At
this moment in time, it goes without saying that museums are obligated
to serve all potential visitors, whoever they may be. Over 25 years
after Museums for a New Century, the museum profession is in the process
of a major paradigm shift. Accessibility has become a modern hallmark
of museum program development, not to mention a legal requirement for
the physical building.
The
word “changing” in the title above is meant in two ways; it is a
descriptor, but also an active verb. As museum professionals, we can
observe that our culture’s attitudes toward disability are shifting, but
we must also be leading agents in that change. There are an estimated
54.4 million people with disabilities living in America today; if
museums are to serve these present and future visitors, we would do well
to start by listening to their voices.
The
long-standing perception of disability has been solely as an individual
medical condition. In other words, disability as a concept has been
relegated to the particular people who live with it every day.
Attitudes toward disabled people have ranged from pity and disgust to
misunderstanding to awe and admiration.
However,
since the 1980s a new model of disability has emerged from the field of
disability research as well as from advocates for disabled people.
That idea is the social model of disability, the perspective that
disability is a result of culturally-constructed barriers to
participation in society. It is a frame of mind that gives all of us
the responsibility for not just inclusion but universal access.
When
you stop and think about it, disability as a social construct (rather
than a medical setback) makes sense. After all, everyone has their own
way of going about the business of life. The fact that some people see
with a white cane, hear with a computer screen, or walk with wheels is
simply an illustration of different ways to exist. Any group of people
will have broad variations in learning styles and interests, tastes in
food or entertainment, and modes of communication. The more we expand
the flavors of museum programs that we offer, the more people we will
reach and, most importantly, the more deeply we will reach them.
Any
museum program can benefit from being translated into multiple learning
channels. Even visitors who do not identify as having a disability
might be more engaged by a program that involves visuals, sound, tactile
elements and discussions as opposed to just one of those methods. If
we approach the development of programs by thinking about removing
barriers to any of our visitors participating, we will be on the right
track.
Another
thing the museum profession can learn from the disability research
field is the concept of emancipatory practice. Under the outdated
perception of people with disabilities as suffering from an ailment,
research about such people was very one-sided. The researcher held most
of the power, and the research subject simply became a source of
experience-based information. The research subject did not gain any
benefit from the interaction, while the researcher was at liberty to
select the results that served the chosen outcomes of the project.
Conversely,
the emancipatory research model turns the process into a partnership
and thus a two-way exchange of information. The people with
disabilities are far more than research subjects; they direct the
objectives of the project and share both power and ownership of
outcomes. With a bilateral flow of information and shared power, both
parties in the partnership can learn more than they otherwise would and
can adapt the research agenda to suit the needs of both sides. Most
importantly, the people with disabilities can directly benefit from the
findings of the research.
Museums
can use the emancipatory research model by making not just the museum’s
programs but the development process more participatory. Creating
partnerships with visitors who live with disabilities is the best way to
find out how to make the museum both physically and intellectually
accessible and personally interesting to these people.
Throughout
the museum world, the trend is already toward including more
user-generated content in exhibits, programs, and websites. The idea
that museum programs should be created with audiences instead of for
them is gaining universal acceptance. These developments should be
constantly brought into the planning of exhibits and programs that
represent all people, with or without disabilities.
The
following five posts will each focus on one disability. They will
address how museums can best serve audiences who have visual
impairments, hearing difficulties, mobility challenges, cognitive
impairments (specifically people with Alzheimer’s Disease), and learning
disabilities. Each entry will provide some background on the
disability, things to consider regarding that audience, case studies of
museums that are successfully addressing the issue, and an exploration
of what more can be done.
Sources
Re-Presenting Disability: Activism and Agency in the Museum Richard Sandell, Jocelyn Dodd and Rosemarie Garland-Thomson. Routledge (London/New York) 2010 (Google Books link)
Background
Most
of us rely on our vision almost exclusively, such that it’s nearly
impossible to imagine getting around our lives without it. Yet we have
so many other ways of absorbing information about our world, and museums
have the unique ability to present exhibits and programs that exercise
the myriad senses.
