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 Access
Today: Spring 2002 issue |
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Access Today, Spring 2002 (PDF version - Spring 2002) Inside this issue:
Current projects underway at the National Center on Accessibility include the development of a series of distance learning programs for the National Park Service, research on park visitor expectations, playgrounds and ticketing policies and the kick-off of a community golf program initiative with the National Alliance for Accessible Golf. Read more about NCA's milestones and current activities inside this special edition of Access Today. From the Editor's Desk
In parks and recreation,
NCA staff might be 10 years older and wiser, but the years certainly
haven't slowed them down at all. The NCA team is gearing up for
another busy summer of research, technical assistance and training
to assist colleagues in the field do what they do best even better,
that is providing inclusive recreation opportunities for everyone.
NPS Distance Learning Program NCPAD Ticket Policies Survey Visitor Expectations Study Playground Study Research Subject Pool New NCA Beach Report & Tech Sheets Available
NCA has also authored a series of technical assistance sheets on access to outdoor recreation environments. The tech sheets are available for download in PDF format.
Access Board Votes on Recreation Rule On Wednesday, March 13, the U.S. Access Board voted unanimously to approve the recreation facilities accessibility guidelines. The recreation facilities guidelines address:
Eventually the recreation facilities guidelines will be incorporated into the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). The Access Board has been working on the multi-phased development of accessibility guidelines specific to recreation facilities since 1993 with the coordination of a national advisory committee of stakeholders who provided preliminary recommendations. Access Board staff will make final preparations to the recreation facilities guidelines and then submit the final guidelines, along with other material such as a regulatory assessment (i.e. cost-benefit analysis) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance. OMB then has 90 days for its review. Upon completion of review, the recreation facilities guidelines will be issued as a Final Rule by the U.S. Access Board sometime in late summer/early fall 2002. The last step will include adoption by the U.S. Department of Justice for inclusion within the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations. Once the final rule is issued, it will be available on the U.S. Access Board web site at www.access-board.gov Accessibility guidelines for outdoor recreation environments including trails, campgrounds, picnic areas and beaches are still under development by the Access Board. NCA Surveys Clients on Impact & Future
You may have received this call over the winter. NCA recently contracted the IU Center for Survey Research to survey past training course participants on the impact of NCA services. A total of 362 professionals who attended NCA training courses participated in the survey. This is what some of you had to say: 97% of respondents shared information on accessibility with colleagues and staff after attending an NCA training course 84% of respondents reported they were able to improve staff attitudes about accessibility issues after attending an NCA training course 84% of respondents report they were able to improve staff attitudes about services for people with disabilities after attending an NCA training course 76% of respondents have been able to initiate physical access improvements to their facilities such as providing new or additional accessible parking, entrances, restrooms, trails or picnic areas 52% of respondents have been able to make programmatic accessibility improvements such as providing caption videos, assistive listening systems, sign language interpreters, tactile maps, alternative format brochures, and making exhibits accessible since attending an NCA training course 69% of respondents reported that their training from NCA helped to bring about new accessibility plans or improvements at their facility 70% of respondents reported that lack of funding was a barrier to implementing accessibility improvements at their facilities Here is what some of you had to say about improvements you have been able to make after attending an NCA training course: "We have initiated a series of programs to replace old bathrooms using an accessible design with the walkways to and from them; we have also worked with concessionaires to build accessible campgrounds." "We installed a $20 million aerial tramway (gondola) that has a mid-station viewing deck that is totally accessible. In addition, we just built an RV park campground and a 12-person rental accommodation on the lake shore of Lake Tahoe that is totally accessible." "We purchased four beach wheelchairs. People are amazed that we have them, and very thrilled that they are available." "I've been able to make sure that our print products are accessible.
