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 Access
Today: Spring 2006 issue |
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Access Today, Spring 2006 (PDF version - Spring 2006) Inside this issue:
NCA Publishes Results of National Survey on Campground Access The National Center on Accessibility has published the final report titled National Survey on Campground Accessibility: Policies and Practices. The purpose of this study was partly to identify existing policies and procedures common to accommodating people with disabilities in campgrounds and campsites throughout the country; and partly to determine the current level of accessibility in campground facilities. The intent of the data collection was to identify common policies, exemplary practices and issues where clear policies were not available. The ultimate objective was to provide campground owners and operators with examples of principles and policies that might guide them in future efforts to make their facility both programmatically and physically accessible.
Over 3,000 campgrounds were identified and e-mailed a request to complete the 34 question on-line survey. Approximately 210 responses were received from private, federal, state and local campground operators. The survey was designed to elicit responses regarding items such as prevalence of accessible campsites; reservation policies for accessible campsites; staff resources devoted to accessibility; location of the sites; discounted fees and other issues. In response to a question regarding the availability of accessible campsites, over 80% of all respondents indicated that they had accessible sites. However, of the privately owned campgrounds, only 41% indicated that they had accessible sites. Other data revealed that a large majority of the campgrounds did not have written reservation policies for their accessible campsites. When asked about their policy regarding holding accessible campsites for persons with disabilities, many campgrounds (41%) did not hold accessible sites at all. 27% hold the accessible site until the published check-in time and 11% hold the accessible sites exclusively for people with disabilities. Results of the study can be found on the NCA website at http://www.ncaonline.org/outdoor-dev/campground.shtml and the full report can be ordered from NCA. Dear Access Today Readers, Hello from the National Center on Accessibility. With Spring just around the corner, we thought we would dress up Access Today with a fresh new look. We hope you like it! In this issue, you can read about the latest NCA research including the published findings of our recent survey of campground operators and our launch of a national study on trail surfaces. People with disabilities have been instrumental in NCA research and volunteers will be needed in many new initiatives. If you have a disability or have a family member or friend with a disability, consider volunteering for future NCA research studies as described on the next page. Read on about NCA activities including on-site consultations and the use of GPS and GIS for accessibility assessments in the outdoors. Check out the article about design students at San Francisco State University pushing the universal design envelope with new prototypes for outdoor tables and seating. And pay special attention to three individuals highlighted on page 9 as they conclude careers dedicated to improving accessibility in parks and recreation areas while fostering new opportunities for inclusion and collaboration. During my career, I have been fortunate to meet Karen Megorden, Don Fox and Tom Coleman. As I read about their accomplishments, I was reminded, as I’m sure you will be, that accessibility doesn’t just happen! It requires knowledge and understanding of the diverse needs of our population. More importantly, it requires leadership from all organizational levels, individuals who value inclusion, individuals committed to universal design, individuals resilient in their position and philosophy when the majority is clamoring loudly and most resistant to change. Where the rubber meets the road, Karen, Don and Tom were MAKING ACCESSIBILITY HAPPEN in the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service. And at the same time, they served as quiet role models to those that would follow in their paths. Inclusion as a value is a consistent theme at the National Center on Accessibility. We look forward to opportunities to share best practices and exemplars in the field. Catherine Nolan, NCA Graduate Assistant, has published an article on two faith-based organizations, the Black Hawk YMCA in northern Iowa and the Inclusion and Accessibility Services of the St. Paul (MN) Jewish Community Center. At both organizations inclusion is a core value and participation of people with disabilities shoulder to shoulder with peers without disabilities is an everyday occurrence. The full article is available on the NCA website at http://www.ncaonline.org/monographs/19inclusion.shtml. Spring marks a new season of growth, opportunity and reflection. Take some time this season to celebrate the individuals and organizations that truly do MAKE ACCESSIBILITY HAPPEN everyday. Sincerely, NCA Seeks People with Disabilities to Participate in Future Accessibility Research Studies For more than a decade, the National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University has researched the needs, preferences and expectations of people with disabilities accessing parks, recreation and tourism. Discovery in these recreation areas have assisted managers to make better informed decisions on planning, designs and products to create accessible facilities, programs and services.