Since
the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1980,
museums have been fulfilling the basic requirements to provide
accessibility for people with visual impairments. However, a few
museums are taking it much further and creating whole new programs for
their visually-impaired patrons. Here we will explore the needs of this
particular audience and look at how some museums are serving these
visitors.
Considerations
First,
it is important to remember that there is a range of visual
impairments, and thus museums should make their content accessible to
visitors with low vision as well as those who are blind. All aspects of
a museum, from the physical building to the public programs, should be
developed with universal comfort and accessibility as the goal.
The following are a few ways museums can serve the needs of their visually-impaired visitors:
Exhibits with tactile elements:
- Touchable models of objects and artworks
- The chance to touch actual artworks while wearing gloves (made of a thin material so that textures can be felt through them)
- Versions of flat artworks with added textures, layers, or raised outlines
- Touchable maps of the museum, galleries, and exhibits
- Interactive components and demonstrations with verbal instructions
Audio components:
- Spoken tours with audio enhancement devices (earpieces that connect to the tour guide’s microphone)
- Verbal descriptions of artworks, exhibits, and other objects by trained museum personnel
- Portable audio or cell phone guides and tours
- Podcasts of museum programs and information
- Sound on video elements in exhibits, with either audible speakers or headphones
- Talking computer kiosks in galleries
Other considerations:
- Printed self-guides in large type and Braille
- Exhibit text panels with large font
- Bright lighting in all walkways, aisles, stairwells and doorways
- Clear walking paths free of obstacles
-
Texture changes on the floor (such as carpet to wood) to indicate
different areas of an exhibit or to identify audio components for
visitors to find
-
Exhibit furniture (display cases, kiosks) on the floor beneath any
elements that protrude from the wall, such that a cane would hit them to
indicate that the person should step aside
- Service animals allowed in all areas of the museum
If
all exhibits and programs at the museum are built from the ground up
with multi-sensory components, then their content will be more easily
accessible to all visitors and all learning styles.
It
is important to keep in mind that, while there is sometimes no
substitute for the assistance of another human being, the museum’s goal
should be to create galleries and programs that are independently
navigable whenever possible.
Case studies
The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens - Jacksonville, Florida
Since
its inception over 50 years ago, the Cummer Museum has been serving its
community through art and education. Right from its home page, the
museum states that its “Nationally recognized education programs serve
adults and children of all abilities.”
One of the best-known education programs is Art Connections, described as “hands-on, interactive exhibits designed to raise visitors' understanding of the art… In Art Connections,
it is possible to walk through a painting, create patterns through
dance, make a collage, listen to a sculpture, or paint with a virtual
paintbrush.” The museum is home to a chapter of Very Special Arts,
an international organization for people of all abilities. The annual
Very Special Arts Festival allows children to experience art through
many different channels and participate in creative projects to make
their own art.
The museum also features a Women of Vision
program, which brings together adults with visual impairments to study
art in the collections. Participants create their own pieces with
sculpture, origami, painting and other media, and have the opportunity
to write personal memoirs inspired by the museum’s collections. Touch
tours can be arranged by appointment, in which patrons can touch
reproductions and original artworks from the collection. The museum has
other programs for visitors with autism or mobility impairments.
Clearly, the Cummer Museum has devoted great energy to serving all its
patrons regardless of how they make their way through life.
Tactile Museum of Lighthouse for the Blind – Athens, Greece
Designed
from the ground up to serve visitors with visual impairments, the
Tactile Museum in Athens has been around since 1984. The museum
features replica models of Greek artworks from the country’s long
artistic history, including sculptures, pottery, models of Greek
buildings, and drawings with raised lines and layers. The collection
also includes works of art created by visually-impaired artists.
Visitors
can touch the collections with their bare hands and feel the
differences in texture, style, and materials. Sighted visitors are
given masks so they can experience the museum as though they were blind.
The artworks are arranged in chronological order, allowing patrons to
visualize the evolution of artistic styles in Greece.
