Designing for Accessibility under ADA Standards and IBC
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
On-Demand Webinar
One Missed Clearance Is All It Takes to Send a Project Back to the Drawing Board
A plan reviewer doesn’t care which code you thought applied — only whether you got it right. This course gives you a fast, confident answer for every accessibility call you’ll face on a set of drawings, so the next redline isn’t one you could’ve caught yourself.
Presented By
Kristi Avalos
Here’s the problem: the ADA and the IBC both talk about accessibility, but they don’t always agree — and figuring out which one governs your project, mid-design, is not where you want to be spending billable hours. Guess wrong and you’re looking at a resubmittal, a delayed permit, or worse, a completed project that fails inspection.
This course was built to close that gap. In one sitting, you’ll walk through exactly how these two codes relate, which one wins when they conflict, and how to apply the standard element by element — parking, ramps, doors, toilet rooms, signage, assembly spaces, and more — without flipping between three different reference books.
Your instructor, Kristi Avalos, has spent more than 40 years doing this for a living — including expert-witness testimony on ADA and Fair Housing cases where getting the code interpretation wrong had real consequences. She’s not teaching from a textbook. She’s teaching from the deposition.
Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t
Full webinar recording, written course materials you can pull up mid-review, a short quiz to lock in what you learned, and a certificate the moment you pass it. Already have Knowledge Points on your account? This course is redeemable for 6.5 of them.
What You’ll Walk Away Knowing
Which Code Actually Governs Your Project
- Why the ADA and the IBC don’t say the same thing — and how each one got here
- The fast way to decide which code wins on a given project
- Which entities and facility types you’re even required to worry about
- How to scope a project so you’re not over- or under-complying
- What “readily achievable” barrier removal really requires of you
- Alterations vs. new construction — the trigger points that change everything
- Safe harbor provisions that can protect existing conditions from a costly retrofit
- Policy and procedure changes you need on your radar before your next submittal
Getting the Site and Exterior Right the First Time
- Defining — and preserving — an accessible path of travel through a renovation
- Accessible parking counts, dimensions, and van-accessible triggers reviewers actually check
- Exterior route, ramp, and stairway requirements
- The entrance and door clearances that get flagged more than anything else
Nailing the Interior Details Reviewers Live For
- Interior route requirements and the corridor mistakes that keep repeating
- Toilet and bathing facility clearances, including showers
- Drinking fountain height and approach rules
- Signage standards for wayfinding and identification
- Accessible kitchen and break-room layouts
Assembly, Recreation, and What’s Coming Next
- Assembly area sightline and layout requirements
- Assistive listening system thresholds you can’t afford to miss
- Recreational facility access — pools, courts, and playgrounds
- New materials, technologies, and where the codes are headed next
Learn It From Someone Who’s Been Cross-Examined on It
Kristi Avalos
Founder and CEO, Accessology Too, LLC — McKinney, TX
Ms. Avalos founded Accessology Too, LLC in 1990 and built it into one of the largest U.S. firms dedicated solely to accessibility consulting. With more than 40 years in the field, she’s provided expert-witness testimony on ADA, Section 504, Fair Housing, and Air Carrier Access Act cases — the kind of work where a wrong answer doesn’t just cost a redesign, it costs a lawsuit. Her firm has guided accessibility compliance on multi-million-dollar projects from schematic design through final inspection, and since 2005 has specialized in ADA Transition Plans for Title II entities, since so much litigation traces back to not having one on file. What you get in this course is the same practical read on the code that her clients pay for.
Questions
How does access and certification work?
Once you purchase, you can stream the full recording along with the written course materials on your own schedule — no need to clear your calendar for a live time slot. A short quiz follows the course; score 80% or better (retakes allowed) and your certificate downloads immediately from the quiz results page.
When will the recording be available after I purchase?
On-demand courses are generally available within 1–2 weeks of the live presentation date. Check your confirmation email for the exact access window.
Is there a deadline to complete the course once I purchase?
Yes — this course must be completed by its listed expiration date to remain eligible for a certificate. Check the course page for the current expiration date before you buy.
Credits
Engineers
6.5 PDHs
Architects
6.5 HSW CE Hours
AIA - American Institute of Architects
6.5 HSW LUs
ICC - International Code Council
0.65 CEUs (Accessibility)
Continuing Education Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.5 PDHs for professional engineers and 6.5 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects in all states that allow this learning method. Please refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida (Provider License No: CEA362), Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, and New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00049300). HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York engineers and architects via its registration with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (Regulations of the Commissioner §68.14(i)(2) and §69.6(i)(2)). Other states do not preapprove continuing education providers or courses.
The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.5 HSW LUs (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA/CES.
The International Code Council has approved this event for .65 CEUs in the specialty area of Accessibility (Preferred Provider No. 1232).
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).
*On-Demand Credits*
The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:
6.5 HSW LUs (AIA)
Speakers
Kristi Avalos
Founder and CEO of Accessology Too, LLC, in McKinney, TexasMs. Avalos is a nationally renowned leader in providing accessibility-related services and is a sought-after speaker with a knack for using an upbeat approach to help others understand the complexities of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). With over 40 years of experience, she provides expert witnessing on ADA, 504, Federal Housing Administration, and Air Carrier Access Act legal cases. In 1990 she founded Accessology Too, LLC which is a national leader in providing accessibility consulting services and is one of the largest U.S. firms dedicated solely to accessibility and access issues. Since its founding, Accessology has worked closely with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Access Board to remain knowledgeable and adept with the constant changes that occur regarding ADA guidelines. Accessology has worked on numerous multi-million dollar projects to impact accessibility compliance during all stages, from schematics to construction and final inspections. Since 2005 Accessology has specialized in the development, execution, and monitoring of the required ADA Transition Plans for Title II entities to help them avoid access-related litigation since so much litigation is tied to not having a Transition Plan on file. Ms. Avalos and her team at Accessology are committed to removing structural and attitudinal barriers that adversely impact people with disabilities.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Designing for Accessibility under ADA Standards and IBC
Delivery Method: Live Online
Course Description: This course examines the Americans with Disability Act and International Building Code accessibility requirement compliance, including the relationship between the two, entities and facilities that are covered, new construction and alteration requirements, readily-achievable barrier removal, new policies and procedures, and specifics about building and facility requirements.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify and comply with IBC and ADA accessibility standards for exterior and interior access routes, ramps and stairways, entrances and doors, toilet facility access, meeting areas, recreational areas, drinking fountains, and showers.
Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to identify and describe readily-achievable barrier removal in structures.
Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to discuss the relationship between Americans with Disability Act and the International Building Code accessibility standards and how these codes came to be and have evolved.
Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to determine which structures and facilities are covered by accessibility standards.
LUs: 6.5
LU Type: LU|HSWs
Prerequisites: Experience with building code interpretation and compliance
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 04/16/2027
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.
6.5 Knowledge Points
Purchase this course using Knowledge Points by clicking the button below.
(Account login required. Knowledge Points can only be redeemed by the owner of the points. Cannot be combined with any other forms of payment)