To further research discovery, the National Center on Accessibility is seeking individuals with disabilities to volunteer for future research studies. By volunteering, you will be added to the NCA Research Volunteer Database. As NCA surveys and research activities are initiated, you may be asked to participate based on your geographic location in relation to the project and your areas of interest. Your participation in NCA research activities will contribute to inquiry as to how to best meet the needs of people with disabilities in recreational pursuits. All participation is voluntary and without compensation. There are many benefits to participating in NCA research. In addition to assuring that your voice is heard, your needs and preferences will have a national impact. You may have the opportunity to test various products and equipment that are designed to improve access to recreation environments. You may also be asked to respond to questions and surveys that will assist manufacturers and product developers. Research studies or surveys may require only responses to questionnaires that can be completed on the Internet. Others may require physical participation in testing and evaluating devices and products. People with disabilities interested in participating in future NCA research studies can sign up at any time. Your information will be kept on file and you will be contacted when/if an NCA research activity is conducted based on your areas of interest and geographic location. Personal information provided by volunteers will be kept secure and strictly confidential by the National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University. NCA will contact volunteers directly with information on upcoming studies and opportunities for participation in research studies. Personal information will solely be used by NCA and/or a collaborative research partner(s). No portions of personal information will be shared or sold for commercial purposes. Volunteers will have the right to request removal from the research volunteer list at any time. Volunteers also have the right to decline participation in research studies at any time. To request to be removed from the research volunteer list, you can either call, e-mail or fax NCA. Interested individuals with disabilities can find out more information about volunteering on our website at http://www.ncaonline.org/research/volunteer.shtml or sign up to volunteer for future research by completing the form on the NCA web site at https://www.indiana.edu/~nca/volunteers/ or by contacting NCA: National Center on Accessibility NCA Staff to Use Technology to Improve Access Consistently rated as one of the best public universities for new technology, NCA staff has been able to utilize the resources available through Indiana University to pilot test the use of GPS and GIS for trail assessments and outdoor accessibility assessments.
The National Center on Accessibility has acquired two state of the art GPS units for use in its work related to outdoor access. The GPS Pathfinder ProXT Receivers and handheld systems are being used in conjunction with two new NCA initiatives: development of the new Park and Recreation Accessibility Management System v1.2 (PRMS) and trail assessments. Last summer, NCA staff developed PRMS to assist in conducting accessibility assessments in both the built and natural environments. The data management system eases data collection and analysis of physical barriers identified in parks and facilities. Currently, NCA is experimenting with the system to develop a comprehensive trail assessment system, with all data being collected via satellite, then uploaded in the PRMS and transferred to a GIS mapping program to produce a detailed trail map and informational brochure. In addition to the GPS Pathfinder ProXT units, NCA has also acquired the Contour XLRIC device that provides accurate laser measurements of horizontal and vertical distances. The system includes an integrated, digital compass/inclinometer module combined with powerful software providing a variety of preprogrammed mapping and surveying functions. PRMS Put to Work for Park Districts
More and more work requested of the National Center on Accessibility
over the last 2-4 years has involved on site consultation and
detailed accessibility assessments of parks and recreation facilities. “While
we have had an assessment tool for recreation facilities
and outdoor developed areas in place, we have not had an
electronic system for tracking barriers from the point of identification
through to barrier removal or structural improvements,” says
Jennifer Skulski, NCA Director of Marketing and Special Projects. “
The majority of the existing data management systems out there
are designed for large agencies like the bureaus within the
Department of Interior. And surprisingly, there still is not
a commercial software available for the small to mid-size
municipality. We tested a couple software packages, but
none did what we needed them to do...so we developed our own.” Through
ongoing development and testing of NCA’s new Park and Recreation Accessibility Management Multi-Year Study on Trail Surfaces Launches What surfaces and amendments can be used to make trails accessible to people with disabilities? The National Center on Accessibility hopes to be able to answer this question by implementing the National Trails Surface Study.