Information
about each historical period is available in Braille and large print
type. Audio tours are available in both Greek and English. However,
the museum has no permanent staff and relies heavily on volunteers.
Visits in groups must be made by appointment. Nevertheless, this
museum is serving an important purpose in allowing all Greek citizens to
personally experience their country’s artistic history.
Where do we go from here?
The
art museums of the world have certainly made an effort to reach their
visually-impaired visitors with touch tours, verbal descriptions,
touchable replica models, interactive creative workshops, and other
programs. The next challenge seems to be making other types of
museums—history, science, and natural history—more accessible to people
with limited vision. Many of these museums often already have
interactive elements, but without verbal directions or auditory
information these exhibit components are not independently usable by
visitors with visual disabilities.
What
are some ways that science and history museums can alter their existing
galleries, or build new ones, that are multi-sensory and accessible to
all visitors?
Sources
The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
Tactile Museum of Lighthouse for the Blind
Background
Almost
20% of Americans older than 11 experience some degree of hearing loss
that affects their daily life. That number is a bit staggering. As
museum professionals, we need to be aware that one fifth of our
potential audience may need some help to hear the content we present to
them.
It
should be noted that the Deaf community (capitalization indicates a
cultural identity, rather than the condition of being “deaf”) prefers
using the word “deaf” over the phrase “hearing-impaired,” due to the
negative implication of the latter. Deaf culture has very specific
values and a strong sense of identity; for people who were not born
deaf, that culture can feel extremely exclusive and unwelcoming.
A
large part of the Deaf cultural identity, at least in America, centers
around the use of American Sign Language. While it is impossible to
truthfully generalize a group of people, most of the Deaf community does
not condone the use of cochlear implants or regular spoken
communication, perceiving these things to be a rejection of the inborn
way that deaf people experience the world.
However,
because deaf and hearing-impaired people use a multitude of methods to
function in society, from hearing aids to lip-reading to sign language
interpretation, it is important that museums provide options that will
serve the full range of hearing abilities.
Considerations
The
most obvious way to give deaf people access to museum exhibits and
programs is the use of printed text that visitors can read. However,
people with hearing impairments often use many other visual cues, such
as facial expressions and movement in space, to grasp the meaning of
what is being communicated. Many hearing-impaired visitors will not
want to simply read text to get information; they will prefer a more
personal and interactive way of understanding and participating in
museum programs or exhibits.
With
that in mind, the following is a brief list of ways that museums can
make their content accessible to people with all degrees of hearing
loss:
- Provide written information in guides and exhibits
- Include captioning on any video or auditory components
- Have sign language interpretation available for tours and programs
-
Hold events specifically for people with hearing loss so they can
connect with others like themselves and develop their sense of community
-
Make use of assistive listening devices, such as headphones that
connect to a docent’s microphone during gallery talks and tours
-
Create programs with multi-sensory components, so that information is
presented in visual and tactile ways in addition to auditory
explanations and discussion
- Put videos of sign-language programs on the museum’s website
-
Make sign-language video guides that visitors can download to their
mobile devices or borrow from the museum and view while in a exhibit
Case studies
Jumping
off from that last item on the list, Catharine McNally has made a
business out of creating exactly that type of video guide. McNally has
always loved museums but, as a lifelong deaf person, she realized that
written materials were often the only form of interpretation that was
offered to her.
As
she said in an interview with Michael Janger for Abled Body, “I was
visiting a museum in Washington, D.C., and the information desk handed
me a pile of paper transcripts so I could follow along with the audio
guide. I went home and video recorded a version of the commentary in
cued speech [mouth movements of speech combined with hand signals, or
cues] as video clips, and then went back the next day and viewed it on
my iPod. It was a transformative experience for me.”
