Accessibilty features of buildings and facilities provide the opportunity for handicapped persons in the community to become more self-reliant and independent; barrier-free design can enable a person with disabilities to achieve his or her potential for contributions to society. In 1989, the Florida Legislature passed a bill mandating changes to the requirements for accessibilty for the physically handicapped. The bill also stipulated that the Department of Community Affairs be required to prepare a manual that fully explains the relationship and requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and Part V of Chapter 553, Florida Statutes, relating to handicapped accessibility. This publication will be useful to many groups throughout the state in determining the minimum requirements for providing accessibility. Included within this manual are the requirements of Part V, Chapter 553, Florida Statutes; the mandatory portions of ANSI A117.1, 1986; definitions; interpretive illustrations; special notes; and three appendixes containing copies of the relevant legislation. The special notes contain additional data that should help to clarify the minimum requirements of the code. The text is laid out in concert with the interpretive illustrations so that a verbal and graphic representation of the subject matter is presented together. (KM)