Arts and Museum Accessibility Resource List Let's design all things, all the time, for everyone. —Ronald L. Mace, 1941-1998 Former Program Director for the Center for Universal Design June 1, 1997, New York Times Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Answers to ADA Questions 1 General ADA Information 2 Publications from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Access Board 2 Designing Accessible Exhibits and Facilities 3 Best Practices for Arts and Museum Accessibility 3 Designing an Accessible Web Site 3 Assistive Technology 3 Disability Awareness and Training 3 General Information about Disability 3 Arts Organizations 3 Tools You Can Use 3 Disclaimer 3 Answers to ADA Questions DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center A project of Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University 1-800-949-4232 (voice/TTY) Email: sedbtacproject@law.syr.edu Website: www.sedbtac.org The DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center—a project of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University—is one of ten regional resource centers funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education. Our purpose is to provide accurate ADA information, informal technical assistance and training on the ADA to employers, business, government, and people with disabilities. All calls are confidential! Return to Table of Contents General ADA Information Resources from the DBTAC: National Network of ADA Centers ADA Document Portal www.adata.org/adaportal/ The ADA Document Portal consists of more than 7,400 documents. Users may search the collection by topic or by entering keywords. ADA Legal Updates and Issues www.sedbtac.org/legalissues.php?idpg=14 In partnership with the DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center, the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) analyzes ADA-related legal and policy developments relevant to civil rights protections and the impact of court decisions in the Southeast Region. ADA Publication List www.sedbtac.org/ada/publications/PUBlist.doc An annotated Publication List distributed by the DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center. ADA Training Resource Center www.adacourse.org This comprehensive site features ADA training materials, including Case Law, Case Studies, Handouts, Statistics & Quotes, and TIPS Sheets, plus information on other training opportunities such as audioconferences, webcourses, distance learning, and in-person events. TIPS: Technical Information Perspectives and Solutions www.sedbtac.org/ada/training/trainingTemplate.php?ref=FS Fact sheets that provide accurate information on issues and concerns related to the ADA. Return to Table of Contents Publications from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Access Board U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ADA Business Connection www.ada.gov/business.htm A reliable source of ADA information for businesses that provide goods and services to the public. The site includes publications, Business Briefs, Design Standards, and ADA Regulations, including the following: * Business Brief: Accessibility Benefits Older Adult Customers www.ada.gov/olderaccess.htm * Business Brief: Tax Incentives for Business www.ada.gov/taxincent.htm * Business Brief: Customers with Disabilities Mean Business www.ada.gov/busstat.htm * Business Brief: Gathering Input from Customers with Disabilities www.ada.gov/custinfo.htm Article: The Effect of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on Museums Written by John L. Wodatch, Director, U. S. Department of Justice, Office on the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordination & Review Section, Civil Rights Division www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/tal002.txt U.S. Access Board Technical Bulletins The U.S. Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. The Board is a leading source of information on accessible design, as it develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design and enforces accessibility standards that cover federally funded facilities. * Theatrical Movie Captioning Systems (updated June 2003) www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/captioning.htm * Assistive Listening Systems (ALS) www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/als-index.htm * Consumers: www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/als-a.htm * Installers: www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/als-b.htm * Providers: www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/als-c.htm Return to Table of Contents Designing Accessible Exhibits and Facilities Everyone’s Welcome: The ADA and Museums www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/16/07/fb.pdf Prepared by the American Association of Museums, Washington, D.C. This manual for museum professionals and designers details ADA requirements and provides recommendations for voluntary compliance with the law, to ensure that museums communicate effectively with visitors who experience a range of physical and learning disabilities. Museums, Zoos and Aquariums - Enhancing Accessibility www.ncpad.org/fun/fact_sheet.php?sheet=68§ion=510 Fact Sheet created by the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD). National Endowment for the Arts’ Office for AccessAbility www.arts.gov/resources/Accessibility/index.html The National Endowment for the Arts’ Office for AccessAbility is the advocacy-technical assistance arm of the Arts Endowment to make the arts accessible for people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and people living in institutions. State Arts Agency and Regional Arts Organizations Accessibility Coordinators www.nea.gov/resources/Accessibility/504list/504.php A list of arts agency and regional arts organization Accessibility and Section 504 Coordinators for each state and territory in the United States. Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design www.si.edu/opa/accessibility/exdesign/contents.htm These extensive guidelines cover everything from exhibition design to children’s environments. Annotated Bibliography on Universal Design www.housing.gov.bc.ca/housing/access/bibliography/bibtofc.html From the British Columbia Office of Housing and Construction Standards (Canada) This excellent bibliography was compiled to promote the concept of universal design and to provide information on accessibility to aid designers, builders, researchers and the general public in finding information to meet the changing needs of persons with disabilities. Check the Accessible Public Spaces/Art and Culture section for further resources, including Access to Historic Buildings for the Disabled: Suggestions for Planning and Implementation, by Charles Parrott [#76]. The Kennedy Center Accessibility Information Page www.kennedy-center.org/accessibility/ The Kennedy Center is a national leader in providing and promoting access to the arts by and for persons with disabilities. International Directory of Arts Access Resource Centers www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=19648 The purpose of this Directory is to facilitate sharing of theory and practice in the field of art and disabilities. Fun and Leisure: What to Know Before You Go: The Big Questions to Ask Before Arriving at Your "Accessible" Recreation Destination www.ncpad.org/fun/fact_sheet.php?sheet=319§ion=1974 Excerpt from Fact Sheet created by the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) – See these Subcategories: * Facility-specific questions * Museums and Exhibits * Theater and Sport Venues Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Project - A Checklist for the Universal Design of Projects www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Programs/design.html Although this DO-IT guide was created for use by academic institutions, its principles can apply to arts venues and museums. The goal is simply equal access; everyone who uses your resources or participates in your activities should be able to do so comfortably and efficiently. The Center for Universal Design College of Design North Carolina State University http://design.ncsu.edu/cud/index.htm A national information, technical assistance, and research center that evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in housing, commercial and public facilities, outdoor environments, and products. Their mission is to improve environments and products through design innovation, research, education and design assistance. Adaptive Environments Resources List – Cultural Facilities www.adaptenv.org/index.php?option=Resource&topicid=3 The site offers a wealth of print and electronic media resources for designing cultural facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities. Return to Table of Contents Best Practices for Arts and Museum Accessibility “A best practice is a technique or method that, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to a desired result.” (Source: http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid92_gci498678,00.html) Smithsonian Accessibility Maps www.si.edu/visit/infocenter/access.htm Reprinted from Access Guide (out of print) Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC) Resource Center http://astc.org/resource/index.htm * Accessible Practices (http://astc.org/resource/access/index.htm) addresses the needs and interests of people with disabilities and other underserved groups. * Older Adults in Science Centers (http://astc.org/resource/older/index.htm) includes reports from a 2006 conference, The Longevity Revolution, and other resources to help science centers address the needs and aspirations of the 50+ population. * Equity and Diversity (http://astc.org/resource/equity/index.htm) offers case studies and tools for making your science center more reflective of your community. VSA Arts www.vsarts.org VSA Arts is an international organization that offers arts-based programs in creative writing, dance, drama, music and the visual arts implemented primarily through their affiliates located throughout the U.S. and internationally. VSA Arts’ programs now serve 4.3 million Americans and 1.3 million people in other parts of the world. Their mission is to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) Arts and Disabilities Web Tour http://nadc.ucla.edu/webtour.cfm The NADC online tour of websites features the work of artists with disabilities. The links are organized by artistic discipline — visual arts, music, performing arts, media arts/film, literary and multidisciplinary. Art Beyond Sight www.artbeyondsight.org A one-stop resource for bringing art education and culture to people with visual impairments. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts www.fristcenter.org/ The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is a nonprofit art-exhibition center, with approximately 24,000 square feet of gallery space, dedicated to presenting the finest visual art from local, state and regional artists, as well as major U.S. and international exhibitions. * “Picture Perfect: Another Promising Practice” This is an archived news story about the efforts of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts to provide full accessibility to patrons with disabilities. See the ADA Pipeline (page 9) at www.sedbtac.org/ada/publications/newsletters/2006/15106P.pdf Return to Table of Contents Designing an Accessible Web Site WebAIM www.webaim.org WebAIM's mission is to expand the potential of the web for people with disabilities by providing the knowledge, technical skills, tools, organizational leadership strategies, and vision that empower organizations to make their own content accessible to people with disabilities. WebAIM provides services and products to a wide variety of clients and partners, including business, government, and K-12 and higher education. Their work