McNally’s
company, Keen Guides, creates and distributes video museum guides that
can be downloaded onto Smart Phones. Her goal is to make museums
accessible in many ways, including foreign languages and multiple forms
of visual communication. She has partnered with organizations like
public television and DC By Foot to create her video guides. Keen
Guides is also developing video versions of campus tours at schools like
Gallaudet University, which is a federally-chartered college devoted to
the education of deaf and hearing-impaired students.
Where do we go from here?
For
museums, reaching visitors with hearing impairments is not as
straightforward as it might first seem. However, by working with the
people we intend to serve, we can hear their specific needs and
preferences for the form that interpretive materials and services will
take. How do we contact members of the Deaf community and create
partnerships with them? How do we embrace the ways that people with
hearing impairments best function?
Sources
Hearing
Loss Association of America
Accessibility
for the Deaf Community in Art Museums
Abled Body: Keen Guides
Background
The
term “mobility impaired” refers to a wide spectrum of people—from
someone missing a hand to a quadriplegic. Before we can discuss how
museums can serve these audiences, we must first gain a basic
understanding of some of the conditions resulting in impaired mobility.
The following list is far from comprehensive.
Arthritis
An
estimated 50 million Americans have arthritis; most of these are older
adults, and as the population ages these numbers will only rise. The
word “arthritis” means inflammation of the joints, and the condition can
lessen a person’s ability to climb stairs, reach for objects and walk
long distances. It can also inhibit their fine motor skills. These
effects can be short-term or permanent.
Stroke
A
stroke results from a blood clot or hemorrhage in the brain and can
cause serious damage. One side of the body is affected and may become
weak, paralyzed and/or hard to control. There are often cognitive
affects from a stroke as well. Rehabilitation is possible, but it is a
lengthy process with no guarantee of complete success.
Missing Extremity
A
person may lack an extremity at birth or may lose it because of an
accident or disease. Many people with missing extremities have
prosthesis or learn how to use the remaining portion of their limbs.
Multiple Sclerosis
MS
is a disease of the central nervous system that affects approximately
400,000 Americans. According to the National MS Society, “MS can cause
blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech,
tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and
concentration, paralysis, blindness and more.” The problems can be
constant or intermittent. The disease is unpredictable and no two cases
are exactly alike. However, certain environmental conditions, such as
heat, are known to inflame the disease.
Muscular Dystrophy
This
term refers to a group of over 30 degenerative muscular diseases.
These conditions cause loss of sensation or muscle control that often
progress to the point where the person must use a wheelchair. The
person’s mental facilities, however, remain intact.
Spinal Cord Injury
This
condition currently affects more than 200,000 Americans with 10,000
more sustained every year due to car, work and sports accidents. The
higher the point of injury along the spinal column, the more of the body
it affects. People with spinal cord injuries may lose all or part of
their sensation and muscle control. Muscle spasms and lack of control
over bodily functions are also common.
Although
some of the aforementioned conditions can result in cognitive
disabilities as well, this post will focus on the needs of visitors who
are solely mobility impaired.
Considerations
People
with mobility impairments are the most visibly recognizable due to the
assistive devices they often use (walkers, canes, crutches, wheelchairs,
artificial limbs). Therefore, it might be the easiest to consider these
people “different”. But, in some ways, people with mobility impairments
might be one of the easiest segments of the disabled population for
museums to serve. If no intellectual disability accompanies the mobility
impairment (though this is sometimes the case), then the exhibit or
program content is accessible to the visitor. Museums need only to make
the spaces and objects accessible to patrons who may not be able to move
without an assistive device or to grasp, turn or lift things such as
interactive components and door handles. People with mobility
impairments often have family members or friends accompanying them, but
it is important to address the disabled visitor directly about their
needs instead of asking their companion.
When
making an exhibition or building fully accessible to people with
mobility impairments, keep in mind that visitors using any assistive
device need to be able to navigate the museum easily and experience it
fully. Alternatives to stairs and amenities such as companion care
restrooms should be clearly marked on signs and maps. All employees
should be able to direct a visitor to accessible pathways, entrances or
exits and facilities. Stairs should be smooth but not slippery and
without a lip. Elevators should be easily accessible with minimal gaps
in the threshold. Curbs should have cut areas to allow visitors using an
assistive device to easily access the building. Avoid slippery or
uneven surfaces and steep grades. Any area with a ramp should also
include stairs, which are easier to navigate for people using crutches
or a cane.
