Appendix A - Glossary of Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Abbreviated reference to the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. This federal agency developed the guidelines for establishing accessibility as required by the ADA.
accessible
Easily approached or entered. In terms of transit vehicles and facilities, it refers to compliance with the ADA accessibility requirements and rules established by the U.S. Department of Transportation in compliance with definitions developed by the Access Board.
ADA Eligibility Identification Card
An identity card or letter issued to individuals determined ADA eligible. Includes eligibility status and date for recertification.
ADA Regional Eligibility Database
An information management system for the 21 transit operators in the region to share ADA eligibility information.
ambulatory
An individual who is capable of walking.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
A civil rights law for persons with disabilities, signed into law on July 26, 1990. Areas covered under the law include transportation, employment, public accommodations, telecommunications and state and local government operations.
aphasia
Partial or total loss of the ability to speak or comprehend speech, resulting from brain damage.
appeal
A request to a transit operator for a hearing to review an ADA paratransit eligibility decision.
appeal panel
A group of persons who conduct appeal hearings and render an eligibility decision. These panels are also called appeal boards or committees.
appellant
An individual who requests an appeal because he or she disagrees with an ADA paratransit eligibility decision.
architectural barrier
See environmental barrier.
attendant
See personal care attendant.
autism
A developmental disability that significantly affects verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction.
Anyone without sight or who has less than 10 percent of vision. Visually
impaired refers to varying degrees of vision loss.
Braille
A system of printing and writing for the blind, in which the characters are patterns of raised dots which are felt by the fingers.
The California Relay Service (CRS) enables a person using a TTY (telecommunication device with keyboard and visual display, for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled) to communicate by phone with a person who does not use a TTY. The service also works in reverse -- allowing a non-TTY user to call a TTY user. Specially trained relay operators relay conversation as they take place. The operator reads the TTY text to the non-TTY user, and types the spoken response to the TTY user. CRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to assist with calls.
cerebral palsy
A term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. Cerebral palsy is characterized by an inability to fully control motor functions, particularly muscle control and coordination. Cerebral palsy is not a disease and should not be referred to as such.
civil rights
Rights guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the laws of the nation.
Civil Rights Act
Landmark legislation of 1964 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. (This act did not include the rights of persons with disabilities.)
cognitive disability
Umbrella term for a variety of mental disorders such as mental retardation, traumatic brain injury, learning disabilities, Alzheimer or stroke. Of the close to 50 million Americans with disabilities, it is estimated that about 25 percent have cognitive disabilities. These individuals experience difficulty with communication, processing information, making choices or handling money. They may need extra explanations and more attention or time, as well as verbal cues. Persons with learning or developmental disabilities may not read.
companion
A person, other than an attendant, traveling with an ADA paratransit eligible consumer and having the same origin and destination as the eligible individual.
consumer
A term used to describe ADA eligible persons who ride paratransit for any or all of their transportation needs.
See, ADA Regional Eligibility Database.
deaf-blindness
A condition in which there is a simultaneous hearing and visual impairment.
deafness
A severe hearing impairment.
dementia
An organic brain disorder resulting in deterioration of mental faculties with accompanying emotional disturbance.
denial
Refers to the condition in which an individual's request for ADA paratransit service has not been satisfied. (denied)
Department of Justice (U.S.)
The federal agency responsible for overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the ADA.
dogs
See, service animal.
Down syndrome
(Also, Down's syndrome). A genetic disorder, resulting in mild to severe mental retardation, weak muscle-tone, and a characteristic facial appearance.
The Elderly and Disabled Advisory Committee of the MTC.
eligibility
Refers to the standards which qualify an individual for ADA paratransit service.
