Form 1

Design for Accessibility
Seeking Innovative & Effective Materials for Accessible and Universally Designed
Programs and Environments
Version 4.0, November 28, 2012
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awarded a Cooperative Agreement for
Design for Accessibility to the Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) in June of
2012. This cultural accessibility initiative, jointly sponsored by the National Endowment
for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), is
developing a comprehensive, online technical assistance resource that includes legal
requirements, as well as local and national guidance, training resources, and effective
practices in accessibility and universal design for cultural facilities and libraries. IHCD is
working closely with the NEA's Office of Accessibility's director, Beth Bienvenu, Ph.D.
In addition to a review of existing materials from the current NEA Accessibility Web site,
we gathered a set of Existing Accessibility Guidance and Existing Training Resources that
has been reviewed by the IHCD and NEA project staff, as well as by a national Task Force
of cultural accessibility experts. The new website will integrate these resources as well
as updated information previously contained in the NEA's Design for Accessibility: A
Cultural Administrator's Handbook and Accessibility Planning and Resource Guide for
Cultural Administrators.
We now turn to a group of the nation’s content experts on accessibility and universal
design in cultural facilities and libraries for two reasons:
1. To solicit your recommendations for innovative guidance and training materials that
can supplement and enhance our existing set (see attached set of databases).
2. To solicit your recommendations for effective practices in accessibility and/or
universal design in cultural facilities and libraries to supplement the existing
effective practices in the NEA's Accessibility Planning and Resource Guide. These
might include information about programs that successfully deliver equitable access
or enhanced experience to people with disabilities, including older adults and
disabled veterans. The emphasis is on identifying innovative programs, as well as
effective or exemplary physical environments, information technology,
communication, and access policies.
The time required to provide responses to the survey questions is estimated to be
approximately 30 minutes. Your participation is voluntary. You will not receive any
compensation for responding to the survey. You may decline to answer any questions
you wish. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to
respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this
survey is OMB No. 3135-0130 (expires 4/25/2014).

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Questionnaire for US Cultural Administrators
Seeking Innovative Materials & Effective Accessible and Universally Designed
Programs and Environments
This questionnaire is being sent to national experts on accessibility and universal design
in cultural entities and libraries. If you would prefer to answer the questionnaire in a
telephone interview, please let us know and we’ll schedule a time at your convenience.

1. Can you recommend additional resources on accessibility and/or universal
design specifically for cultural entities and/or libraries that can supplement and
enhance the current set of Existing Guidance Materials?
Title:_____________________________________________________________
Source:___________________________________________________________
Please include URL if available or digital version if not available via Web.

2. Can you recommend research or reports pertinent to accessibility and/or
universal design in cultural facilities and/or libraries that you think should be in
included in the NEA’s new national Web resource?
Title:_____________________________________________________________
Source:___________________________________________________________
Please include URL if available or digital version if not available via Web.

3. Can you recommend additional training materials on accessibility and/or
universal design specifically for cultural entities and/or libraries that can
supplement and enhance the current set of Existing Training Materials? The
materials may include PowerPoint presentations, outlines, scripts, discussion
questions, multi-media, and other items, as appropriate.
Title:_____________________________________________________________
Source:___________________________________________________________
Please include URL if available or digital version if not available via Web.

4. Can you recommend examples of effective practices for accessibility and/or
universal design programming by arts and cultural organizations, libraries, and
state and local governments? This includes information about programs that
successfully deliver equitable access or enhanced experience to people with a
wide range of disabilities, including older adults and disabled veterans. We are
particularly interested in innovative programs as well as exemplary physical
environments, information technology, communication, and access policies.
Please include brief program summaries and any other materials that illustrate
the effective program or environment, as well as contact information for each
organization.

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