According
to the Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Design, all doorways
should be at least 32 inches (preferably 36 inches) wide to allow a
visitor in a wheelchair to enter. Any two-way hallways should be 60 or
more inches wide to allow two wheelchairs to pass one another. A space
of 30 X 48 inches is required anywhere a wheelchair would want to stop
in front of a display, and visitors in wheelchairs require an open space
of 60 inches in diameter or a 36 inch T-shaped area to turn around.
Object
placement is a concern that greatly affects the experience of visitors
with mobility impairments. Items, labels, rails and cases cannot be too
high above the ground or a visitor in a wheelchair (or a small child,
for that matter) would not be able to see these things comfortably.
There is an easy medium height that allows all visitors to experience
the objects. Some examples of measurements include:
- Small items should be placed no higher than 40 inches off the ground
- The top of cases and railings should be no higher than 36 inches
- Wall labels should be mounted between 48 and 67 inches (ideally 54 inches) above the floor.
- When mounting items on the floor, make them easily visible so that visitors do not trip.
The
placement of interactive components is another issue. When a space is
designed to allow a foreword approach in a wheelchair, place
interactives or controls 48 to 15 inches (ideally 48) above the ground.
When a parallel approach is necessary, any buttons should be between 54
and 9 inches from the floor. Both of these sets of measurements are
affected if there is a table or other barrier between the visitor and
the interactive. Ideally, there would be enough room for a wheelchair to
pull up under the table. Another aspect to consider is the size and
composition of the interactives themselves. Taking a variety of mobility
impairments into account, interactives should be wider than 3 inches,
not slippery, easily operated using only one hand, and require no tight
twisting, grasping or pinching and no force over 5 lbs.
Seating
is key for visitors with mobility impairments. Half of the seating
should be accessible, meaning 17 to 19 inches above the ground with
seatbacks at least 18 inches above the seat, plus armrests and back
support so that people can lower themselves down and push themselves
back up. Spaces for wheelchairs should be spread out so that parties can
sit together.
In
terms of facilities, there should be wheelchair accessible bathrooms
with rails on either side of the toilet. Emergency exits should be fully
accessible. Visitors with disabilities, including those with limited
fine motor skills or without an extremity, should be able to open doors.
One solution is to leave enough space to fit an arm between the door
handle and the door itself. All entrances should have thresholds easily
crossed in a wheelchair or with the aid of any other assistive device.
For a full list of measurements, we suggest that you refer to the Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Design (see Sources)
Case Study
Museums
rarely publish the exact measurements that would allow us to judge
which buildings and exhibitions “best” cater to people with mobility
impairments. Therefore, this post will address the House Calls program
at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and the Art for All
program at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.
SAAM’s
House Calls program brings the collection to people unable to attend
the museum. For adults in the DC area, docents travel to a group to hold
one or multiple sessions. The docents present images using PowerPoint
and prompt the audience to think back on the American past using themes
of the participants’ choosing. For adults with mobility impairments,
SAAM volunteers will lead telephone conversations for up to four people.
Those reserving a program can choose between multiple themes, and can
have up to four sessions. SAAM mails the participants images to be
returned after the program is finished.
But
what about programs in museums? The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in
Jacksonville, Florida has a program called Art for All, designed
especially for visitors with mobility impairments. Tours for visitors
with physical disabilities involve tactile components to encourage
engagement and can include a studio segment. In the studio, participants
can use adaptive art-making tools. “Art Rollers” can be manipulated
using gross, not fine, motor skills, and attach to wheelchairs to create
art on the floor.
Where do we go from here? What more can we do?
Mobility
impairments are one of the first disabilities a museum addresses, due
in part to legal requirements. But are museums doing enough? There are
still countless museums without adequate alternatives to stairs, and few
have programs designed especially for visitors with limited mobility.
