Access for All: Enhancing the Lives of People with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) sponsored an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) Multi-Regional Project entitled “Access for All: Enhancing the Lives of People with Disabilities,” administered by Meridian International Center and conducted from July 13 to 31, 2015. This project was designed for disability rights advocates, educators, and other professionals who support people with physical, sensory, and/or intellectual disabilities. Through visits with experts and to a range of non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, government agencies, and community groups, participants examined the full range of ways in which communities are made more accessible for all people. Timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), much of this project was focused on the legacy of the landmark legislation as well as looking to forward looking efforts to remove barriers for the participation of people with disability in all aspects of society. This English speaking Multi-regional project (MRP) included twenty-one participants from twenty countries representing NGOs, government agencies, and small enterprise. Visitors began their program in Washington, DC and traveled to San Francisco and Sacramento, California; Cincinnati, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; Iowa City, Iowa; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Read more about this project on Meridian’s blog, The Lead