Cultural Access

1. Cultural Access Presented by Marian Winters VSA Florida January 28th, 2014

2. Why you need to know • Title III of ADA applies to museums • No individual with a disability is discriminated against on the basis of a disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the entities’ goods, services and facilities. • Where necessary a public accommodation must also provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services in order to ensure effective communication

3. ADA cont. • Requires removal of barriers to access in existing facilities where it is readily achievable to do so. • New construction must be accessible.

4. Common Barriers • Doorknobs and operating mechanisms that require tight grasping or pinching • Deep pile carpeting, loose gravel • Signs useless for individuals who are blind • Drinking fountains, mirrors, towel dispensers mounted too high for people who use wheel chairs. • Protrusions – more than 4 inches from wall or over, mounted at normal height, over side walks • Movable elements – garbage cans, display racks

5. Who are people with disabilities

6. Artist – Teaching Artist

7. Performers

8. What disability?

9. Who are we talking about? • Twenty percent ( 63 million) of Americans have a disability • Each year for the next 20 years, 4 million baby boomers will turn 65 in the United States alone • Over 40 percent of baby boomers will be retiring with some form of disability • 2015 the baby boomer generation will command 60 percent of net wealth and 40 percent of spending.

10. Facts about people with disabilities • In the U.S. people with disabilities make up the largest minority group. • Difference between this minority and most others is that many are not born with their disability • Of the almost 70 million families in the U.S. more than 20 million have at least one family member with a disability • About 12% of the US population identifies as having a severe disability – about 35 million. • About 54 million Americans have at least one disability • Nearly 40% of Americans living with a disability are from the South.

11. Disability breakdown: 2.1 % Visual 3.4 % Hearing 6.9% Ambulatory 4.8% Cognitive 2.6% Self Care 5.4% Independent Living Disability 12.3% females – all ages 11.6 % males Race: 10.1 % Caucasian 14.1% African – American 4.5 % Asian 18.0% Native Americans 10.1 % other

12. Economic Power • People with disabilities are the largest consumer group in the U.S. • Discretionary income is more than 250 billion dollars annually • With direct family members the “disability market” is at least 3 trillion • The spending power is twice the spending power of tweens- 17% • Parent population has the same income and assets as the general population • Multiplier of 2.8-3 .5 – people visit with others • Two – markets • Individuals with disabilities • Family and Friends

13. For Success- Access must be imbedded into ALL parts of the institution. Embraced at all levels.

14. Benefits of Access • Increased Attendance • New Funding Sources • More Community Visibility • Public Perception

15. Ten Steps to Accessibility in the Arts • Know how the law applies to your organization, patrons, and audiences with disabilities • Designate an accessibility coordinator from your organization that will lead the organization in its efforts to comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) • Create an ADA Access Advisory group or committee

16. Steps • Conduct an ADA survey of your facility and program to identify existing barriers and discriminatory policies or practices • Create an ADA plan for your organization that addresses program accessibility, barrier removal, effective communication, new construction and alterations • Adopt a policy statement about your organization’s commitment to accessibility

17. Final Steps • Train your staff • Implement your ADA plan • Promote and advertise your accessibility plan • Conduct an ongoing review of accessibility efforts

18. Policies

19. Organizational Policies • Clearly visible • 504 plan • Every job description • Training

20. Staff Hiring • Accessibility policies should exist in every job description • Notice of Availability of Accommodations • Do not ask about Disabilities • Do ask about: • What/if any accommodations are needed

21. Maintain Staff Training and keep record of it. Staff Training

22. Communications

23. Expanding Your Audience • Include people with disabilities in program development. • Keep an open mind. • Do not assume one size fits all. • Define why this market needs your services. • Become involved with community organizations that focus on disability related issues • A personal invitation is powerful! • Send invitations through disability organizations. • Work to avoid non-personal mass mailings. • Conduct focus groups and recruit access advisory committee members through your patron base and local disability social groups and organizations. • Develop a database of interested patrons Marketing Materials

24. People First Language

25. Symbols/Policies of Symbols use

26. Marketing • Market your Accessibility • To your board members and patrons • To the media • To your community • How • Use Statistics • Personal Stories • Photographs • Meet and Greets

27. How do you make things accessible? • Printed or electronic document • Read the document out loud or explain it • Make a large print version • Create a structured electronic file — a file using pre-set headings, styles, and lists – so people can read it with their assistive devices, like screen readers. You can also use it to produce other accessible formats. • Technical or complicated information • Use common words instead of jargon • Break text into shorter sentences and paragraphs • Use graphics to add meaning • Graphic • Include a written or verbal description

28. What else? • Sign • Use larger text, simple pictograms, strong color contrast, and/or tactile elements • Verbal or audio • Make it visual — write it on a piece of paper, put it in an email or on a digital screen • Video • Add subtitles and/or video descriptions • Provide a transcript • Consider an in-person presentation or conversation • Telephone Use text-based technology such as email, texting or instant messaging • Use technologies designed for the hard of hearing like a teletypewriter (TTY) or a telephone relay service • Presentation • Share a copy of your presentation materials (e.g. PowerPoint slides • or transcript) • Hire a sign language interpreter • Use a microphone

29. Service Animals • A dog or in special instances a miniature horse trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability • No license or certificate by a state or local government is required • Never touch or distract a service animal • A patron with a service animal cannot be segregated from other patrons

30. 2013 DOJ and International Spy Museum • Agreement- services for blind- low vision • Tactile maps • Qualified audio describer for an requested Museums presentation – audio visual computer interactives or exhibits • Qualified reader to read all labels • Representative sample of objects or reproductions

31. DOJ cont. • Hard of Hearing visitors • Captions • Scripts or wall text if captions provide an undo burden • ASL and oral interpreter services and realtime captioning on advance request for all public programs.

32. DOJ cont. • The Museum will also: • Website highlight accommodations • Provide enhances level of physical access including restaurant and gift shop • Provide integrated wheel chair seating, accessible ramps and improved access to doors and counters • All new construction is accessible • Designate ADA compliance officer • Train first line supervisors and managers staff on ADA – and new staff within 30 days of hire

33. Questions