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Title AuthorAbstractNotes
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UNIVERSAL DESIGN: FROM POLICY TO ASSESSMENT RESEARCH AND PRACTICEWolfgang F.E. PreiserThe ultimate purpose of this article is to delineate a much needed research agenda for the development of universal design performance assessments. A professional definition of univesal design is given, and a conceptual framework for universal design evaluations is outlined. The history of universal design research and practice is chronicled, and examples of critical research issues are cited. Some cultural, legislative and professional issues are presented, including relevant disciplines and subfields of universal design. Select worldwide practices, publications and current events are listed. Finally, as the basis for the creation of a universal design research agenda major issues and needed assessment methodologies are highlighted.
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ADA Playground ChecklistNational Program for Playground SafetyThe 1990 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) is a civil rights mandate. The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are regulated under this law and at their core aim to make play areas inclusive for all children. To this end, the law specifies that children of all abilities be able to access the play area, be able to get onto and off of playground equipment, and have access to any part of the composite play equipment pieces in the play area. This law does not pertain to family/home childcare programs or for play areas for children under the age of 2
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Accessibility Benchmarks: Interpretive Programs and Services in North Central CaliforniaLaura J. McLachlin, Emilyn A. Sheffield, Donald A. Penland, Charles W. NelsonThe Heritage Corridors Project was a unique partnership between the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the California State University, and the Across California Conservancy. The purpose of the project was to develop a map of selected northern California outdoor recreation and heritage sites. Data about facility accessibility improvements (restrooms, clear access from the designated parking space to the site or facility, Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), Braille materials, large print materials, and sound amplification devices), and interpretive and recreation amenities were collected. The current accessibility status of interpretation in north central California is reported and serves as a benchmark for access enhancements to sites and programs.The authors of this study are currently professors at Chico State University, these may be interesting people to reach out to for training opportunities to unpack the research that was completed in the 90's and what work (if any) has been completed since.
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Accessible Outdoors: Preparing Volunteers and Staff to Work with Diverse PopulationsEllen HeistandDespite recent advances in outdoor recreation accessibility, many people still face barriers to spending time in nature. This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with outdoors equity organization Wilderness Inquiry to address outdoor accessibility through an occupational therapy lens. This project aimed to enhance knowledge and confidence of Wilderness Inquiry staff and volunteers on topics related to working with individuals with physical or neurodivergent abilities during Wilderness Inquiry activities. Needs for training topics were ascertained through survey, interview, and observation of organizational activities. The quality improvement project included the development, dissemination, and evaluation of educational modules on the topics of transferring participants on the trail, working with neurodiverse populations, and when/how to use adaptive gear. The outcomes of dissemination of the educational modules showed statistically significant differences in comfort with transfers when comparing pre-training and post-training responses. A self-reported increase in knowledge and comfort with neurodiversity was also noted and no change in knowledge was noted related to the topic of adaptive gear. Despite limited sample size for evaluation, positive feedback from those who completed the module indicate potential for usefulness in future training. Through this project, access and inclusion in Wilderness Inquiry trips was enhanced through providing leader/volunteer education that will make them more aware, skilled facilitators when working with diverse populations. Because of the alignment of OT scope with the Wilderness Inquiry mission, there are many more opportunities for partnership for further education and process development.Appendixes A-M have many helpful resources for assessing the efficacy of educational training modules among outdoor professionals. Appendix B outlines a mechanism for conducting a needs assessment of organizations oping to increase access to the outdoors for community members with dissabilities. Appendix I shows several examples of adaptive gear for engaging in outdoor recreation activities ranging from hiking/camping to paddling and watersports. Page 90 (appendix I) shows graphic imagery showcasing universal design as a concept. Appendix G is a very usable example of training for outdoor professionals on neurodiversity.
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Nature as a healer for autistic childrenHadeer Abd-El-Razak Barakat, Ali Bakr, Zeyad El-SayadThe reason of many symptoms of autistic children is sensory integration, it is the power to understand, organize and feel sensory data from the environment and body. The issues surrounding sensory integration are presented in hyposensitive and hypersensitive a reaction by children with autism to the vestibular, proprioception, tactile, audio, visual, and olfactory senses.