See also, presumptive eligibility.
environmental barrier
As related to ADA certification, environmental barriers can be extreme temperature or weather conditions, increased amount of pollens and/or architectural barriers such as steep inclines, steps, curbs or unpaved areas. In the determination process, the issue is whether a barrier prevents travel or makes it more difficult.
environmental illness
Severe allergic reaction to chemicals or pollutants in the environment.
epilepsy
A disorder of the nervous system, also known as seizure disorder. People with epilepsy may have either a mild, periodic loss of attention or sleepiness (petit
mal) or severe convulsions with loss of consciousness (grand mal).
equivalent service standard
The service provided to persons with disabilities must be equivalent to that provided to
nondisabled persons, "in the most integrated setting appropriate" in each of the following areas:
- Response time
- Fares
- Geographic service area served
- Hours/days of service
- Availability of information
- Reservations capability
- Any constraints on capacity or service availability
- Equal treatment
An ADA eligible trip in which paratransit is used to transport an individual to or from a trip on fixed route.
fixed-route system
A public or private system of transporting individuals (other than by aircraft), including but not limited to, public transportation service on which a vehicle is operated along a prescribed route according to a fixed schedule.
functional assessment
Mechanisms and/or tests to help determine if applicants for ADA paratransit have the ability to use fixed route services and, if so, under what conditions. Functional assessments can be used to measure either physical or cognitive abilities and are conducted by independent or third party professionals.
functional testing
See, functional assessment.
See, service animal.
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain-Barré (Ghee-yan Bah-ray) syndrome, also called acute idiopathic polyneuritis and Landry's ascending paralysis, is a disorder in which the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. Symptoms include sudden weakness and often paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and face. Abnormal sensations often occur with the weakness. Most people recover, but require intensive therapy over the course of several months. Some may have long-lasting disabilities, and GBS can be fatal in a little less than 5 percent of cases. GBS can develop in any person at any age, regardless of gender or ethnic background. The cause is unknown although about half the cases occur shortly after a viral infection. Some theories suggest that the body's immune system may turn against the nervous system, damaging nerve coverings.
handicap
This term is often used as a synonym for disability. However, this usage has become increasingly less acceptable because of the negative connotations of the word. (One reported origin of the term is from the phrase "cap in hand," as in begging for assistance.) Except when citing laws or regulations (where the term is still used) , handicap should not be used to describe a person's disability . The word is better used to describe environmental conditions inhibiting a person's ability to function independently . For example, it would be correct to say, "The stairs are a handicap for her" but incorrect to say, "The handicapped child could not use the stairs."
hard of hearing
Term used to describe a person with a mild to moderate hearing loss that may or may not be corrected with a hearing aid.
hearing impaired
A general term meaning any degree of hearing loss from mild to profound; includes both hard of hearing and deaf.
hemiplegia
Paralysis of one side of the body, caused by brain damage (such as head injury or stroke). See also, paralysis, paraplegia, quadriplegia.
HIV/AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS, is caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks selected cells in the immune system, making them defective. This results in a severe suppression of the immune system's ability to resist harmful organisms.
See, ADA Eligibility Identification Card
impaired mobility
Having limited ability to move.
impairment
Loss or abnormality of an organ or body mechanism, which may result in a disability.
Independent Living
A movement and philosophy among people with disabilities that encourages independence and self-reliance, and creates alternatives to custodial care such as nursing homes. There are centers for independent living in most parts of the country.
interagency paratransit services
See, regional trip.
invisible or "hidden" disability
A disability that may not be obvious to an observer, such as heart disease, epilepsy, psychiatric illness, or a learning or developmental disability.
A moveable lower step on a bus or light rail which can be lowered and raised to make it easier for elderly passengers or passengers whose mobility is impaired to board and disembark.
A mechanical device used to raise a wheelchair into a bus or van.
A deterioration of the macula, the central part of the eye's retina. The macula focuses central vision in the eye and controls the ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail. The specific causes of macular degeneration are not known although age and arteriosclerosis may contribute. The leading cause of blindness for people aged 55 and older in the United States, macular degeneration affects more than 10 million Americans. There is as yet no cure for this condition.
mental disability
Any of the various forms of psychosis or neurosis (i.e., depression, schizophrenia).
mental retardation
General intellectual functioning at a subaverage level. Concurrently, there are deficits in adaptive behavior.
