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Continuing Education Credit* Members/guests meet the CE/LU requirements of numerous organizations by attending APA Training. APA is a registered provider with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR, #PVD312), Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR, #1521), American Institute of Architects (AIA/CES, #G583) and a preferred provider for the International Code Council (ICC, #1321). APA provides pre-verified ACTCP credits for the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP). We award an Accessibility Standards Completion Certificate, as well as APA-ADA Specialist, APA-ADA Assembly Specialist and APA-ADA Transient Lodging Specialist Designations, when all criteria are met.  


  APA

 9433 Bee Cave Road 
 Building II, Suite 203 
 Austin, TX 78733 
 UNITED STATES


Accessibility Professionals Association (APA) is a group of Professionals dedicated to accessibility in all aspects of the physical experience for persons with disabilities.

APA News




  

 
ADA Articles
  • Universal Design Reduces Social Isolation - Full Article by Natalie Crawford

 

Why Hire an Accessibility Professional?

Complying with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and state-specific building accessibility codes and requirements can be a complex and challenging process. An APA professional can help you smoothly navigate through every phase of your new or remodel project to achieve accessibility and avoid any costly headaches arising from noncompliance. Whether it’s a public building or privately owned structure leased or occupied by government agencies, a place of public accommodation, or a commercial facility, an APA member can help with accessibility planning and compliance. 

Search our Hire a Professional page for APA specialists. 
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APA Continuing Education & Training

APA offers related education on a regular basis during the year - which is open to members and the public.  We offer credits* for AIA, ICC, TDLR, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), ACTCP and more.  

(Due to the Coronavirus, the following dates are subject to change.)

Registration Open

  • August 7th, 2020 - Plano APA Regional CE Training 4-8 Hr Options (Due to Covid 19 we will only be offering via Webinar Registration) 

Save the Date

  • Due to Covid-19 the Doral-Miami, Florida Training is being postponed until fall 2020.
  • The next APA National Conference & Expo is January 27-29, 2021 

National Conference & Expo Exhibitor or Sponsor 

When you attend the APA National Conference as an exhibitor, you get exclusive face-to-face time with over 200 Accessibility Specialists and related professionals – those who regularly consult and collaborate with architects, builders, and others who help maintain accessibility in the built environment.

For Exhibitor and Sponsor Guidelines for the 2021 National Conference & Expo please contact Camille North.

Member Spotlight

Peter Grojean

Peter Grojean, P.E., (Inactive) is a recognized authority on the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) and the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS). He is a frequent speaker to professional and trade organizations on the subject of accessibility. Mr. Grojean has provided professional advice and technical consulting to a wide range of private and public clients. He assists individual architects, interior designers, and engineers in designing projects that will comply with both the ADAAG and TAS.

As a past member of the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, Mr. Grojean played a proactive role in legislative changes affecting plan reviews, inspections and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation procedures, in an effort to simplify and streamline the requirements of complying with Texas accessibility laws.

Mr. Grojean provides Plan Review and Inspection services for commercial construction projects required to comply with the Texas Accessibility Standards.   He also provides expert services in litigation cases and has been retained by both plantiffs and defendents to represent their interests.
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Notice to all APA Members!

The Member Directory has a whole new search tool! This is an exciting new Member Benefit for you. This tool allows you and anyone wishing to Hire an Accessibility Professional to search many new fields.

BUT - you must update your Member Profile to provide an accurate description of your services.  Go to the arrow beside your logged in name in the upper right hand corner of the APA webpage and click on "Profile."  Look for the heading marked "Website," click on" Interests," and check all the items that apply to your services.  Then do a few sample searches in the Membership Directory.

Additionally, we have a new feature called Member Spotlight (see above). Members will be randomly selected, however, in order to be featured you must have a photo and  approximately 200 word biography in your profile.


Why Join APA? - One Member's Voice

My name is Charles Watt and I have been a member of the Accessibility Professionals Association for only one year. Unlike the majority of APA members I am not a RAS or an architect, nor do I reside in Texas. I am the ADA Coordinator for the Oklahoma Dept. of Rehabilitation Services, a vocational rehabilitation agency whose purpose is to assist individuals with disabilities to prepare for, find, and maintain employment opportunities. So why did I join the APA and how have I found it helpful to me in my duties as an ADA Coordinator?

The Dept. of Justice regulations implementing the ADA state "A public entity that employs 50 or more persons shall designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities" under the ADA. This designated employee must also conduct an "investigation of any complaint communicated ... alleging its noncompliance" with the ADA. This person is most commonly referred to as an ADA Coordinator but other job titles are also used.

It is fairly easy to see, from the "job description" given by the DOJ, why an ADA Coordinator must be knowledgeable about as many aspects of the ADA as is possible. Certainly, complaints might arise due to the inaccessibility of the built environment but the necessity of being able to proactively alert an organization to existing accessibility barriers is also essential.

The education I have received as a result of attending regional trainings and the APA Annual Conference have been invaluable to me as I try to determine whether or not various elements in a building or building site are in compliance with the ADA Standards. In addition, the opportunity to create a network of knowledgeable peers and to ask questions in the online Member's Forum is also extremely helpful.

The ability to proudly display the APA logo and to receive various specialty designations like ADA Specialist, Transient Lodging Specialist, etc. gives an imprimatur of professionalism and expertise available nowhere else.

I wholeheartedly recommend membership in the Accessibility Professionals Association to all my fellow ADA Coordinators. I've met people who I know can and will help me if I need it and have received the finest training and education on the intricacies of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design which is available.

By Charles Watt, ADA Coordinator and APA Member
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