The aim of this paper is establishing a group of guidelines for designing a therapeutic garden for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to treat the sensory integration problems of children with ASD by designing a sensory garden which should focus on therapeutic interference. By using the elements and principles of design, guidelines for this garden focused on producing calming effects for hyper reactive children with ASD and stimulating effects for hypo reactions.
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Inclusive Design for Outdoor Spaces
Kimberly E. Hale - LOL in Nature
Article outlining guidlines from Green Schoolyards America looking at best practices for designing outdoor spaces for youth of all abilities. The author is a founding member of "LOL in Nature" (Layers of Love) who's mission is to: Layers of Life educates local professionals on providing functional, meaningful, and dignified experiences to all community members. It is the policy of Layers of Life to provide equal opportunities for all persons and to prohibit unlawful discrimination because of because of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. This policy applies to all participants, potential participants, volunteers, and employees. Layers of Life will accommodate services according to ADA regulations CFR; 28;35-36. Layers of Life reserves the right to deny service to anyone not meeting the requirements set forth by Layers of Life/LOL in Nature, LLC policies or to anyone posing a threat or harm to themselves, others, animals, program equipment. Our company’s goal is to provide nature-based site development, site and program development training, and consultation to promote sustainable services in local communities.LOL in Nature provides a wide variety of training and consulting services which may be valuable to California State Parks.
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LOL (Layers of Love) Participant Handbook
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Exposure to nature for children with autism spectrum disorder: Benefits, caveats, and barriersDongying Li a, Linda Larsen b, Yan Yang c, Lan Wang d, Yujia Zhai e, William C. Sullivan bAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing developmental disorder in countries across the world. Although recent studies have demonstrated the health benefits of nature for typically developing children and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it is unclear whether these benefits extend to children with ASD. In this study, we investigated whether benefits associated with exposure to nature could be observed by parents of children diagnosed with ASD. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 parents and caregivers of children on the spectrum from two cities in China. Results showed that exposure to nature provided motor-sensory, emotional and social benefits to children with ASD, although some of the identified benefits also come with concerns. Participants identified a wide range of barriers that make exposing their children to nature difficult. Among them, inappropriate behaviors, safety concerns, phobias and issues with the public realm emerged as critical hurdles. These findings suggest that practitioners should consider nature exposure as an intervention strategy, and planners and designers should create places that better accommodate the needs of children with ASD.Identifies a variety of objective barriers to the outdoors for community members with ASD. "Some barriers related to characteristics of the green space (such as intense visual and acoustic input); other barriers related to the social environment (such as judgement from others and social exclusion)." (citation - https://research.childrenandnature.org/research/children-with-autism-spectrum-disorder-experience-sensorimotor-emotional-and-social-benefits-through-exposure-to-nature/)
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How Well Environmental Design Is and Can Be Suited to People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Natural Language Processing Analysis
Moti Zwilling 1,* ORCID and Beni R. Levy 2* ORCIDThe quality of life of people diagnosed as having Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is essential for increasing their self-reliance and reducing their communication problems in order to allow them to work, take care of themselves, and develop a capacity to intercommunicate with their surroundings. Their need to organize their day-to-day and workplace surroundings has been addressed in the literature via long-term intervention programs aimed to imbue people with ASD with interpersonal communication capabilities. Yet, there is still a gap in the literature regarding new design methods aimed at creating a safe and friendly environment adapted to the needs of people with ASD. Therefore, this study has two objectives: (1) to shed light on the existing factors and methods related to workplaces designed to be friendly to people with ASD, specifically adults, through a natural language processing (NLP) analysis of existing scientific papers in the field of architecture and design; and (2) to explore the factors that might assist in improving the design and architecture of adaptive spaces for people with ASD by analyzing a corpus of experts’ documents. The study findings and their implications are analyzed and discussed.
