What are the ADA standards? 

ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act, which means it was passed to ensure accessibility in public spaces for Americans with disabilities, and to protect them from discrimination. The original version of these standards was released in 1990, and the most recenT in 2010. This act includes five sections, employment, public services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and miscellaneous. Including these five sections is essential to making sure public spaces are inclusive to people with disabilities in multiple different scenarios. 

At Wilson Adaptive Technologies, ‘Hygiene is a right, not a privilege,” so our goal is to not only design adaptable, affordable showers according to the ADA Standards, but to go above and beyond them. Using these standards as the bare minimum ensures that our shower designs are inclusive to people with all types of disabilities. 

How is WAT Above and Beyond?

When discussing ADA standards, we must first understand that not all disabilities were kept in mind when making this set of rules. Specifically, accommodations for the blind and people who use wheelchairs were made, leaving out multiple other disabilities or other forms of limited mobility should be considered. If all companies were to adhere to the ADA standards, it still would be exclusionary to a great population of people with disabilities. This is why WAT’s goal is to use ADA standards as a bare minimum, and work from there. Creating a shower that is truly adaptable must include accommodation for all types of disabilities.

The founder of Wilson Adaptive Technologies was Ron Wilson, a man who personally experienced the discriminations that exist as someone with a physical disability, so he understood the struggle of being consistently hygienic and decided to take action. Starting a team to make hygiene more accessible and affordable for people with disabilities requires inclusivity, so our starting point being Ron himself is a strong suit because of the insight he gave on his situation.

He inspired and motivated the WAT team to work towards a common goal. 

Sources:

https://www.designwithdisabledpeoplenow.com/design-beyond-ada

https://askjan.org/articles/The-Americans-with-Disabilities-Act-A-Brief-Overview.cfm

https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/2010-stds/