includes web site evaluation, site design, training, and web accessibility consulting. WebAIM Guide to Web Accessibility www.webaim.org/products/training A comprehensive CD-ROM-based training resource that contains the equivalent of over 1000 printed pages of instructional materials, plus hundreds of examples, simulations, videos, and other accessibility resources. Exemplary Accessible Art-Related Web Sites From the National Arts & Disability Center Resources page on Accessible Web Design http://nadc.ucla.edu/dawpi.cfm ArtsAccess Inc. www.artsaccessinc.org/ This example of an accessible web site is a winner of the 1999 Raleigh Medal of Arts and a Universal Access Award. DaytonArt Institute http://tours.daytonartinstitute.org/accessart/ This site is well designed, organized and labeled, including its extended descriptions of the exhibit objects. Return to Table of Contents Assistive Technology The National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) Assistive Devices, Services and Products for Physical and Program Accessibility Resources Page http://nadc.ucla.edu/accessibleservices.cfm This resource directory contains a listing of regional and national services and providers for developing accessible facilities and programs in the arts. National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)/The Media Access Group http://ncam.wgbh.org NCAM is dedicated to the issues of accessible media and information technology for people with disabilities in their homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. MoPix - Motion Picture Access http://ncam.wgbh.org/mopix/ The Media Access Group at WGBH has developed technology to make movie theaters accessible to audiences with disabilities. This site provides information to consumers, industry members and others interested in learning more about motion picture access. View background information about these systems and the Media Access Group's efforts in this area. LecShare, Inc. www.lecshare.com LecShare, Inc. has developed software that makes the creation of accessible online content easier, especially online narrated presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint. LecShare Pro allows you to add audio to Microsoft PowerPoint presentations to create QuickTime movies, MPEG-4 Video files (Video Podcasts), Accessible HTML, and Microsoft Word documents. You can either record audio through a microphone or import audio files. Assistive Listening Devices for People with Hearing Loss - A Guide for Performing Arts Settings www.kennedy-center.org/accessibility/guide_alds_KC.pdf Produced by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Assistivetech.net www.assistivetech.net Assistivetech.net is a diverse resource for assistive technology (AT) and disability-related information. The searchable database helps you target solutions, determine costs and find vendors of AT products for adults and children with disabilities. Use this site to find toys and games, musical instruments, science equipment, art supplies, recreational equipment and more for your theater, museum or arts facility. Return to Table of Contents Disability Awareness and Training At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities to Your One Stop www.wiawebcourse.org Originally developed for the staff of Department of Labor One-Stop centers, this free a self-paced web-based course can easily be adapted for customer service training in other environments. Registration is free and the course can be taken, whole or in part, at any time. ADA Title II Tutorial www.adacourse.org/title2/index.php A free web-based tutorial designed to provide the basic principles and core concepts of Title II of the ADA. Designed as an educational tool to orient state and local government ADA Coordinators to their roles and how to address key ADA-related areas. Open Doors Organization http://opendoorsnfp.org/index.html The Open Doors Organization was founded in 2000 for the purpose of creating a society in which all persons with disabilities have the same consumer opportunities as those without. They aspire to teach businesses how to succeed in the disability market, while simultaneously empowering the disability community. Their mission includes educating arts organizations about accessibility and inclusion for persons with disabilities. Disability Awareness Institute/Understanding Our Differences, Inc. www.understandingourdifferences.org/index.html The Disability Awareness Institute offers disability awareness and consulting programs for employers, educators, government and private businesses that have been disseminated to more than 200 schools and organizations nationwide. Understanding Our Differences is a unique and creative disability awareness curriculum. The Institute works to increase information, understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities and individual differences. The Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities (DVD) http://disabilitytraining.com/tcd.html Available from Program Development Associates, this DVD deals with language, terminology, and sensitivity awareness. It includes a closed captioned (CC) version followed by a second version with open captioning and audio description. PDF Written Version http://disabilitytraining.com/pdf/tc-wv.pdf Return to Table of Contents General Information about Disability Disability Online www.disability-online.com/index.html Disability Online offers a comprehensive resource center for all disability related resources, topics and services. Use the index page to browse the site by category. The Arts category lists more than 160 resources related to disability and the arts. Disabled Women on the Web www.disabilityhistory.org/dwa/library_b.html The Arts & Culture page includes personal profiles, interviews, writings and more from a variety of contemporary women artists and performers with disabilities. The Directory of Musicians with Disabilities www.future-link.com/ Coalition for Disabled Musicians, Inc. www.disabled-musicians.org/ This web site includes information on adapted gear (equipment) for musicians. Cultural Disabilities Studies www.pcsw.emory.edu/research-garland-thomson.htm Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, an Associate Professor of Women's Studies at Emory University, pioneered a branch of study she calls Cultural Disabilities Studies. Her fields of study are feminist theory, American literature and disability studies. Her scholarly and professional activities are devoted to developing the field of disability studies in the humanities and in women's studies. * Compiled Bibliography: http://library.agnesscott.edu/about/events/Rosemarie%20Garland-Thomson%20-%20Bibliography.htm United Cerebral Palsy (UCP): Arts and Disabilities Web Sites www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/15/64/64-64/3636 A range of Web sites geared toward arts and disabilities. Disability Equality Scheme Report 2006 (Natural History Museum, London) www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/corporate-information/disability-equality-scheme/assets/disability-equality-scheme.pdf This document sets out the response of the Natural History Museum (London) to the revised Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 (as amended 2005). It outlines what plans they have in place towards meeting these legal requirements and how those plans will be put into practice. Return to Table of Contents Arts Organizations National Resources The National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) http://nadc.ucla.edu/ The NADC is a national information dissemination, technical assistance and referral center specializing in the field of arts and disability. The NADC promotes the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities into the visual, performing, media, and literary arts communities. Its resource directories, annotated bibliographies, related links and conferences serve to advance artists with disabilities and accessibility to the arts. The National Institute of Art and Disabilities (NIAD) www.niadart.org NIAD is a pioneering visual arts center serving adults with developmental and physical disabilities from diverse cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Located near Berkeley, California, NIAD’s mission is to provide an art environment for people with developmental disabilities which promotes creative expression, independence, dignity and community integration. NIAD provides training in painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, decorative arts and more. Their artwork is actively promoted through an exhibitions program. NIAD Art and Disabilities Collections (books, monographs, videotapes and archives relating to arts and disabilities) have been donated to the Disability Studies Department (DiSC) at the University of California, Berkeley. Cultural Access Network (CAN) Accessible Arts Events (New Jersey) http://culturalaccessnetwork.org/events/ Search for accessible arts events in New Jersey. Easy Access Chicago (Illinois) http://easyaccesschicago.org This online guide includes information on accessible arts events and venues in Chicago. Click on Access Information for detailed listings. DisabilityGuide.org (Washington, DC and New York City) www.disabilityguide.org/ DisabilityGuide.org is the Washington, DC and New York City metro area's user-friendly, information-packed resource targeted at helping individuals with disabilities find the information they need. Art-Reach (Pennsylvania) www.art-reach.org/ARR_index.html Located in Philadelphia, PA, Art-Reach helps underserved audiences, including persons with disabilities, to experience arts and cultural programming and serves as a community resource by increasing accessibility to cultural venues and events. The web site includes a searchable Accessibility Guide to venues and events located at www.art-reach.org/ARR_AccGu.html. New York Beyond Sight (New York City) www.nybeyondsight.org New York as you've never heard it before! Prominent New Yorkers describe their favorite works of art and culture, architecture, and city landmarks. Hear politicians, actors, artists, business and community leaders use Verbal Description to make New York's visual culture accessible to all—including people with visual impairments. Arts Access (New Jersey) www.artsaccessprogram.org/index.asp Arts Access is multidisciplinary program for persons with disabilities offering participants the ability to choose from a variety of visual or performing art sessions. Access to the Arts, Inc. (Kentucky) www.accesstothearts.org/ Access to the Arts, Inc. is an all-volunteer arts and disability advocacy organization that promotes accessible art, especially American Sign Interpretation, and Audio Description of performances. They also provide information about arts opportunities to artists and promote disability art in Kentucky. Accessible Arts, Inc. (Kansas/Missouri) www.accessiblearts.org/ The mission of Accessible Arts, Inc. is to unlock the arts for children with disabilities and advocate access to the arts. They also promote arts programming that incorporates participation of children with disabilities, educate professionals and families about the benefits of the arts, and how to foster collaboration among people and organizations in the arts. National Institute of Art and Disabilities (California) www.niadart.org/ The National Institute of Art & Disabilities (NIAD) provides an art program that promotes creativity, independence, dignity, and community integration for people with developmental and other disabilities. Breaking Ground Newsletter on the Arts (Tennessee) www.state.tn.us/cdd/publications.html The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities is a State organization that promotes public policies that increase and support the inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities in their communities. The Breaking Ground Newsletter informs a broad statewide audience about Council activities and increases awareness about disability issues and innovative programs for individuals with disabilities. Breaking Ground is published six times per year. Every summer, an issue is devoted to the arts, featuring short stories, poetry, photographs, drawings, paintings and cartoons. Work with disability themes is preferred and contributions by individuals with disabilities are especially sought. International Resources Society for Disability Arts and Culture (S4DAC) (Canada) www.s4dac.org/index.html The Society for Disability Arts and Culture presents and produces works by Canadian artists with disabilities and promotes artistic excellence among artists with disabilities working in a variety of disciplines. Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Worldwide (AMFPA) www.amfpa.com The Association acquires the reproduction rights to artwork and distributes it internationally through their partner publishers as an art print, postcard or calendar. The AMFPA represents 500 mouth and foot painting artists in 60 countries around the world. The artists receive grants or are taken on as members and receive a regular income for their art. International Guild of Disabled Artists and Performers (IGODAP) www.igodap.org/ IGODAP is a collective of artists and performers are professional and amateur artists and performers of all genres, and producers, directors and others working in the arts and entertainment industries. At present IGODAP exists only as an email list and a simple webpage. Until the collective grows and forms a governing group, the interim aim of IGODAP is to be the globally recognized collective voice of artists and performers with disabilities. Common Ground Sign Dance Theater (England) www.signdance.com/about.htm Common Ground pioneers a style of dance performance which integrates Sign Language into choreography, creating a new art form. All of their work is strongly rooted in Deaf culture yet fully accessible to those without any knowledge of Sign Language. Drake Music Project (England) www.drakemusicproject.org Drake Music works nationally with disabled musicians of all ages to explore, compose and perform music. They use technology in innovative ways to foster creativity, nurture talent, develop new skills and bring together disabled and non-disabled artists. Return to Table of Contents Tools You Can Use Disability Arts Wales (Disability Arts Cymru) www.dacymru.com/e/info.html Although based in Wales (U.K.), this interesting and informative web site includes online Information and Advice tip sheets for arts organizations including, Access Advice for Arts Festivals, Access Advice for Touring Companies, Creating a Concessionary Pricing Policy, and Creating a Disability Action Plan. Accessible Temporary Events: A Planning Guide By Ron Mace, Rex Pace and Leslie Young, 2002, 103 pp., $5.00 This book includes information on how to plan, promote, and provide accessible temporary events such as fairs, festivals, exhibits, concerts, races, tournaments, shows, and rallies. The guide addresses temporary parking locations, portable toilets, signage, and sound amplification systems as well as issues from Disability Awareness to Advanced Planning, Access to the Site, Participating in the Event, Service and Support Facilities as well as Resources available in the community to assist with accessibility. Note: This publication is available from your local DBTAC -- Call the DBTAC toll-free line at (800) 949-4232 to be connected to the center serving your area. Information is also available on the DBTAC website at www.adata.org A Guide to Making Documents Accessible to People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired www.acb.org/accessible-formats.html This document explains how to make print and electronic information available to people with visual impairments in a variety of accessible formats. Consumers who have limited vision or are totally blind have unique access needs. Disability Access Symbols www.gag.org/resources/das.php Produced by the Graphic Artists Guild Foundation, these twelve symbols of accessibility may be used to promote and publicize accessibility of places, programs and other activities for people with various disabilities. The symbols are downloadable from the web site or you may request a copy on computer disk. Return to Table of Contents Disclaimer The DBTAC-Southeast ADA Center (Southeast DBTAC) is authorized by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide information, materials, and technical assistance to individuals and entities that are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) under Grant # H133A060094. However, you should be aware that NIDRR is not responsible for enforcement of the ADA. For more information or assistance, please contact the Southeast DBTAC via its web site at www.sedbtac.org or by calling or by calling 1-800-949-4232 (v/tty) [AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN] or 404-541-9001 (v/tty). The information, materials, and/or technical assistance are intended solely as informal guidance, and are neither a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities under the Act, nor binding on any agency with enforcement responsibility under the ADA. The Southeast DBTAC does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained herein. Any links to non-Southeast DBTAC information are provided as a courtesy and are not intended to nor do they constitute an endorsement of the linked materials. Arts and Museum Accessibility Resource List Page 2 of 14 DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center (Southeast DBTAC) 1419 Mayson Street, Atlanta, GA 30324 Phone: (404) 541-9001 [v/tty] or (800) 949-4232 [v/tty] Fax: (404) 541-9002 Email: sedbtacproject@law.syr.edu Web: www.sedbtac.org Funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education #H133A060094