Maple Seed Enterprises: Related Links

Interpretation Organizations

National Association of Interpretation P.O. Box 2246 Fort Collins, CO 80522 (888) 900-8283 (voice) The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of the profession of interpretation with an emphasis on professional development and certification. The craft of interpretation is often characterized by on-site informal education programs at parks, monuments, zoos, nature centers, historic sites, musuems and aquaria. Such programs and activities are often referred to as "natural interpretation", "cultural interpretation", "resource interpretation", or "heritage interpretation". [from NAI Website] www.interpnet.com National Association of Interpretation - South Central Region (Region 6) P.O. Box 2246 Fort Collins, CO 80522 888-900-8283 (voice) The National Association for Interpretation is divided into geographical regions to help members network with others who work near them. Each region produces periodical newsletters and organizes its own activities. Membership in regions is a major benefit of belonging to the National Association for Interpretation. Region 6 includes Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. [Adapted from the NAI website]. www.nairegions.org/6 National Association of Interpretation - Visual Communications Section P.O. Box 2246 Fort Collins, CO 80522 (888) 900-8283 (voice) In the broadest sense, visual communications is a vehicle that transfers a message from an originator to a recipient without verbal exchange. The Visual Communications Section is here to help you solve your communications problems. We realize not everyone in the interpretive field has a background in graphic design or a degree in communications. Yet every nature center or historical site, museum or hiking trail, must communicate a message visually in order to survive. We hope you will turn to us when you have questions or need resources. We're here to help you do your job better, more efficiently and provide yourself the opportunity to be creative and have fun. [Adapted from NAI-VC website]. www.naisections.org/VC/ [Back to Top]

Disability Awareness Resources

Guidelines for Reporting and Writing about People with Disabilities

As professional communicators, educators, and human service providers, you are in a unique position to shape the public image of people with disabilities. The words and images you use can create either a straightforward, positive view of people with disabilities or an insensitive portrayal that reinforces common myths and is a form of discrimination. Here is a set of clear guidelines to help you make better choices in terms of language and portrayal. [From The Life Span Institute Website]
www.lsi.ku.edu/~lsi/aboutus/guidelines.shtml

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

P.O. Box 1492 Washington, DC 20013
(800) 695-0285 (voice/TTY) (202) 884-8441 (fax)

NICHCY offers 14 fact sheets and 3 briefing papers on specific disabilities. Each defines the disability, describes its characteristics, and offers tips for parents and teachers. Each ends with a very helpful list of resources in print or video and disability organizations that can offer more information and assistance . [Adapted from NICHY website].
www.nichcy.org/disabinf.asp

National Organization on Disability - Information and Resources

910 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006
(202) 293-5960 (voice) (202) 293-7999 (fax) (202) 293-5968 212 (TTY)

In addition to keeping you up to date on the National Organization on Disability's most recent developments, the N.O.D. web site provides you with the latest in disability-related news, information and resources. Select the "Information and Resources" link for a variety of disability awareness resources. [Adapted from NOD website].
www.nod.org

Planning Accessible Conferences and Meetings

Planning conferences that are accessible to people with disabilities involves focusing on the accessibility of all aspects of your meeting, from choosing a site through promotion, registration, presentations, and handouts. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) provides to individuals with disabilities the same civil rights protections that apply to race, sex, national origin, and religion. Consequently, any meetings that are open to the public must comply with the provisions of the Act. Furthermore, if the conference site is a public facility such as a hotel, it must also comply with the ADA. [From article introduction].
www.hoagiesgifted.org/eric/e735.html

VSA arts Disability Awareness Guide

1300 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036 (800) 933-8721 (voice) (202) 737-0725 (fax) (202) 737-0645 (TTY)

Access and Opportunities: A Guide to Disability Awareness was prepared by VSA arts as an informational tool for those who want to gain additional knowledge about disability and tips for social etiquette and positive interactions. When the first edition of the Guide was printed in 1992, it instantly became VSA arts' most frequently requested publication. Artists, educators and others found it to be a valuable resource in beginning their understanding of people with disabilities. [From AGS website].
www.vsarts.org/x523.xml

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Access to Parks and Museums

Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator's Handbook

Designed to help organizations not only comply with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, but to assist in making access an integral part of planning, mission, programs, outreach, meetings, budget and staffing. Copies of the book can be ordered through the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies web site. The publication can be downloaded at no charge in Portable Document Format (PDF). [From NEA website].
www.nea.gov/resources/accessibility/pubs/DesignAccessibility.html

Museum of Science - Boston, Universal Design of Exhibits

Museum of Science Science Park Boston, MA 02114 (617) 589-0100

This is a section of a resource which focuses on exhibit development. It is intended principally for exhibit developers and museum educators, but may be of use to others interested in informal science education. The resource includes web pages for browsing and downloadable files in "pdf" format . [Adapted from MOS website].
www.mos.org/exhibitdevelopment/access/index.html

