work of EuCAN and the functioning of the network are mainly voluntary work. In 1999 the Luxembourg Disability Information and Meeting Centre (better known by its acronym “Info-Handicap”) took over the coordination of the steering group, together with the implicit responsibility for the follow-up of the European Concept for Accessibility (ECA). The EuCAN publications - like ECA - aim to provide practical guidance. They are neither academic nor policy documents. The "barrier-free" concept building modification consists of modifying buildings or facilities so that they can be used by people who are disabled or have physical impairments. The term is used primarily in Japan and non-English speaking countries (e.g. German: Barrierefreiheit; Finnish: Esteettömyys), while in English-speaking countries, terms such as "accessibility" and "handicapped accessible" dominate in regular everyday use. An example of barrier-free design would be installing a ramp for wheelchairs alongside or in place of steps. In late 1990s any element which could make the use of the environment inconvenient was considered a barrier, for example poor public street lighting. In the case of new buildings, however, the idea of barrier free modification has largely been superseded by the concept of universal design, which seeks to design things from the outset to support easy access. Freeing a building of barriers means: Recognizing the features that could form barriers for some people Thinking inclusively about the whole range of impairments Reviewing everything - from structure to smallest detail Seeking feedback from users and learning from mistakes Barrier-free is also a term that applies to handicap accessibility in situations where legal codes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Guidelines. The ADA is a law focusing on all building aspects, products and design that is based on the concept of respecting human rights. It doesn't contain design specifications directly. An example of a country that has sought to implement barrier-free accessibility in housing estates is Singapore. Within five years, all public housing estates in the country, all 7,800 blocks of apartments, have benefited from the program. National legislation Chile - Ley nº 20.422, "ESTABLECE NORMAS SOBRE IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDADES E INCLUSIÓN SOCIAL DE PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDAD." U.S. - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Italy - legge n. 13/1989; D.M. n. 236/1989; legge n. 104/1992; D.P.R. n. 503/1996; D.P.R. n. 380/2001 (artt. 77–82) Australia - Disability Discrimination Act 1992 India