I've also had input on designing exhibits and making sure our videos
are accessible." "We contracted with a vendor to create a tactile model of the grounds and we are currently working on our tactile exhibits. We have a large-print brochure. We made an audio presentation for the tactile model and exhibit we have on slavery. We also have a captioned video in the works." A note of thanks to all of you who participated in the survey. Your feedback has always been very important to NCA. We look forward to using your comments to continue to improve the quality of NCA services. NCA Milestones Pave Accessible Route to Parks, Recreation & Tourism Swimming Pools
"NCA made a significant contribution to the Access Board
Identifying practical solutions for beach access has long been a priority of NCA. One of the first research studies undertaken by NCA was a comprehensive look at assistive devices for beach access including wheeled beach chairs and surface applications to create accessible routes on beaches. In 2001, NCA partnered with Action Disability Advocates and the Volusia (FL) County Beach Patrol to investigate seven different temporary surface products that may provide easier access for people with mobility impairments across the sand to the water's edge. The study focused on consumer perceptions, costs, installation and maintenance. The research findings provide objective information to managers of beach areas allowing them to compare options for temporary surfaces used to create beach access. Playgrounds
Creating trails that are accessible, inviting and challenging without fundamentally altering the nature of the environment has been a challenge for outdoor recreation planners and designers. NCA has conducted research on proposed technical provisions for accessible trails and surface stabilizing applications. In addition, NCA has hosted a series of trail access symposia to highlight creative design and programming including the demonstration of the Universal Trail Assessment Process developed by Beneficial Designs. Outdoor Recreation For The Good of the Game:
"While there have been a number of organizations and individuals
involved in making the game of golf both more accessible and inclusive,
the tireless contributions of the National Center on Accessibility
have been at the forefront of this effort. Nevertheless, there is
still much work to be done. In that regard, it is comforting to
know that the NCA has committed its expertise to help insure the
future success of this particular initiative, and, even more importantly,
to promote the inclusion of all disabled individuals into the social
fabric of society as a whole." Long before Casey Martin had dreams of playing on the pro tour, the National Center on Accessibility and Clemson University had formed a unique partnership focused on increasing awareness of access issues within the golf industry. Together, NCA and Clemson have sponsored six National Forums on Accessible Golf. In 2001, as a direct result of the sixth annual Forum, NCA facilitated the establishment of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf, a collaboration of agencies, institutions, corporations and individuals committed to the inclusion of golfers with disabilities in the game of golf. Member organizations of the Alliance Leadership Council include: PGA of America, LPGA, USGA, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association, Clemson University, Indiana University, University of Utah, National Therapeutic Recreation Society and American Therapeutic Recreation Association. NCA has conducted research on the Pace of Play and attitudes of golf course operators. In addition, the USGA sponsored NCA research "For the good of the game" leading to the development of the booklet "From the Bag Drop to the 19th Hole: Tips on Accommodating Golfers with Disabilities at Your Golf Course or Facility." This booklet has been distributed to all USGA members and is the leading resource for golf course operators as to strategies to successfully include people with disabilities in the game of golf. The newly formed Alliance is physically housed at NCA, where NCA staff provide start-up support. This summer the Alliance will introduce Project GAIN (Golf: Accessible and Inclusive Networks). The project will develop and test a community model for advancing and sustaining golf for people with disabilities. Project GAIN will utilize a local steering committee of golf professionals, advocates, people with disabilities and others. Instructional programs, adapted activities, information resources and materials, technical assistance, and inclusive services will be offered as a strategy for meeting the needs of people with disabilities, regardless of their level of ability, living arrangement, or knowledge of the game of golf.
by David C. Park, guest columnist Jonathan Swift once said "Necessity is the mother of invention!" This can certainly be said for the relationship between the National Park Service (NPS) and Indiana University's Department of Park and Recreation Administration that created the National Center on Accessibility (NCA). The cooperative relationship between NPS and Indiana University was initiated as a direct result of the federal cutbacks in training funds that reduced the availability of training in the area of how to make the parks more accessible to people with disabilities. These reductions in training opportunities happen to coincide with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which had correspondingly increased the demand for greater access. In an effort to continue and to expand training, the NPS Accessibility Management Program sought the assistance of Indiana University, which already had an outstanding reputation in the area of education and in accessibility. The initial agreement was to share resources in order to provide on-going training opportunities in the area of making park and recreation environments accessible to individuals with disabilities. Due to the success of the training programs the agreement was quickly expanded to create what is now know as the National Center on Accessibility. And, as they say, "The rest is history!" NCA was established to assist the NPS in providing continuing education,
technical assistance, and research and demonstration projects to
park managers and their staff in providing equal access for visitors
with disabilities. In addition, one of the original goals was to
expand these opportunities beyond the NPS to park and recreation
professionals throughout the country. Over the ten years of its
existence NCA has far exceeded its original intent and expectations
and has emerged as a national and international leader in this important
area of service. In recent years, the NCA accomplishments have included:
(1) providing training in accessibility to over 20,000 park and
recreation professionals (2) providing special seminars on critical
issues such as trail access, historic site access, beach access,
boating access and access to playgrounds, (3) providing direct technical
assistance through telephone requests and through the NCA website,
(4) conducting research on the methods and techniques for improving
access to trails, beaches, historic sites and other outdoor areas,
and (5) providing specialized training and technical assistance
for other agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Tennessee
Valley Authority, NASA, the U.S. Forest Service, and state departments
of natural resources.
