This presentation and its materials are based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement Number HRD Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged. Meadowlands Environment Center - MarshAccess © Copyright 2010 A New Jersey Meadowlands Commission Facility operated by Ramapo College of New Jersey Designing and Implementing Accessible Informal Science Education Programs

Disability Awareness Function & Limitation

Cognitive Deaf/ Hard of Hearing Blind/ Low Vision Mobility Functional Ability

Functional Approach Based on: - Task to be accomplished - Barriers to accomplishing that task

Mobility Disabilities Goes beyond a person using a wheelchair Crutches, walker, or cane Amputation, prosthetic leg, missing or shortened limb Arthritis TBI Spinal Cord Injury MS or CP

Mobility Disability Walking- speed/ distance Fatigue Balance Dexterity Manipulating Writing Physically completing a task Leaning forward/ bending down

People who use a wheelchair or have mobility impairments Extension of self Hands-off Ramps/doors should be unlocked and unblocked (ADA) Service counter and reach limits Staff knows easiest access route Nearest public restroom

Blind and Low Vision Disabilities Varying degrees of vision loss Blind –Cannot see; only see light Low vision and legally blind –May see light, darkness, shapes/ figures –Visual field cuts

Difficulty reading/ writing (Braille/ standard print) Manipulating Walking Balance Seeing subtle differences in color- color blindness Depth perception Neuropathy Blind and Low Vision Disability

People who are blind or have low vision Identify yourself and others- coming/ going Offer a tour and notify of any changes Walkway obstructions Physical and verbal guidance Service dogs Offer to read written materials

Deafness and Hearing Loss Disabilities Varying degrees of hearing loss –Conductive, neural Late deafened Unseen disability Public is largely ignorant of prevalence

Deafness and Hearing Loss Disabilities Difficulty with written language/ writing Translation of spoken word can be mentally/ visually taxing

People who are Deaf or have a hearing loss American Sign Language (ASL) Lip reading- 30% Normal tone of voice Follow cues Rephrase rather than repeat Speak slowly and clearly

People with cognitive disabilities Developmental Disability Psychiatric Disability Brain Injury Disability Learning Disability Intellectual

Intellectual Disability Comprehension of content; basic literacy Organizing Following directions Answering open-ended questions Difficulty communicating verbally/ written Difficulty processing verbal/ written communication Memory/ retention

Intellectual Disability Physically completing a task Attention Generating ideas Discerning patterns Generalizing Carrying over ideas Slow thought processes Lack faith in own ability

People with traumatic (or acquired) brain injury Executive Functions –Planning, organizing, prioritizing, projecting outcomes Physical Problems: –Loss of muscle control Learning Problems –Difficulty retaining new info –Trouble concentrating –Difficulty with organization –Poor directional orientation Behavioral –Impulsive –Labile\ difficulty transitioning

Input- –Receiving: perception, auditory, visual Processing- –Comprehension, organizing, filing into memory Output- –Expressing: verbally, written language People with Learning Disabilities

People with Autism Communication- -Difficulty expressing needs; gesture instead of using words -Echolalia -Short attention span -Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf Social interaction- -Little/ no eye contact -Prefers to be alone -Less responsive to social cues

People with Autism Sensory input- -Unusual reactions to physical sensations -Overly responsive to touch -Under responsive to pain Behaviors- -Repeated body movements -Behaviors to stimulate senses; switching lights on/off -Difficulties w/ changes to surroundings -Resistance to changes in routines -Overactive or very passive -Perseverate on a single item, idea, or word -Show aggressive/ violent behavior -Obsessive attachment to objects

Hidden disabilities Different behaviors Unusual requests You never know & a person doesn’t have to tell you