How do you think the museums community can better serve visitors with
mobility impairments? Is the answer in distance learning or programs in
the museums themselves?
Sources
Centers for Disease Control
US Dept. of Education Handbook (PDF)
National
MS Society
Parylized
Veterans of America
Smithsonian
Accessibility Guidelines (PDF)
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Cummer Art Museum and Gardens
Background
About
5.4 million people in America have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common
type of dementia. This means that 1 in 8 Americans aged 65 or older and
almost half of Americans over 85 have the disease. With that segment of
the population growing, we can expect more and more cases of
Alzheimer’s in the coming years. For example, presently someone develops
Alzheimer’s every 69 seconds, but by mid-century someone will develop
the disease every 33 seconds. Another concern is the number of unpaid
caregivers—14.9 million. It is clear that there is a need to enhance the
quality of life for both Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers.
Museums can help.
Considerations
Alzheimer’s
disease results in mental decline. This affects recent memory, language
(the skills required to write, speak or comprehend), abstract thinking,
and the abilities to understand and use symbols, plan, reason, solve
problems and focus on a task. Patients can become disoriented, lose
initiative, and have changes in mood, personality and behavior. The
disease often results in the "the four A's" – anxiety, aggression,
agitation and apathy. Also keep in mind that participants, due to their
age, might also have problems with their hearing, sight and mobility,
each addressed in earlier posts.
The
disease starts by affecting the parts of the brain involved in creating
new memories. But the Parietal lobe, which is stimulated through
creative activities such as art and music, is not affected until rather
late in the disease. Here lies the potential for museums to help this
audience.
A
museum seeking to serve Alzheimer’s patients would need to first
consider comfort. There needs to be a short walk from a vehicle to the
door, available wheelchairs and stools, and easily accessible bathrooms
including companion care restrooms. During the program itself, guides
would need to encourage visitors, accept all answers and call upon
participants to think and give their opinions rather than to remember.
Case Study
Regarding the affects of Alzheimer’s disease, John Zeisel, one of the creators of the MoMA Alzheimer’s Project says,
“I
don’t think Alzheimer’s takes anything away at the end of life. Whether
you lose the ability to sequence complex events or whether you lose the
ability to express yourself in certain words or whether you lose the
ability to control your impulses, these are not essential to life. What
Alzheimer’s does is it leaves the essential parts of life. It leaves
people’s ability to be joyous. It leaves people’s ability to see art and
respond to music. It leaves people’s ability to relate to other people
and feel things deeply. If through the environment and through the
people that stay together with them, they can touch those deep memories
of their lives, those remain and that’s there til the end of their
lives.”
The
Museum of Modern Art in New York City holds a special program called
Meet Me at MoMA once a month for people living with Alzheimer’s and
their caregivers. A specially trained museum educator leads everyone in
an interactive discussion about art. Through the program, the
Alzheimer’s patients can exercise their mental facilities, access
long-term memories and find personal relevance while exploring the
museum’s collection. These meaningful activities often help improve mood
and there have been reported decreases in the "the four A's" (anxiety,
aggression, agitation and apathy). Finally, the program provides an
opportunity to strengthen the caregiver-patient relationship, which can
be vital during stressful times.
During
the program, museum guides use inquiry-based techniques, asking
open-ended questions to facilitate conversation. The stages of the
discussion are Observation, Description, Interpretation, Connection,
Small Group Conversation (Turn and Talk) and Summary.
MoMA
published materials to provide other museums with a How-To on creating
successful programs for people with dementia. Some of their recommended
facilitation strategies include:
- Be relaxed and let the conversation go in unexpected directions.
- Keep the atmosphere light and humorous.
- Show
interest in all comments and be supportive. Remember that people want
to leave feeling good about themselves. Never chastise a
participant—validate frequently and sincerely.
- Keep the effects of the disease in mind but never mention it.
- Make
eye contact, pay attention to non-verbal communication (facial
expression, body language, gestures) and talk directly even to
non-verbal participants.
