(a) Accessibility. A recipient shall operate each program or activity to which this subpart applies so that when each part is viewed in its entirety it is readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. This section does not require a recipient to make each of its existing facilities or every part of a facility accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

(b) Compliance procedures. A recipient may comply with the requirement of paragraph (a) of this section through acquisition or redesign of equipment, reassignment of services to accessible buildings, assignment of aids to beneficiaries, delivery of services at alternate accessible sites, alteration of existing facilities, or any other method that results in making its program or activity accessible to handicapped persons. A recipient is not required to make structural changes in existing facilities where other methods are effective in achieving compliance with paragraph (a) of this section. In choosing among methods for meeting the requirement of paragraph (a) of this section, a recipient shall give priority to those methods that serve handicapped persons in the most integrated setting appropriate.

(c) Small providers. If a recipient with fewer than fifteen employees finds, after consultation with a handicapped person seeking its services, that there is no method of complying with § 42.521(a) other than making a significant alteration in its existing facilities, the recipient may, as an alternative, refer the handicapped person to other available providers of those services that are accessible.

(d) Time period. A recipient shall comply with the requirement of paragraph (a) of this section within ninety days of the effective date of this subpart. However, where structural changes in facilities are necessary, such changes shall be made as expeditiously as possible and shall be completed no later than three years from the effective date of this subpart. If structural changes to facilities are necessary, a recipient shall, within six months of the effective date of this subpart, develop a written plan setting forth the steps that will be taken to complete the changes together with a schedule for making the changes. The plan shall be developed with the assistance of interested persons, including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons and shall be made available for public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum:

(1) Identify physical obstacles in the recipient's facilities that limit the accessibility of its program or activity to handicapped persons;

(2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the facilities accessible;

(3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve full accessibility under § 42.521(a) and, if the time period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify the steps that will be taken during each year of the transition period; and

(4) Indicate the person responsible for implementation of the plan.

(e) Notice. The recipient shall adopt and implement procedures to insure that interested persons, including mentally retarded persons or persons with impaired vision or hearing, special learning problems, or other disabilities, can obtain information as to the existence and location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.