identify code violations for routing purposes and/or facility improvement assessment.

• The database should also take into consideration the expansion possibility of future audibility fields.

• Record and communicate the process that was taken to capture, reconciliation, populate and analyze the data. Including possible integration of 3rd party data.

• Work with various NAU department personnel to learn, obtain, link and share information.

Parsing the Code and Translating it into Field Attributes and Path Restrictions

Network Restriction Attributes Based on ADA Code

Running Length Cross/Running

Slope Location Reference

Length/Width

Field Collection & Attribute Database Design Based on ADA Code

Network Field Evaluators Based on VB Script customized to match

ADA Code Script customization is included during the network attributes design. Visual Basic script blocks were used to determine when a restriction does or does not violate one of the ADA codes.

Coded Domain Value

Weighted Code Field

Network Accessibility Analysis Based on ADA Code and Reference

Network Accessibility Analysis Based on adjusted restriction values

Next Accessibility GIS Frontier: Audible Database Design for GIS Assistive

Technology• The assistive technology/GIS link is best described as Audible Database

Design which is based on scale and scope. The geodatabase table must be designed to represent specific data at specific scales and reference scope.

• Given that various map layers contain different attribute information, it is necessary to break down this information into smaller “bite-size” bits of information based on scale and reference scope.

• The Audible fields will be the link that assistive technological devices and software will read from to communicate relevant data to users.

Next Steps

• Secure funding• Campus-wide accessibility audit • Leverage expertise

• GIS• Accessibility interfacing

• University commitment

Thank You

Questions?