- Emphasize
and define key words and avoid vague language, interpret and clarify a
comment if you are having trouble understanding it.
- Repeat questions and comments so the whole group can hear.
- Encourage debate.
- Allow
people to comment as much as they like but don’t let anyone monopolize
the conversation. Patiently bring to a close overly-long comments.
- Build a theme out of responses, repeating and building on them.
- Summarize often.
- Enthusiasm and sincerity are key!
Where do we go from here?
How
else can we serve Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers? How can
museum educators learn from and build upon the MoMA model? What has Meet
Me at MoMA not done that might better serve Alzheimer’s patients?
Sources
Meet Me At Moma
ARTZ Museum Program for Alzheimer’s
ABC News: Art Awakens Minds
Alzheimers Association
Background
People
with learning, intellectual and developmental disabilities perhaps are
the subject of the most pity, misunderstanding and judgment. While it is
relatively easy to understand that someone can’t see, hear or move
well, or even why older people may decline mentally, it is harder for
many people to grasp why a certain person doesn’t think, learn or act
the same way they do. People with learning, intellectual or
developmental disabilities are often teased and have been misunderstood
even by their parents and teachers. This entry will give a brief (and
admittedly simplified) introduction to these kinds of disabilities, but
there are so many varieties that this discussion is by no means
comprehensive. Please see Sources for more information.
“Intellectual
disability” was previously referred to as mental retardation and is a
kind of developmental disability. Someone with such a disability is
significantly limited in intellectual functions and adaptive behaviors,
the latter of which includes many practical, conceptual and social
skills. Down Syndrome is one example of an intellectual disability. This
condition comes in various forms and different levels of severity.
A
“learning disability” is different from an intellectual disability.
People with learning disabilities have a neurological disorder that
affects the way their brains receive, process, store and respond to
information. These differences can affect academic and social behavior.
The following are some common types of learning disabilities:
- Dysgraphia: difficulty writing
- Dyspraxia: difficulty with fine motor skills
- Dyslexia: difficulty reading
- Dyscalculia: difficulty with math
- Dysphasia: difficulty with language
- Auditory Processing Disorder: difficulty hearing differences between sounds
- Visual Processing Disorder: difficulty interpreting visual information
-
Problems with Executive Functioning: difficulty connecting past and
present (and thus managing time, making plans, keeping track of multiple
things)
Some
conditions, such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism, are not the same as the
learning disabilities above and have been referred to as anything from
an intellectual disability to a developmental disorder. ADD and ADHD
often manifest in inattentiveness, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity and
affect 3-5% of school-aged children. Autism affects the brain’s
development of social and communication skills. There are many degrees
of characteristics along the Autism Spectrum, which, according to some,
includes the high-functioning form Asperger’s Syndrome. Autistic
children often have trouble with pretend play, social interactions, and
verbal and nonverbal communication. In addition, autistic children may
become distressed when a routine changes, have heightened or low senses
of sight, touch, taste, sound or smell, develop language slowly if at
all, and have trouble making friends.
Considerations
Museums
and their exhibitions must be accessible to visitors with multiple
intelligence levels and ways of learning. One strategy to help
accomplish this goal is to have a set path through an exhibition.
Consistent elements such as a theme, landmarks, or a story line will
give the exhibition continuity and help visitors with learning or
intellectual disabilities to understand it. If the exhibit does not lend
itself to a clear path, a museum can use handouts or wall text to
underline such a course. These elements help visitors follow complex
ideas. To achieve these ends, labels should be clear and concise. An
introductory text panel could present a symbol that will be consistent
throughout the exhibit, highlighting or asking questions about thematic
points.