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Accessible nature beyond city limits – A scoping reviewMark Groulx a, Shannon Freeman a, Christopher Lemieux bThe health and well-being benefits of nature contact are well known, but inequitably distributed across society. Focusing on the access needs of persons with a disability, the purpose of this study was to systematically examine research on the accessibility of nature-based tourism and recreation spaces outside of urban/community settings. Following a scoping review methodology, this study sought to examine policies, services, physical infrastructures, and regulatory standards intended to enable equitable use of nature-based settings by individuals of all ages and abilities, particularly persons with a disability. In total, 41 relevant studies were identified and analyzed. Findings indicate that there are considerable gaps in the provision of services and information that enable self-determination in the use and enjoyment of nature, and that accessibility in nature-based settings is conceptualized through three interrelated policy/design pathways: the adaptation pathway, the accommodation pathway, and the universal design pathway. As a whole, accessibility policy and standards research specific to natural settings outside of urban/community settings is highly limited.This research may prove to be incredibly valuable for this project. Particularly, the fact that it is a comprehensive review of the literature pertaining to access to nature outside of urban areas for persons with disabilities of all ages.
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I Would Really like to Visit the Forest, but it is Just Too Difficult: A Qualitative Study on Mobility Disability and Green Spaces.Sus Sola Corazon, Marie Christoersen Gramkow, Dorthe Varning Poulsen, Victoria Linn Lygum, Gaochao Zhang and Ulrika Karlsson StigsdotterThere is growing evidence of the health benefits of visiting green spaces. However, research indicates that individuals with mobility disabilities visit green spaces less frequently than the able-bodied population. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences and related constraints of individuals with mobility disabilities visiting green spaces. The study’s qualitative research design employed group and individual interviews, which were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and social geographical theory. The results indicate that, generally speaking, the interviewees valued green spaces highly. The serenity of and possibility for close physical contact with a green space were preferred and promoted experiences of insideness and identifcation with the space. Conversely, lack of accessibility led to feelings of exclusion and outsideness. To increase both the accessibility and positive experience of any green space, it is advisable to include the user group in the study design process.
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Access for all? Barriers to accessing woodlands and forests in BritainJake Morris, Elizabeth O'Brien, Bianca Ambrose-Oji, Anna Lawrence, Claudia Carter & Andrew PeaceThis paper presents results from research that identified and analysed barriers to accessing British woodlands and forests. This paper aims to contribute to an understanding of access and accessibility and to inform the design of policy and management interventions to encourage increased access by under-represented social groups. A brief review of policy and academic literature places the issue of inclusive woodland and forest access in the context of contemporary debates surrounding public health, well-being, diversity and the perceived role of public green space. There follows an analysis of quantitative and qualitative research findings, informing the presentation of a working typology of barriers. The typology is structured around the access needs of various social groups, allowing an analysis of the social distribution of barriers. The findings indicate the deep-seated psychological, emotional and socio-cultural nature of some barriers and highlight the need for carefully designed interventions that may lie outside the conventional remit of woodland management. This paper will be of particular interest to decision-makers and practitioners and to those involved in the design and delivery of policies, programmes and projects aimed at encouraging inclusive use of woodlands, forests and other types of green space.Summary: "data analysis highlights that people with disabilities, females, and BIPOC communities face the greatest number of barriers to access woodland areas." Barriers fall into 2 categories - physical and structural barriers and socio-cultural/economic/personal barriers. Physical barriers relate to 'general/over-arching' barriers such as weather, 'on-site barriers' ie. accesspoints, signage, facilities, and 'off-site barriers' ie. lack of information/transportation.