National Center on Accessibility

501 North Morton St, Suite 109 Bloomington, IN 47404 Voice: (812) 856-4422
TTY: (812) 856-4421 Email: nca@indiana.edu

A collaborative program of Indiana University and the National Park Service, the National Center on Accessibility is the nation's premiere resource promoting access for people with disabilities in recreation. Over the last decade, NCA has played a critical role in increasing awareness of inclusion of people with disabilities in parks, recreation and tourism while advancing the spirit and intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act and other disability legislations. [From NCA website].
www.ncaonline.org/

Preserving the Past and Making it Accessible for People with Disabilities

This Preservation Brief #32, titled "Making Historic Properties Accessible" addresses the steps for planning accessibility modifications, provides common accessibility solutions to common elements of historic places, and provides an overview of the legislation that focuses on accessibility of historic sites. Written by Thomas C. Jester and Sharon C. Park, AIA, this paper is available in HTML or print, is a must read for those modifying and preserving sites of historic significance.
www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief32.htm

Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design

Accessibility Program A&I 1239 Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. 20560-0426
(202) 786-2942 (voice) (202) 786-2414 (TTY) (202) 786-2210 (fax)

The Accessibility Program coordinates the Smithsonian's efforts to make its facilities, programs and activities accessible to people with disabilities. Accessibility Program staff are available to consult with people with disabilities and with advocacy organizations. Offering this guide is one of the many ways that the Smithsonian strives to promote accessibility. [Adapted from SI Access Site.]
www.si.edu/opa/accessibility/exdesign/start.htm

U.S. Access Board

1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20004-1111
(800) 872-2253 (voice) (800) 993-2822 (TTY) (202) 272-0081 (fax)

The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design and continues to enforce accessibility standards that cover federally funded facilities. [Adapted from Acess Board website].
www.access-board.gov

Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines

USDA Forest Service Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness Resources Mail Stop 1125 1400 Independence Ave. SW Washington, D.C. 20090-1125 (202) 205-1706 (voice)

Forest Service accessibility guidelines are being developed to provide guidance for the agency to maximize accessibility while at the same time recognizing and protecting the unique characteristics of the natural setting of outdoor developed recreation areas and pedestrian trails. [Adapted from USFS website].
www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/accessibility

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Universal Design Resources

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)

40 Harvard Mills Square, Suite 3 Wakefield, MA 01880-3233 (781) 245-2212 (voice)

CAST is a nonprofit organization that works to expand learning
opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities,
through the research and development of innovative, technology-based
educational resources and strategies. [From CAST website.]
www.cast.org

Center for Universal Design

College of Design North Carolina State University Campus Box 8613 Raleigh, NC. 27695-8613 (800) 647-6777 (phone) (919) 515-7330 (fax)

The Center for Universal Design is a national research, information, and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops, and promotes universal design in housing, public and commercial facilities, and related products.
www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/

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Access Laws and Resources

U.S. Access Board

ADA Regulations and Technical Assistance Manuals

U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Civil Rights Division Disability Rights Section - NYAV Washington, D.C. 20530 (800) 514-0301 (voice) (800) 514-0383 (TTY)

The U.S. Department of Justice ADA Website offers dozens of resources for anyone interested in accessible programs and design.
www.ada.gov/publicat.htm

ADA Technical Assistance Center

(800) 949-4232 (voice/TTY)

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has established ten regional centers to provide information, training, and technical assistance to employers, people with disabilities, and other entities with responsibilities under the ADA. The centers act as a "one-stop" central, comprehensive resource on ADA issues in employment, public services, public accommodations, and communications. Each center works closely with local business, disability, governmental, rehabilitation, and other professional networks to provide ADA information and assistance. [From ADATA Website.]
www.adata.org

Checklist for Buildings and Facilities

This checklist has been prepared to assist individuals and entities with rights or duties under Title II, and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in applying the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) to buildings and facilities subject to the law. The checklist presents information in summary form on the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations implementing the ADA. The checklist must be used with the DOT and DOJ regulations and ADAAG to ensure accuracy. [From Access Board website].
www.access-board.gov/adaag/checklist/a16.html

Graphic Artists Guild Foundation - Disability Access Symbols

P.O. Box 17653 Little Rock, AR 72212

The Graphic Artist Guild provides twelve symbols that may be used to promote and publicize accessibility of places, programs and other activities for people with various disabilities. Graphics can be downloaded at no charge. [Adapted from GAG website.]
www.gag.org/resources/das.php

U.S. Department of Justice ADA Home Page

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Accessibility of Multimedia

Audio Description International

ADI, Audio Description International, supports and advocates increased use of Audio Description (AD) in a variety of media around the world. The members of AD International are both professional and amateur Audio Describers, AD consumers, and those interested in promoting the use of AD.
www.adinternational.org

Media Access Group at WGBH

125 Western Avenue Boston, MA 02134 (617) 300-3600 (voice/TTY) (617) 300-1020 (fax)

The Media Access Group at WGBH has been pioneering and delivering accessible media to disabled adults, students, and their families, teachers, and friends for over 30 years. The Media Access Group continues to develop new means of access each year. Members of the group's collective staff represent the leading experts in their fields. [From Media Access Group website.]
http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/

