UM Study Finds Disability Access Could Improve

A University of Montana study has resulted in a B grade for Missoula businesses when it comes to providing access for people with mobility impairments.

Rural areas of Montana received a C minus.

The recent study is intended to provide information about how well communities are complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The study included 300 retail businesses in Missoula as well as businesses in 19 Montana cities with a population between 2,500 and 10,000.

Tom Seekins is a community psychology professor at the university.

He says the study found that rural communities with the highest number of people with disabilities often had the worst accessibility problems.

Associated Press