NCA Technical Assistance

This is a photo of the NCA staff conducting an accessibility assessment of outdoor recreation areas at Wildlife Prairie State Park, Peoria, Illinois.

NCA staff conduct an accessibility assessment of outdoor recreation areas at Wildlife Prairie State Park, Peoria, Illinois.

The NCA technical assistance program provides the latest information regarding the inclusion of people with disabilities in parks, recreation and tourism. Our technical assistance staff have provided services to architects, interpretive specialists, exhibit designers, recreation specialists, program and facility managers, as well as individuals with disabilities.

Drawing on extensive personal experience, NCA research, the U.S. Access Board, the U.S. Department of Justice, and a myriad of other sources, NCA's technical assistance staff respond to questions and provide invaluable networking contacts. We provide information to clarify disability-related regulations and standards, develop and disseminate technical assistance materials, and conduct computerized searches of assistive devices and products.

Videos and other relevant resource materials are available for purchase. Our quarterly newsletter, Access Today, features articles updating readers on recent regulations, standards, legislation changes, upcoming educational programs, and provides information regarding technical assistance and research.

The Technical Assistance staff have expertise to answer your program and design questions and to recommend additional resources to provide you with insights and solutions. The following questions illustrate the broad scope of technical assistance provided by the NCA staff through its toll-free Access Help Line:

I work at a national battlefield. How do I obtain a three-dimensional tactile map of my site?
What types of materials can be used to make accessible trail surfaces at our nature center?
How do I make a zoo experience accessible to a person who is blind?
Our wildlife refuge has an orientation video. When are assistive listening devices required and what types are available?

NCA staff also provides more extensive consultation on specific projects. NCA consultation clients have included the American Association of Museums, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institute, Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.