Socio-cultural/economic/personal barriers "reveal an overlap between social and personal experiences of, and attitudes towards woodland areas." Ex. an individual's confidence to visit woodland areas may be associated with an absence of a cultural norm of or within an individual's community. "Economic barriers may stem from personal (ie. low income) or societal circumstances (ie. deprivation).

Recommendations "If the FC is to deliver improvements in equality of access to woodlands and forests, our findings highlight the need to think beyond physical improvements to existing woodlands and the establishment of new sites, to targeted interventions aimed at specific groups."
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Making Information Accessible for Neurodivergent PeopleLeeds Autism AIMThis guide is all about how to make information resources more accessible to people who are neurodivergent. This includes people who have a diagnosis of autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD and Tourette’s Syndrome. It covers how information is presented:

• On websites and apps
• In communicating with people one-to-one
• In print – leaflets, posters, flyers, booklets and newsletters
• Verbally – by phone call, video call or face-to-face
Digital Media - "Have a clear drop-down menu where all the main pages on your website are just one click away. Have panels on homepages and landing pages leading to key pages e.g. to any referral form pages you have"

"Two clicks away: Ensure anything on a website or app is no more than two clicks from the homepage. This helps anyone who wants to find information quickly and easily."

"Avoid jargon: If you try not to use long or technical words, this will make your information easier to understand. If you need to use a technical term, explain clearly what it means."
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How Neurodiversity Centered Museum Education within Art Museums Can Benefit Children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum DisordersTim DeakinWithin the last twenty years, many major museums have made an effort to be seen and operate as pillars of their communities. They have begun shifting their organizational standards to be more inclusive and accessible to marginalized communities. When looking at the educational practices of modern art museums, there is undoubtedly a common standard of educational programs. While this formula has worked for many, there is a community that has voiced the need for a change. The neurodivergent community, which developed within the last two decades, should have access to art museum education in an accessible way. The following thesis seeks to explain and advocate for a few educational programming methods that would provide an accessible experience. Within this body of research, I will be focusing on neurodivergent art museum educational programs that benefit children ages 10-16 years old. Additionally, I will be focusing on methods that are specific to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), as these are two of the more common types of neurodivergence. Throughout this research, I will be discussing the literature surrounding the neurodiversity movement, the common standards of museum education, and several methods that art museums can use to be more inclusive. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) and the Walters Art Museum will be used as case studies to display the effectiveness of neurodivergent-focused educational programs. Both programs focus on creating environments that will foster enjoyable and enriching experiences for children within the neurodivergent community."Neurodiversity is a state of nature to be respected, an analytical tool for examining social issues, and an argument for the conservation and facilitation of human diversity"

See Video - The significance of making digital museum content for neurodivergent audiences "fundamentally I believe that by implementing things in your digital content to make it more accessible for neurodivergent audiences, it will be more accessible and meaningful for everyone."

"By the age of 12, children with ADHD have recieved 20,000 more negative messages from those around them than their neurotypical peers."
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How Neurodiversity Centered Museum Education within Art Museums Can Benefit Children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum DisordersMaria I. JohnsonWithin the last twenty years, many major museums have made an effort to be seen and operate as pillars of their communities. They have begun shifting their organizational standards to be more inclusive and accessible to marginalized communities. When looking at the educational practices of modern art museums, there is undoubtedly a common standard of educational programs. While this formula has worked for many, there is a community that has voiced the need for a change. The neurodivergent community, which developed within the last two decades, should have access to art museum education in an accessible way. The following thesis seeks to explain and advocate for a few educational programming methods that would provide an accessible experience."Sensory days, touch-based learning, and the assistance of museum planning guides are methods by which art museums can provide a better learning experience for children and teens with ADHD and ASD. "

"People with ASD tend to be visual learners and can learn better when they have a visual image of what they are being taught. By allowing students to explore concepts visually, they are better able to express their thoughts and communicate. There is no doubt that the physical act of touching an object is linked to seeing the object in your hands, linking touch and sight. By incorporating activities that are based on touch and sight, educators can collaborate with museums and provide programs that will enrich students and build their confidence."

Social Narratives for Children and Adults, Sensory Friendly Maps
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Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among U.S. Children with and without Down's Syndrome: The National Survey of Children's HealthKeith M. Diaz - American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Dissabilities (AAIDD)"Compaged to their neurotypical peers, children with Down Syndrome are 45% less likely to engage in regular physical activity and 52% less likely to participate in sports."