One
of the best ways to make an exhibition easily understood by all
visitors is to present the content in ways that engage as many senses as
possible. In earlier posts, we discussed the needs of visitors who are
blind or have low vision and visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The former needs information presented in auditory or tactile formats
and the latter requires content presented visually. By supplying all of
the above, the museum not only accommodates the visitors with the
aforementioned challenges but also visitors with intellectual, learning
or developmental disabilities. One of the best strategies to reach the
majority of visitors is to present an exhibition’s content in as many
ways possible, engaging multiple senses. By presenting important or
interesting points in multiple ways, it is more likely that the visitor
will internalize what they learned at the museum.
However,
it is important to keep in mind that some people may be disoriented or
have trouble concentrating with too many competing media. To solve this
problem, the museum can design an exhibit with noisy and quiet areas and
also provide headsets or ear phones to isolate the sound. As such,
visitors can benefit from content presented in multiple ways while still
being able to focus. For many visitors with intellectual, learning and
developmental disabilities, active participation, manipulation and
demonstration are much more effective educational tools than simple
verbal presentation. Virtually everyone learns best by experience and it
is no exception here.
There are some specific considerations to keep in mind when providing programs for intellectually disabled visitors:
- Be very transparent about rules at the beginning
- Provide a floor plan
- Select areas without too much audio or visual distraction to make concentrating easier
- Allow extra time during transitions
- Do not be discouraged if a visitor chooses not to stay with the tour
- Be confident, enthusiastic and encourage participation
- Communicate directly to an intellectually disabled visitor
- Treat the adults like adults
- Remind visitors that objects are fragile
- Make sure to present the content in an easily understood format
- Build upon specific information to come to more general conclusions
- Summarize frequently
- Present content with visual aids to demonstrate key points
For a program for visitors with learning disabilities:
- Keep the group small
- Shorten the tour
- Establish rules from the beginning
- Map out a simple route
- Be transparent about the structure of the program (advance organizers!)
- Select well-organized exhibits with easily legible signs and labels
- Take a multi-sensory approach using visual aids and touchable elements
- Speak clearly and at a normal pace
- Minimize the use of reading or writing during the program; rely more on discussion
- Avoid distractions
- Explain any difficult terms clearly and carefully
- Always avoid embarrassing the disabled visitor
Remember
that these are general guidelines and suggestions. There is no one
definition of a visitor with an intellectual, learning or developmental
disability. Do your best to read your audience and tailor your program
to your current visitors.
Case Study
The
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has a program called
“Discoveries” for children visitors with learning and developmental
disabilities and their families. Participants may have anything from
Down Syndrome to Autism and many things in between. The programs require
reservations and the Met keeps the groups small. Upon reservation, an
employee usually asks “Can you tell us more about your child?” but they
cannot ask what disability a child has. The program consists of a short
thematic gallery tour and then an art activity in a classroom. The
employees use a routine, meeting in the same place and introducing the
participants and the topics to be discussed. Although there are always
newcomers, there are some participants who have been coming to the
program for 20 years and thus a community has formed.
The
key to the program is being flexible. The educators tailor the program
to whoever is present and, by observing and conversing with the
visitors, can decide how much or how little information to give. Another
example of flexibility is returning to the classroom early if a visitor
has a meltdown in the galleries. The educator is always responsive to
the comfort and needs of the participants. The educator we spoke with
said that making the content accessible and the program enjoyable for
visitors of all ages and abilities is challenging but fun. The program
leaders accomplish this by engaging multiple senses and promoting
inquiry. They have used touch and scent in addition to sight and
hearing. Only taste remains unexplored due to gallery regulations. The
program even involves theater and acting at times. To promote inquiry,
educators ask open-ended questions, encourage the participants to ask
questions of their own and to engage in conversations.
Where do we go from here?
What
more can we do? How can we further serve visitors with intellectual,
learning and developmental disabilities? Content accessibility seems to
be the last piece of the puzzle. Most museums can meet minimum standards
allowing accessibility for mobility, vision and hearing impaired
visitors. Do we focus enough on content accessibility? What more can we
do to serve this audience?
Sources
American
Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
National Center for Learning Disabilities
HelpGuide.org
US National Library of Medicine: ADHD
US National Library of Medicine: Autism
The
Metropolitan Museum of Art
