Architecture & DesignAccessibility and Visitability

Accessibility and Visitability

1.00 Hr
SKU: RV-11378AW

Imagine being unable to visit friends because their homes have stairs you can’t climb, or having to avoid drinking liquids before social gatherings because you won’t be able to use the bathroom.

This interactive online course explores how simple design choices in home construction can create environments that welcome everyone, regardless of mobility challenges.

We introduce the Visitability movement, founded by Eleanor Smith, which advocates for three key principles in new home construction: at least one zero-step entrance, wider doorways and hallways, and an accessible bathroom on the main floor.

You’ll learn how these features benefit not only people with disabilities but everyone — from parents with strollers to aging adults who wish to remain in their homes.

Discover the surprisingly low cost of incorporating these features during initial construction versus expensive retrofits later, and understand how these small changes can dramatically improve quality of life, foster inclusive communities, and create housing that serves generations to come.

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Accessibility and Visitability
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Course Details

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • List the 3 basic principles of Visitability.
  • Determine if a house is visitable according to these principles.
  • Describe how the Visitability movement got started and how it pertains to building today.
  • Describe how Visitability and Universal Design interplay with one another, to create a more accessible built environment.

Specs

Course Level
Fundamental
Languages
English
Compatibility
Audio, WebCast, MobileReady

Author | BJ Epstein

BJ Dietz Epstein holds a master's degree in architecture (M.Arch) from Iowa State University. The major emphasis of her studies there was accessibility. Working with Dr. Arvid Osterberg, author of Access for Everyone, she developed training materials for accessibility to teach students, architects, building inspectors, and facilities, planning, and management staff. Ms. Epstein has ten years of experience in the field of accessibility. She currently works for the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco, as an Accessible Media Specialist. There, she creates audio tactile maps as wayfinding solutions for people who are blind or visually impaired. She also performs accessibility compliance checks for signage, and consults with museums, parks, and businesses to ensure that they go above and beyond for their patrons with disabilities. Ms. Epstein brings a passion for accessibility to her work, as well as the ability to translate from legalese into layman's terms. She is well versed in the ADA Standards, as well as the California Building Codes pertaining to accessibility. She wants to make accessibility easy to understand and easy to implement.

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