The National Trails Surface Study is underway and recruiting of participants has begun for participation as early as Spring 2006. What surfaces and amendments can be used to make trails accessible to people with disabilities? The National Center on Accessibility hopes to be able to answer this question by implementing the National Trails Surface Study. The goal of this 5 year study is to determine which trail surface applications prove to be accessible as well as environmentally friendly. Participants can be from federal, private or public agencies and selection will continue until the targeted number of trail segments is achieved. This longitudinal study on various trail surface applications will include diverse geographic zones anticipating that we will be able to determine what surface applications prove to be accessible in varying climatic conditions. Control surfaces will include native soil and accessible aggregate surfacing material without stabilization. Soil stabilization products include: polymers, enzymes, polyurethanes and organic plant material. Each site will be provided with the soil stabilization products and application instructions. Guidance and technical assistance will be available upon request. Each site will be asked to periodically test the firmness and stability of the trail surfaces with the rotational penetrometer. NCA will lend sites a rotational penetrometer for testing. It will be the participant’s responsibility to assume the remaining costs of the project including design, construction, materials and trail surface monitoring. In order to determine what impact grade has on various surface applications, native soil, accessible aggregate surfacing material and soil stabilization products will be tested at:
By participating in the National Trails Surface Study, agencies will gain national visibility for their project and will contribute to important research discovery benefiting other trail professionals in the field. For more information about the NCA National Trails Surface Study or to apply as a site, visit the NCA web site at www.ncaonline.org/trails/research. This study is coordinated by Gary Robb, Executive Director, and Laura Weatherbee, Accessibility Specialist and Trails Study Coordinator. For questions, call NCA at (812) 856-4422 Voice or (812) 856-4421 TTY or send e-mail to ncatrails@indiana.edu. National Alliance for Accessible Golf Hires Management Firm, Elects New Officers The National Alliance for Accessible Golf was created in the summer of 2001 and since its formation has been housed at Indiana University’s National Center on Accessibility. At its February Board of Director’s meeting, the Alliance announced that it has hired a new management firm and that the Alliance headquarters would move. Drohan Management Group, Inc. of Reston, Virginia will be the new headquarters of the Alliance. The group will assume management of all operations of the Alliance including the Alliance website and all of its programs. At its board meeting in Atlanta, the Alliance also elected new officers for the first time in its history. Gary Robb, Executive Director of NCA has stepped down as the first and only President of the Alliance in its first 4+ years of operation. New officers include Dr. Trey Holland, President; John Chambers, Vice President; Mike Tinkey, Secretary and Andy Phipps, Treasurer. Additionally, the Alliance has added five new members to its board. Three of the new board members are individuals with disabilities and two are from the private corporate sector. This is the first time that corporations external to the golf industry have been added to the board. For more information on the National Alliance for Accessible Golf visit www.accessgolf.org. Over the course of the year, several new staff have been welcomed to the National Center on Accessibility. Laura Weatherbee joined the NCA team last July as the newest NCA Accessibility
Specialist. Laura is a graduate of Indiana University with a BS in Recreation
with an emphasis in therapeutic recreation. She has spent the last two
years working at the State of As part of the Department of Recreation and Park Administration at Indiana University, NCA is fortunate to draw from a pool of exceptional graduate students preparing to enter the field. Graduate assistants to NCA for the 2005-2006 school year include Wendy Chotiner, Catherine Nolen and Nicole Montembeault. Wendy and Catherine are part of the therapeutic recreation graduate program, while Nicole is studying in the sport management program. All three have assisted NCA on various projects including authoring monographs, developing a leisure education resource and toolkit for accessible golf, along with support to NCA training programs.
NCA Completes Park District Evaluations It has been a busy year for NCA’s consultation and assessment team. During 2005, NCA provided onsite consultation for two park districts near Chicago. At the Arlington Heights Park District, NCA assessed 66 parks and shared use spaces for physical accessibility and provided recommendations for accessibility improvements. At the Itasca Park District, NCA’s assessment included the evaluation of both physical facilities and programs. NCA provided recommendations for barrier removal and application of universal design. NCA staff will continue to assist the Itasca Park District in the next phase of the project which includes long-range planning.
The Universal Challenge website is an online resource for
people who have disabilities and are interested in
participating in a challenge course experience and to the facilitators,
practitioners and professionals who want to provide challenge
experiences to people who have disabilities. This web resource
has been created through a collaborative project of the National
Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) with
content and design development by Bradford Woods, the
National Center on Accessibility (NCA) and the Indiana University
School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. This project
is funded through a grant from the Division of Human Development
and Disability at the National Center on Birth Defects City of Detroit Sets Strict Specs to Ensure New Playground Surfaces are Safe and Accessible This article originally appears as a Making the Grade feature of www.ncaonline.org. Visit the NCA web site at http://www.ncaonline.org/making-the-grade/detroit.shtml to read the article in its entirety. by Jennifer K. Skulski, CPSI
Throughout the development of accessibility guidelines for playgrounds, there has been a With a limited budget and 360 parks located on more than 6,000 acres, City of Detroit park planners have taken an innovative approach to ensure the biggest bang for their buck when purchasing new playground surfacing. Through the bid process, the city has instituted quality assurance specifications for impact attenuation and accessibility of newly purchased playground surfacing. The most notable requirement in the bid specification calls for the surfaces to be tested to verify compliance immediately following installation and at the end of the second, fourth and fifth year of use.
