Hello colleagues:
I have been doing quite a bit of work with museums lately -- conducting disability awareness training for staff and volunteers/docents to make them feel more comfortable interacting with people who have some sort of disability. I have also worked with operations and facilities staff at museums to develop a transition plan, which is a document that identifies areas of the facility that are not accessible, makes recommendations for change, presents ways to solve the problem to make it more accessible and identifies an associated cost. I also usually then assign a level of priority to that problem area, indicating the likelihood that it will be addressed (based on institutional priority, cost, etc)
I am sharing my thoughts in this email, because of a growing concern that I have. This concern relates to the area of offering programs for people with disabilities. Often, people in museums do not seem to address inclusive programming because they just don't know what to do. Other times, inclusive programming is not addressed because staff/volunteers think it will be too much work Still others develop an entire menu of different programs that they then offer to people in their visitors who have disabilities.
Remember: the goal in inclusive programming, customer service, exhibits, etc. is to make sure that every program or activity IS inclusive. Offering separate programs for people with disabilities is discriminatory -- it's bad business and poor customer and community relations. I've actually provided expert testimony for lawsuits in such cases.
How do you know how to accommodate various disabilities and conditions? Establish an advisory board, made of up people in your community who work with special interest groups -- Lighthouse for the Blind, Hearing Society, occupational or physical therapists from a rehabilitation center of local hospital, mental health workers, physicians, someone from the municipality....many have offices or citizen commissions that work on behalf of accessibility, universal design or disability issues......make sure that advisory board meets once a quarter to discuss issues in your museum or department.
Most of all, take the time to train your staff and volunteers who are on the front line, interacting with people who have disabilities . Given the cost / benefit analysis, you can't afford not to do this.
If you do not have healthcare professionals in your area you are able or willing to adapt material for staff training, contact the disability and business technical assistance center in your region --these are 10 centers around the country who exist to provide resources to their region on and conduct training (I believe they have a new name now but it escapes me). You can find the location in your area by checking out their website http://www.ilusa.com/links/dbtac.htm.
Hope this helps you create inclusive programs and an integrated organization!
Kind regards,
Terrie
Terrie Nolinske, Ph.D.
www.tniconsultants.com
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708. 386.1331
----- Original Message -----
From: bill singerman
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 7:05 PM
Subject: Outreach: Special Needs Data
Please excuse cross-postings.
Dear Colleague:
My name is Bill Singerman. I am writing on behalf of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's Museum on the Move outreach program. We are in the process of collecting information from other museums across the country dealing with outreach programming offered to those with special needs. We would very much appreciate your input as we seek to improve upon our services. If you can help us by answering the following questions, please reply to either myself at [log in to unmask] or Lenore Adler at [log in to unmask] . Thank you for your time.
Kind Regards,
Bill Singerman, Education Dept. Carnegie Museum of Natural History &
--------------------------
Name:
Institution:
Type of Museum: (ex. Art, Natural History, History, etc.)
Geographic Location: (ex. Urban, Suburban, Rural; NE, Midwest, SE, etc.)
Position:
1. Does your institution offer outreach programming to special needs populations?
2. Does your institution have the equivalent of an special needs coordinator?
3. How many outreach programs a month/year do you provide to special needs audiences?
4. What types of programs/topics do you present to special needs audiences?
5. How many individuals are served per month/year by such programs?
6. How many staff members does your institution dedicate to serving populations with special needs?
7. Do you use staff, volunteers, or both to work with audiences with special needs?
8. Please provide an approximate operating budget for outreach programming for individuals with special needs.
9. Additional Comments About Your Outreach Programming:
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