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Programmatic Accessibility Guidelines for National Park Service Interpretive MediaThe Programmatic Accessibility Guidelines for National Park Service Interpretive Media is for media specialists, superintendents, and other National Park Service employees and contractors who develop and approve interpretive media.This resource consists of the guidelines for planning, developing, installing, and facilitating projects which involve interpretive media for the National Park Service
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Attending to Each Other: Centering Neurodivergent Museum Professionals in Attentive FacilitationSam Theriault & Rebecca LjungrenThis article introduces neurodivergent museum educators and their neurotypical allies to ways we can build supportive, inclusive environments, develop interpersonal engagement skill sets, and deconstruct ableist notions of learning by imagining museum education experiences centered on the concept of attentive facilitation. In this approach, we infuse the practice of compassionate facilitation with attentiveness – the ability to “allow” what arises in the experience to be expressed. Attentive facilitation is constructed through the values of social interaction, allowing for authenticity and building capacity for interaction. Attentive facilitation has positive impacts on all involved: museum learners can connect more deeply not just to learning itself but with facilitators; neurodivergent museum educators can build soft skills that can carry over into internal staff interactions and personal life, and neurotypical museum educators can deepen their understanding of and support for neurodivergent staff and museum visitors. This set of values prioritizes neurodivergent museum educators through the cultivation of staff experiences. This article shares the roots of our initial conceptualization of attentive facilitation, to be expanded on in the future as we continue to develop, transform, and reassemble our knowledge of our museum education in practice.This is an article which is written primarily about the lived experiences of neurodivergent museum educators and their colleagues in an interpretation/education -like environment. It's a great theoretical framework for how to approach forming an interpretive team and engaging in connections with colleagues and visitors in a
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How Neurodiversity Centered Museum Education within Art Museums Can Benefit Children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum DisordersMaria I. JohnsonWithin the last twenty years, many major museums have made an effort to be seen and operate as pillars of their communities. They have begun shifting their organizational standards to be more inclusive and accessible to marginalized communities. When looking at the educational practices of modern art museums, there is undoubtedly a common standard of educational programs. While this formula has worked for many, there is a community that has voiced the need for a change. The neurodivergent community, which developed within the last two decades, should have access to art museum education in an accessible way. The following thesis seeks to explain and advocate for a few educational programming methods that would provide an accessible experience.

Within this body of research, I will be focusing on neurodivergent art museum educational programs that benefit children ages 10-16 years old. Additionally, I will be focusing on methods that are specific to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), as these are two of the more common types of neurodivergence. Throughout this research, I will be discussing the literature surrounding the neurodiversity movement, the common standards of museum education, and several methods that art museums can use to be more inclusive. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) and the Walters Art Museum will be used as case studies to display the effectiveness of neurodivergent-focused educational programs. Both programs focus on creating environments that will foster enjoyable and enriching experiences for children within the neurodivergent community.
Since reading this thesis, I was able to find several of the primary resources that are available on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website regarding neurodivergent communities. There are several primary resources including social narratives and sensory friendly maps that I am recommending we work on during this project.
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Accessible park environments and facilities for the visually impairedKin Wai Michael SiuThis paper identifies and discusses that parks, as one kind of open space, must be open not only for some people, but for everyone, including those with special needs such as visually impaired people. The paper further identifies a number of key directions for the policy, design and management of park environments and facilities that will promote openness and social inclusion."Open spaces are important and necessary for all. However, visually impaired people are always indirectly excluded from open spaces such as parks, which are important for the quality of urban life. Three areas that require attention to improve the accessibility of parks: ways of identifying and approaching the parks; overall environmental setting of the parks; and facilities inside the parks. Assistance to visually impaired people can be further categorized into information provided in advance and information provided on-site."
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BARRIER FACING DEAF/HOH PEOPLE IN OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAnthony Rosario DeMareThe focus of this study was an assessment of some of the existing barriers facing deaf and hard of hearing participants in outdoor education settings. The researcher attempted to quantify and qualify some of these barriers, such as social barriers, economic barriers, educational barriers, and legal/accessibility barriers, as experienced by individual deaf and hard of hearing participants in outdoor programs or activities. This was accomplished through a four part survey that was sent out to deaf individuals by word of mouth, email, and social media. Out of the four possible barriers surveyed, the results showed that economic and legal/accessibility barriers existed. Social and educational questions tested below the threshold required to be considered a barrier. This study also attempted to suggest possible remedies for some of these barriers based on the participants responses, such as one participant recommending “hiking with deaf groups.”
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