Advancing Accessibility Through Education, Certification and Advocacy
Advancing Accessibility Through Education, Certification and Advocacy
The Center for National Accessibility Training Standards (CNATS) is an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to improving accessibility, strengthening ADA compliance, and helping organizations build the knowledge needed to better serve people with disabilities.
CNATS develops professional training standards and certification programs for businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, consultants, and other entities responsible for accessibility and ADA compliance. Our programs are designed to help organizations understand both the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the practical realities of providing meaningful access in everyday settings.
A central part of the CNATS mission is preparing qualified organizations and agencies to conduct ADA accessibility inspections and administer ADA Coordinator training programs. CNATS provides the standards, curriculum, guidance, and training necessary for approved organizations to deliver these programs in accordance with established CNATS requirements.
Once an organization has successfully completed the appropriate CNATS training and authorization process, it may provide ADA Coordinator training to individuals within its organization, community, or professional area of service. Those authorized organizations may then issue ADA Coordinator certifications to individuals who successfully complete the required coursework and meet the applicable certification standards.
CNATS also provides training and standards for organizations conducting ADA accessibility inspections. These programs are intended to help inspectors properly evaluate facilities, identify accessibility barriers, understand applicable ADA requirements, and prepare informed recommendations for improving access and compliance.
Our standards are developed through careful study of the Americans with Disabilities Act, subsequent guidance and revisions issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, applicable federal accessibility requirements, educational research, and established practices within universities and other institutions. CNATS also places significant importance on the experiences and perspectives of disability advocates and people who live with disabilities every day.
We believe that effective accessibility should extend beyond simply meeting the minimum requirements of the law. A building, program, or service may technically comply with a regulation while still presenting unnecessary difficulties for someone with a disability. For that reason, CNATS training focuses on practical accessibility as well as legal compliance.
Through education, professional standards, organizational certification, and advocacy, CNATS works to expand the number of qualified organizations capable of providing high-quality ADA training and accessibility services. Our goal is to create greater consistency in accessibility education while helping businesses, agencies, and other organizations develop programs that support equal access, independence, and meaningful participation for people with disabilities.
Our Mission
The mission of the Center for National Accessibility Training Standards is to advance meaningful accessibility for people with disabilities by establishing practical national training standards, preparing qualified organizations to deliver ADA education and certification programs, and promoting accessibility practices that go beyond minimum legal compliance. Through education, professional standards, partnership, and advocacy, CNATS works to expand access, strengthen accountability, and help create communities where people with disabilities can participate more fully and independently.