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
The government agency charged with planning, financing and coordinating transportation for the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area. The MTC has been in existence since 1970.
mobility device
Any apparatus or aid which helps to move people with disabilities from one place to another, such as wheelchairs, three-wheelers. See also, personal assistive devices.
mobility impaired
See, impaired mobility.
multiple sclerosis
A chronic disease of the central nervous system. Its symptoms may range from blurred vision to complete paralysis. Symptoms may also vary from time to time in the same person.
muscular dystrophy
A disease of unknown origin that produces progressive muscular deterioration.
Refers to the nine counties in the San Francisco Bay Area that participate in the regional ADA paratransit application process. These counties are: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
nondisabled
Appropriate term for people without disabilities. "Normal," "ablebodied" "healthy" or "whole" are inappropriate terms.
No-show
A term to describe an individual who misses a scheduled paratransit trip without notifying the provider far enough in advance to allow the schedule to be altered.
Partial or complete loss, or temporary interruption of a bodily function, especially of voluntary motion or of sensation. See also, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, stroke.
paraplegia
Paralysis of the entire lower half of the body.
paratransit
Comparable transportation service required by the ADA for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use fixed route transportation systems for some or all of their travel needs.
paratransit consumer councils
A group of seniors, persons with disabilities and community representatives -- including transit operators -- who meet to discuss and/or advocate for accessible transportation services. These groups are sometimes called paratransit coordinating councils or committees.
Partnership Transit Coordination Committee (PTCC)
A council composed of representatives from 21 Bay Area transit operators. They meet, confer and develop paratransit policies and procedures for the region. (Formerly called RTCC, Regional Transit Coordinating Council).
personal assistive devices
Aids used by persons with impaired mobility or loss of mobility to enable them to stand or walk, such as canes, crutches, walkers or braces. See, mobility device.
personal care attendant (PCA)
A person traveling as an aid who is designated and/or employed by a person with disabilities to help that person meet his or her needs and/or facilitate travel.
personal service attendant
Another term for a personal care attendant.
polio
A disease that attacks the nerves and spinal cord, and results in muscu-paralysis and atrophy to various degrees. See also, post-polio syndrome. lar
post-polio syndrome (PPS)
A weakening of muscles and other related symptoms that occur years after people have had polio. Other signs include unusual fatigue, breathing difficulties, swallowing problems, sleep disturbances, and/or pain in muscles and joints. Women appear more likely than men to experience symptoms. A 1992 study found that about 20 percent of PPS patients reported a need to use aids for mobility or breathing.
presumptive eligibility
A condition under which an individual is "assumed" to be eligible for ADA para-transit until further information is collected and/or a pending eligibility determination decisions is finalized.
prosthetic
Usually, but not always, an artificial extremity such as an arm or leg.
Public Law 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, passed by Congress in 1973 states: "No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the U.S. shall solely by reason of handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." The usage "handicapped individual" is no longer considered appropriate.
Total paralysis of the body from the neck down.
Any modification or adjustment to a job or to the work environment that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to perform essential job functions.
Regional Transit Coordinating Council (RTCC)
See Partnership Transit Coordination Council (PTCC).
regional transit operator
One of the 21 transit operators in the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area.
regional trip
An interagency paratransit trip is one that covers more than one transit jurisdiction. Depending on agreements between service providers, a passenger may or may not have to transfer vehicles between jurisdictions.
response time
One of the six ADA criteria for paratransit service. Refers to the elapsed time between a request for service and the provision of service, where the provision of service is measured as the time the vehicle arrives to pick up the rider.
A battery-powered, three wheeled mobility device, also called a three-wheeler.
securement
A method of safely securing a wheelchair in a bus or van.
securement area
The area on board a vehicle designated for use by wheelchair users.
seizure
Describes an involuntary muscular contraction, a brief impairment or loss of consciousness, etc., resulting from a neurological condition, such as epilepsy.
Service animals
The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If animals meet this definition, they are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.
Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot
perform for him or herself. "Guide dogs" are one type of service animal, used by some individuals who
are blind. This is the type of service animal with which most people are familiar. But there are
service animals that assist persons with other kinds of disabilities in their day-to-day activities.
Some examples include:
- Alerting persons with hearing impairments to sounds.
- Pulling wheelchairs or carrying and picking up things for persons with mobility impairments.
- Assisting persons with mobility impairments to balance.
A service animal is not a pet.
signal dog
See, service animals.
spasmodic dysphonia
Difficulty in speaking due to involuntary muscle spasms in the vocal cords.
spastic
Describes sudden abnormal and involuntary muscle spasms. Spastic is not an appropriate term for describing people. Muscles are spastic, not people.
speech disorder
A condition in which a person has limited or difficult speech patterns.
speech impaired
A general term meaning any degree of speech disorder from mild to profound -- from stuttering to total loss of speech.
Speech-to-Speech Service (STS)
STS enables a speech disabled person to use the California Relay Service (CRS) using his or her own voice synthesizer to call another person. Speech-to-Speech provides trained operators who function as live voicers for users with speech disabilities who have trouble being understood on the telephone.
spina bifida
A condition characterized by an incomplete closure of the spine. People with spina bifida may have varying amounts of muscle paralysis, bladder and bowel problems, loss of skin sensation, and spine and limb problems.
spinal cord injury
Describes a condition in which there has been permanent damage to the spinal cord. This can be caused by birth defects, disease or accidents. See, quadriplegia, paraplegia.
stroke
Sudden loss of consciousness followed by paralysis, caused by brain hemorrhage or a blood clot. Paralysis usually involves one side of the face, the arm and leg of one side and problems with speech and vision. See, paralysis.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Provides uniform benefits to elderly or persons with disabilities who are not covered by Social Security.
Telecommunication device for the deaf. This device enables hearing disabled people to use telephones. All TDDs have keyboards, a display screen and an acoustic "coupler." The telephone receiver is placed on the coupler of the TDD. Messages are typed on the keyboard and converted into acoustic signals that are transmitted over telephone lines, to be received by another TDD. Some TDD equipment is connected to a printer, so that "hard copy" or records may be kept. TDDs may also be used by people with speech impairments. See, text telephone, TTY.
text telephone
Another word for TDD; a telecommunication device for both hearing and speech impaired people.
three-wheeler
A three-wheeled, battery-powered mobility device or scooter.
tie-down
See, securement.
Tourette's syndrome
Tourette's syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system that shows itself in involuntary body movements and vocal, sometimes obscene, outbursts. This syndrome is rare and commonly appears in childhood and may get worse as the person ages. It is more common in males than females.
travel training
Training persons with disabilities to use public transportation successfully. Also known as mobility training. This training provides potential riders with the skills and information needed to use the fixed route service independently. Instruction can focus on use of the lift or other access features, route planning, landmark identification, street crossing safety, emergency procedures, appropriate bus behavior, or any combination of these. Training can be specific to a particular route or trip or can be designed to develop more general systemwide skills. Training can be provided by "peers" (individuals with disabilities or elderly persons who know and use the system) or by human service agency or transit agency staff or controactors.
TravInfo -- 817-1717
The regional transportation telephone information number (817-1718 for the hearing impaired who use TDD/TTY devices). No area code is required when dialing from any of the Bay Area's six area codes; however, a toll charge may apply. The number connects callers to customer service representatives at any of the fixed route and paratransit operators in the Bay Area. This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for pre-recorded information and for direct connections to regional transit operators during their hours of operation.
TTY
Text telephone or teletyper, telecommunication devices for the deaf.
Loss of vision to varying degrees. People with visual impairments may require verbal explanations and cues.
A device used to assist a person in walking. It consists of a platform made of tubing which the person grasps while taking a step. Most walkers collapse easily for storage. Some walkers have wheels.
wheelchair
Amobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled devices, and usable indoors and outdoors. They are designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments. Wheelchairs can be operated manually or battery powered.
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