“We have been working with rubber surfacing for a little over 10 years. About 3-4 years ago we started installing some new playgrounds and needed to develop a more up to date specification,” says Dick Hautau, Chief of Landscape Architects for the City of Detroit Recreation Department. Some of the city’s first installations with poured in place rubber products were aging more rapidly than the city had anticipated and showing signs of becoming brittle. Thus, between the years 2002 and 2003 the city developed quality assurance specifications and detailed product warranty expectations for all eligible bidders. Within 10-35 days followinginstallation of the finished playground surface, the contractor is required to provide the city with field test results demonstrating that the surface is in compliance with ASTM F1292 for impact attenuation and ASTM F1951 for wheelchair accessibility. The city also allows for the use a Rotational Penetrometer to field test the surface for firmness and stability in regards to wheelchair accessibility. In 2004, the city had 11 playgrounds installed with poured in place rubber surfacing, and 20 more in 2005. Hautau reports the quality assurance requirement has been of great benefit to the city just within the last year. “We found a couple installations this summer that did not meet the specifications and required the manufacturer and installer to go back and correct them.” The city’s quality assurance process shifts the manufacturer’s claims of safety and accessibility verified in a controlled laboratory testing environment to the outdoor playground environment where it matters most. Advocates for field testing will agree, it doesn’t matter that the manufacturer has certifications showing a surface passes for impact attenuation and wheelchair accessibility in a laboratory setting if the surface is not properly installed and maintained in the playground environment where it could either prohibit use by children with disabilities or result in lifethreatening injury when a child falls from equipment. Field testing stands as a proof point that the playground owner actually received what was bought and paid for. Three Retire After Dedicating Careers to Accessibility and Inclusion Karen Megorden Karen Megorden celebrated her retirement in January this year. Karen began her Federal service in 1973 as a Forestry Aid with the Forest Service. Three years later she joined the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. In 1988, Karen initiated the development of a data management system (ADMS) to catalog the enormous amounts of accessibility information generated during the accessibility evaluations of the Pacific Northwest Region facilities. Karen became fondly known as the “Mother of ADMS” and her advocacy for people with disabilities really began. In 1991, Karen began the well known public service effort for children with disabilities and disadvantaged children, Catch a Special Thrill (CAST) for Kids (www.castforkids.org). The program has grown significantly from the first event sponsored by BOR, through the development of the CAST Foundation, to over 37 events across the country. In 1992, Karen became the PN Region’s Accessibility Program Manager and later the Bureau’s. Under Karen’s leadership, BOR’s Universal Accessibility Program was developed and became a model for the Department and ADMS became the Bureau’s standard for managing accessibility. ADMS was recently recognized as one of Reclamation’s Best Practices in 2005. During the last 18 months, Karen has served as Reclamation’s Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Manager. After leaving Federal service, Karen will be returning to her profession of choice, landscape architecture. Tom Coleman Tom Coleman, Recreation and Accessibility Specialist, retired in August 2005 after 26 years with the National Park Service. He spent his entire NPS career in the Washington Office (WASO), working in the Accessibility Management Program. Program manager Dave Park said that Tom’s extensive knowledge of accessibility issues, good-natured personality and ability to reach out to others made him a mainstay of the NPS program. Tom’s NPS legacy includes two distinct endeavors, said Park, who began his tenure with the Accessibility Management Program about the same time that Coleman did. “Six years ago, Tom assumed leadership of our new achievement awards program,” he said. “The program has evolved into a model for other NPS divisions. It’s also generated national and international publicity.” NPS Accessibility Achievement Awards recognize original programming and projects that promote accessibility goals and policies within the Service on both a national and regional basis. Tom has worked as a liaison with other Federal agencies and external advocacy groups, such as the U.S. Access Board, Department of Justice’s Disability Rights section, Paralyzed Veterans of America, American Council of the Blind, and TelecomPioneers of America. Tom has also been a member of the Servicewide Accessibility Coordinating Committee, an advisory committee and work group that makes recommendations for implementing NPS accessibility policies. Prior to coming to NPS, Tom had an 18-year career at Topeka State Hospital in Topeka, Kan., first as an activity therapist and then as director of the recreation therapy department for 12 years. He graduated from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas with a BA in Therapeutic Recreation. Upon retiring from the NPS, Tom and his wife, Teddy, who have been married for 46 years, will relocate to Texas to be closer to their daughter. His retirement plans include fishing and golf. Don Fox In December, Don Fox retired from the National Park Service after 38 years of federal service. He worked in Washington, D.C., the Denver Service Center and Yosemite National Park. Don was stationed at Yosemite for 32 years as Park Landscape Architect and also served as the park’s accessibility coordinator. For the last 7 years, he has served as NPS Pacific West Region Accessibility Compliance Coordinator. Don graduated from Michigan State University, with a BS in Landscape Architecture. Don is an American Society of Landscape Architects Fellow, a founding member of the California Forum on Accessibility, received the 2000 Certificate of Honor for Superior Service for his achievements in improving accessibility to NPS programs and the 2001 National Park Service National Accessibility Leadership Award. Upon retirement, Don is working as a consultant with Accessible Design Collaborative and Disability Access Consultants, Inc. Special thanks to Ann Hayes, Georgia Jones and Nan Smith for contributions to this article.