National Captioning Institute

1900 Gallows Road, Suite 3000 Vienna, VA 22182

The National Captioning Institute (NCI) was established in 1979 as a nonprofit corporation with the mission of ensuring that deaf and hard of hearing people, as well as others who can benefit from the service, have access to television's entertainment and news through the technology of closed captioning.
www.ncicap.org

National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)

125 Western Avenue Boston, MA 02134 (617) 300-3400 (voice) (617) 300-2489 (617) 300-1035

NCAM's mission is: to expand access to present and future media for people with disabilities; to explore how existing access technologies may benefit other populations; to represent its constituents in industry, policy and legislative circles; and to provide access to educational and media technologies for special needs students. [From NCAM website.]
http://main.wgbh.org/ncam

Trace Research and Development Center

University of Wisconsin-Madison 2107 Engineering Centers Bldg. 1550 Engineering Dr. Madison, WI 53706 (608) 262-6966 (voice) (608) 263-5408 (608) 262-8848 (fax)

The Trace Research & Development Center is a part of the College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Founded in 1971, Trace has been a pioneer in the field of technology and disability. The Trace Center's mission is to prevent the barriers and capitalize on the opportunities presented by current and emerging information and telecommunication technologies, in order to create a world that is as accessible and usable as possible for as many people as possible. The Trace Center is currently working on ways to make standard information technologies and telecommunications systems more accessible and usable by people with disabilities. [Adapted from Trace Website.]
http://trace.wisc.edu

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Print Legibility

Making Text Legible: Designing for People with Partial Sight

This brochure contains basic guidelines for making effective legibility choices that work for nearly everyone.
www.lighthouse.org/print_leg.htm

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Web Accessibility - Information and Tutorials

Designing More Usable Websites

Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records 4815 West Markham Street Slot 44 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 661-2174
Hours: Monday though Friday, 8:00 a.m until 4:30 p.m.

This section of the Trace Center's website provides resources and links to the following: Accessible Web Site Guidelines, Web Access Tools, Governmental Efforts, Selected Resources on Disability and Web Use Browsers with Built-in Voice or Other Access Features, Forums for Discussing Accessibility Issues, Multimedia and Virtual Reality Access, Background on the World Wide Web Organizations, Projects and Technologies, Addressing Web Access Issues, and Past Projects and References.
www.tracecenter.org/world/web

WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)

Center for Persons with Disabilities 6800 Old Main Hill Utah State University Logan UT 84322-6800 (435) 797-8284 (voice) (435) 797-1981(TTY) (435) 797-3944 (fax)

WebAIM has provided comprehensive Web accessibility solutions since 1999. These years of experience have made WebAIM one of the leading providers of Web accessibility expertise internationally. WebAIM is a non-profit organization within the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. [From WebAIM Website.]
www.webaim.org

World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative

WAI, in coordination with organizations around the world, pursues accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools, education and outreach, and research and development. [From WAI Website.]
www.w3.org/WAI

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Web Accessibililty - Validation Tools

APrompt Web Accessibility Verifier

Adaptive Technology Resource Centre J.P. Robarts Library, First Floor University of Toronto 130 St. George St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A5 (416) 978-4360 (phone) (416) 971-2629 (fax)

Web authors can use A-Prompt to make their Web pages accessible to people with disabilities. The A-Prompt software tool examines Web pages for barriers to accessibility, performs automatic repairs when possible, and assists the author in manual repairs when necessary. This free tool can be downloaded from this site. [Adapted from APrompt Project Website.]
http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca

Color Blindness Simulator

Vischeck is a way of showing you what things look like to someone who is color blind. You can try Vischeck online- either run Vischeck on your own image files or run Vischeck on a web page. You can also download programs to let you run it on your own computer.
www.vischeck.com/

WebAIM Wave Accessibility Tool

This unique validation tool can be used online or downloaded into your browser. www.wave.webaim.org/

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Architectural Accessibility

Eastlake Derry & Associates

601 E. Brockway, Suite E Morgantown, West Virginia 26501 (800) 946-9471 (voice/TTY) (304) 296-5073

ED&A assists businesses, associations, and programs with accessibility needs and helps them achieve full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They provide cutting edge information, facilities assessments, and trainings. This company also provides tools for conducting accessibility surveys.
www.adaderry.com

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Interpretive Services

Interpretive Communications

1617 Tarrytown Road Little Rock, Arkansas 72227 (501) 221-1710 (phone) (501) 221-7998 (fax)

Since 1988, Interpretive Communications has assisted interpretive site managers at parks, zoos, and museums around the world in creating visitor centers, trails, exhibits, and publications which hold the visitor's interest, generate excitement, and provoke the visitor to stay longer and enjoy more through an understanding of the world around them. A partner of Maple Seed Enterprises, owner, Jay S. Miller, is committed to incorporating th principles of universal design in the products he creates.
http://members.cox.net/interpcomm/

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*Site addresses and content changes frequently. We make every effort to keep these links current, but we apologize if any of these links are no longer active or take you to a different site than expected.