The Architectural Barriers Act and the Federal Government
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- Price - $59
- ASID Member Price - Free!
Learn lessons from the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards for federal buildings to deepen your knowledge and application of universal design.
Did you know? The Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS) are the most widely applied physical access requirements for the design and construction of Federal facilities. The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), was a signature achievement in the history of disability rights as the first Federal legislation mandating that buildings be accessible. But the ABA is relatively unknown beyond the Federal Government. Familiarize yourself with the ABA and its relationship to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and how the ABA applies to your work designing federal facilities.
We highlight the critical differences between the ABAAS and the 2010 ADA Standards, and key ABAAS requirements and common mistakes affecting the interior design of workspaces. Learn how important the ABAAS is to interior design, with lessons you can apply in a wide range of projects implementing universal and accessible design. Presented by Rex Pace, U.S. General Services Administration. This is a recording of a webinar presented on March 24, 2020.
What You Will Learn
- Understand the relationship of the ABA to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Explain critical differences between the ABAAS and the 2010 ADA Standards.
- Identify the key ABAAS requirements and common mistakes affecting the interior design of workspaces.
- Provide a general explanation of the ABA and insights on key aspects of the ABAAS important to interior design.
Continuing Education Approvals
- 1 IDCEC CEU | HSW-Barrier-Free | CC-111091 (Your CEU will be reported to IDCEC on your behalf)
- 1 AIA LU | HSW | ASIDABARenew (AIA Members: Please contact education@asid.org to have your completion reported)
Access period: One year from registration date.

Rex Pace
Manager, National Accessibility Program, U.S. General Services Administration
Rex Pace has over 30 years of experience making the built environment accessible to people with disabilities and currently manages the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) National Accessibility Program. He leads the Agency’s mission to provide quality and efficiently designed accessible facilities meeting the needs of all ages and abilities. A critical aspect of his role is to ensure the Agency’s obligations under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) are achieved. Rex came to GSA from the U.S. Access Board where he was a senior accessibility specialist and oversaw the technical assistance program. Prior to the Board, Rex worked at the U.S. Department of Justice's Disability Rights Section providing technical support and architectural assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design.

Bryan Soukup, Esq. (Moderator)
Vice President, Government & Public Affairs
American Society of Interior Designers
As Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for ASID, Bryan J. Soukup, Esq., leads the Society's strategic efforts to advocate for the interior design profession from a legislative, regulatory, and policy perspective before the federal and state governments. He is the Society's sole registered federal lobbyist and chief advocate at the state and local levels. Prior to joining ASID in summer 2018, Bryan served as Director of Resilience Initiatives and as a registered federal and state lobbyist for the International Code Council (ICC). He is a licensed attorney in the District of Columbia and in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
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