Excellence in Accessible Design Education (EADE)

The Accessibility Professionals Association (APA) is a nationwide network of architects, interior designers, engineers, ADA coordinators, building officials, academics, lawyers, and consultants who are experts in accessibility in the built environment. Leveraging the deep industry expertise of its members, APA is spearheading the Excellence in Accessible Design Education (EADE) project to advocate for the adoption of academic accreditation criteria addressing accessible design and related regulatory frameworks.  

Mission 

EADE aspires to elevate academic and professional education by integrating essential accessible design principles and their associated codes and standards into the curricula of professional design programs. EADE proposes enhanced learning outcomes and competencies within all architecture and interior design curricula to ensure graduates are prepared to create fully accessible environments, fulfilling the profession’s moral and regulatory commitment to serve all people with equality, dignity, and respect.

Goals

EADE proposes that national academic accreditation organizations for architecture and interior design programs adopt the following program objectives into their accreditation requirements:

• Require focused exposure to the regulatory federal documents and model codes governing accessible design and construction and incorporate measurable learning outcomes.
• Motivate academic administration, faculty, and support staff to develop, implement, sustain, and assess effective accessible design curricula across programs. 

Now is the time to act! 

The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) conducts a broad revision of the accreditation process every 8 years. The current cycle recently began and stakeholder input is being collected now for the next iteration of their accreditation standards. APA will be participating in a NAAB focus group on June 10, 2026.

What can you do?

Show your support for the EADE and emphasize the importance of accessible design by adding your name and/or your organization to the list of supporters by filling out this form.

Contact ExecutiveDirector@APAaccess.org with questions or for more information.