Design Students Tackle Accessible Picnic Tables In 2001 the National Center on Accessibility published findings on the Functional Aspects of Accessible Picnic Elements. Noted in the study findings is the importance of the placement of the wheelchair accessible seating location at picnic tables to facilate social interaction. Commercial picnic tables on the market traditionally have been designed with extended tops for wheelchair seating at the end of the table. Few designs have been introduced where a person using an assistive device such as a manual or electric wheelchair has a choice of seating locations and opportunity for socializing with everyone at the table...that is until now. Design students at San Francisco State University have spent the last semester working on an outdoor table and bench design that embraces the principles of Universal Design and gives people using assistive devices more choices when they come to the table. SFSU design students Jasper Kirsch, Eric Amlie, Justin Bosley, Jordan Lancer and Ben Derbidge worked with Phil Evans, SFSU manager of Buildings and Grounds to design and construct the new outdoor table and seating system. The prototype is now located on the SFSU campus adjacent to the Fine Arts Building. Since the inception of the original design, the design team is at work on two new models including sliding benches and a lifting screw/lazy susan feature. Best Practice of Inclusive Services: The Value of Inclusion
by Catherine V. Nolan
Since the ADA was mandated in 1990, recreation agencies have made
many structural changes and implemented many strategies to assist individuals
with disabilities to feel welcome and included. For inclusion to be
truly successful however, it must be accepted as a value that is shared
by all parties involved including: agencies, staff, families, participants,
and the Status of Rulemaking In January, Sharon Eller, Director of the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Interior, issued a directive to DOI bureaus following the lead of the General Services Administration in the adoption of the newly issued Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS). Echoing GSA’s announcement stating that “Facilities subject to the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) must meet the ABAAS if the construction or alteration commences, or the lease is entered into, after May 8, 2006. If the construction or alteration commences, or the lease is entered into before May 8, 2006, the facility must meet the UFAS. The construction or alteration of a facility for which plans and specifications were completed or substantially completed on or before May 8, 2006, is permitted to meet the UFAS if the construction or alteration is commenced by May 8, 2008. ” The ABAAS (also referred to as the Americans with Disabilities Act -
Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines are available
online: www.access-board.gov. National Symposium on Playground Access Presented by the National Center on Accessibility
How can we design accessible and inclusive playscapes while at the same time offer exceptional play value that contributes to child development for both children with disabilities and their peers without disabilities? This NCA National Symposium
is geared towards public playground owners/operators, NPSI
Certified Playground Safety Inspectors, park and recreation
professionals, school administrators, designers, parents and
advocates for the inclusion of children with disabilities.
Educational sessions will cover family and disability, child development
and disability implications, accessibility guidelines for
playgrounds and park amenities, considerations for accessible
play equipment and surfacing, and the principles of universal
design. Invited presenters include: Peggy Greenwell, U.S. Access
Board; Lisa Moore, PlayCore; Susan Goltsman, MIG Inc; Jean Schappet,
Boundless Playgrounds; Teri Hendy, SiteMasters; Rolf Huber,
Everplay; Greg Robbins, Sof’Fall; Craig Glazier, CONTEXT;
Gary Robb, NCA; and Tom Kalousek, National Playground Safety Institute. The National Symposium on Playground Access is sponsored by: For registration information, call (812) 856-4422 Voice or (812) 856-4421 TTY or visit the NCA web site at http://www.ncaonline.org/training/playground.shtml. 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.
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