Project Description:
This section summarizes the scope of the review by providing a list of key activities and deliverables provided to LIHO by Indiana Universitys Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands. The National Center on Accessibility at the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands (EPLY) and National Park Service Midwest Regional Office and Lincoln Home National Historic Site will collaborate to accomplish the following:
Workplan and timeline: The EPLY team will develop a project plan with accompanying timeline for completing the accessibility barrier review. The project plan will describe team roles and responsibilities and deliverables. It will also identify assumptions, constraints, dependencies, risks, and issues, and provide high level schedule and budget information. EPLY and the NPS Midwest Regional Office will provide signatures on the final agreed upon project plan. Duration of the contract may be contingent upon national, state, and/or local ordinances for pandemic or other emergency response measures.
On-site evaluation of identified areas: Two members of the EPLY team will lead the on-site review of identified areas. The evaluation will occur over a 3-day period. The review will generally include investigation of barriers to facilities, site orientation and interpretive opportunities (e.g., exhibits and publications), relevant policies, and public-facing activities and services, unless otherwise specified. Staff from Lincoln Home NHS will provide all necessary access to identified areas and guide the EPLY team through the site for the purpose of describing the uses of various facilities and visitor opportunities therein. Park staff will assist the EPLY team to access key areas. The EPLY team will demonstrate and instruct basic access review techniques to park staff. Staff from both entities will document accessibility barriers, highlight accessible features (to be publicized on the park website and communications for trip planning), and relevant discussion through field notes. Areas for review, as identified by Lincoln Home NHS and the NPS Midwest Regional Office include:
1. Street-level access from visitor parking to pedestrian circulation route(s)
2. Visitor orientation directing visitors from parking area to the Visitor Center
3. Lincoln Home existing disappearing lift access and other possible alternatives
4. Public access to Dean and Arnold houses
5. Building retrofit for staff offices
6. Other park buildings and areas of visitor experience, as on-site evaluation schedule allows
Synthesis of findings and report writing: Accessibility barriers identified in the previous step will be compiled by staff from EPLY. Upon conclusion of the on-site evaluation, a series of virtual meetings (6, 60-minute meetings anticipated) will be necessary to discuss findings and recommendations. Park staff will be involved in identifying short term, mid-term, and long-term accessibility issues to be addressed. The report will cover a summary of the accessibility barrier review process, the barriers to participation identified during the on-site review, and the proposed recommendations for barrier removal that emerge from discussions between EPLY, Lincoln Home NHS, and the NPS Midwest Regional Office. Staff from Lincoln Home NHS and the NPS Midwest Regional Office will have an opportunity to review and comment on the report before final delivery. When possible, people with disabilities or local accessibility organizations will be involved in the planning process.
Publication: The final report will be distributed electronically. This report will be full-color and co-branded by the Eppley Institute, the National Accessibility Program, and National Park Service. Lincoln Home NHS is encouraged to utilize the document to address accessibility needs internally and/or collaboratively with local disability stakeholders, advocates, and community members. This awareness and grassroots involvement are essential to affect meaningful change and produce quality, accessible experiences for visitors with disabilities. All documents will be 508 compliant.
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