Happy birthday, NCA!!!! It's hard to believe it's been ten years since that first training course held at Bradford Woods. Ten years and several thousand students later, the NCA has certainly made its mark as a national leader in the field of access to parks and outdoor recreation opportunities. I'm happy to say many of those students have been field staff from the Bureau of Land Management, a Bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior, because that makes my job as the BLM National Accessibility Program Manager much easier. We are all working hard to make our programs and facilities accessible to people with disabilities, and that task is pretty difficult if the field staff don't know anything about disabilities or accessibility. The BLM has recently begun a large scale re-evaluation of our recreation programs and facilities using the Bureau of Reclamation Technical Service Center and the Accessibility Data Management System (ADMS). The field staff who attended NCA training have been extremely helpful in the smooth completion of the assessments using the knowledge they learned in the classroom and applying it in the field. The NCA courses provide our field staff with the tools and resources necessary to make sure our programs are accessible. Hands-on exercises using the tools of the trade, e.g., smart levels, tape measures, and inclinometers, open up a whole new world and significantly raise awareness levels which is the first, and most important, step in understanding accessibility issues. One of our recreation planners recently commented that the class made her more aware of accessibility issues on a daily basis as she planned outdoor recreation programs. As a result of the training, she is also more insistent on being involved in reviewing projects planned by other disciplines such as engineering and maintenance or interpretation and making recommendations to include accessibility. Another staffer felt the course he took was tremendously beneficial to him as a planner, since he now has the knowledge and resources to tell the engineers exactly what he wants accomplished on a project. Other staff have also commented they are now including accessibility in their workshops and meetings, making good use of their "clickers." Don't know what a "clicker" is? Well, you'll just have to take a NCA course to find out. "Have NCA training courses impacted on the BLM's accessibility efforts? You betcha! Not only have the staff who have been trained contributed significantly to increasing the level of access at BLM sites, everyone also now knows that accessibility is a shared responsibility, cutting across all disciplines and staff. It's not just one person's job to ensure people with disabilities can enjoy the public lands, it's everyone's job." There might be one downside to the training as students are forever changed, unconsciously looking for accessibility wherever they go. I often hear the statement "I can't even go to a restaurant without "checking out" the restroom!" Of course, that is actually a positive as the courses plant tiny seeds of knowledge that are in turn spread by the students. Who knows, with this growing knowledge base, maybe there will eventually come a day when the word "challenge" means something with which the designer, not the person with a disability, deals. Happy Birthday again, NCA, and thank you for your knowledge, availability, advocacy, and willingness to share as we try to make the world a better place for everyone, including someone who happens to have a disability. Now, where did I put that tape measure...... Product Review Talking Signs is a remote infrared communication system designed at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center in San Francisco. Infrared technology is utilized to transmit and receive audio messages; allowing the system to convey environmental information to a person who is blind or has low vision. The infrared technology uses line of sight; which means that the infrared signal is transmitted from the transmitter in a line, similar to a laser. When the receiver comes into contact with this line, the audio message is received and is audible to the user through the receiver speakers. The closer the user gets to the point of interest, the stronger and clearer the message will become. Labels, locations, room names and numbers, and exhibit text can be recorded and transmitted via Talking Signs. The infrared transmitter is permanently mounted in the specific area where information is to be conveyed, such as an intersection, an interpretive display or an office. The receiver is approximately the size of a Walkman and is hand-held or attached to a thread worn around the user's neck. San Francisco, California has the nation's largest population of Talking Signs transmitters mounted for public use. Select transit platforms, busy intersections, public buildings, bus shelters, newsstands, and public toilets use Talking Signs transmitters to convey location information. "They work very well," offers Donna Kazanjian, Orientation and Mobility Specialist at the Rose Resnick Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco. Ms. Kazanjian emphasizes that the system does not replace mobility skills, but enriches the information received by the user. Tony Candela, a resident of San Francisco who is blind and the National Program Associate for the American Foundation for the Blind, offers his personal opinion on the Talking Signs System, "The burden of carrying the receiver is minimal compared to being able to locate yourself within the environment." The city of San Francisco is currently installing 66 transmitters for use in a city park, testing the potential for the use of Talking Signs in interpretive environments such as museums and nature trails. The signs can be programmed with descriptive information about an attraction. For more information on Talking Signs, contact: Talking Signs, toll free (800) 339-0117. www.talkingsigns.com About NCA NCA Staff Gary Robb,
Executive Director Access Today is a free publication distributed by NCA with the purpose of updating and informing people in the recreation field of current developments in the area of accessibility. Access Today is available in alternative formats, back issues are also posted on the NCA web site. For more information:
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