USDA
EXHIBIT
ACCESSIBILITY
CHECKLIST
based on
the Smithsonian Institution
Exhibition Accessibility Checklist
ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAM
EXHIBIT ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST
Table of Contents
I.
Route
To And Through The Exhibit
.. 2
II.
Exhibit
Space
Exhibit content and collections
. 2-3
Color in exhibits
. 3
Exhibit lighting
.. 3
Furniture in exhibits
4
Labels in
exhibits
.. 5
Signs
in exhibits
6
Audiovisuals and manipulatives in exhibits
7
Public programming spaces in exhibits
8
Emergency egress
.. 9
Appendix A Fonts
... 10
Appendix B Required wheelchair seating
10
I. ROUTE TO AND THROUGH
THE EXHIBIT
_____A. The route from the accessible entrance to the
exhibit space and through the exhibit space provides a clear path of travel without obstructions that block the route and without changes in
level (or provides ramps, lifts, or elevators to negotiate those
changes).
_____B. The route has sufficient width (minimum
36" [914mm]), lighting (minimum 10 footcandles), and good directional
signs.
_____C. Objects
are not to protrude more than 4 inches from the wall unless their bottom edges
are less than 27 inches above the floor and therefore cane detectable.
_____D. There is 80 of clear
headroom above the floor.
II.
EXHIBIT
SPACE
Exhibit
Content and Collections
_____A. The exhibit content is offered in such a way
that information can be gathered redundantly or in part aurally, tactually,
and visually.
For example, someone who is deaf can understand all
key points of an exhibit because he/she can receive the information visually;
someone who is blind or has low vision can understand all the same key points
by receiving the information tactually or
aurally.
_____B. The
content presentation offers several levels of intellectual access (i.e., people
who have cognitive disabilities can understand key information presented in the
exhibit).
_____C. Objects, models, or reproductions that
illustrate key exhibit information and convey a coherent story are available
for tactile examination.
_____D. Audio description is required for all visitor center exhibits, tours and audio visual programs as well as all FS training, informational and multimedia productions that contain visual information necessary to comprehend the content, regardless of format. (36 CFR Part 1145)
_____E. The audio description symbol (Appendix C) is
displayed to indicate its availability.
_____F. Appropriate equipment for accessing the audio
description is available on site, and directions for obtaining the equipment
are shown at the exhibit entrance.
Exhibit
Content and Collections Continued
_____G. There are no obstructions to seeing objects
in the exhibit space if the visitor is short or seated (e.g., high pedestals,
railings that obscure the view).
_____H. Railings can be detected by a cane. (Railings at the lowest point may be no
higher than 27" [685mm] above the floor to be cane detectable.)
Color In Exhibits
_____A. There is 70% light reflectance value contrast
between the colors of the floors
and the walls to differentiate vertical and horizontal planes. The following formula for determining
contrast is located in the appendix section of the Americans with Disabilities
Act Accessibility Guidelines, Section A4.30:
Contrast = [(B1 - B2)/B1] x 100 where B1=light reflectance value of the
lighter area and B2 = light reflectance value of the darker area.
Note that in any application both white and black are never absolute;
thus B1 never equals 100 and B2 is always greater than 0.
_____B. The furniture color contrasts the floor and
walls nearby. Furniture should not be
the same color as the flooring so that it can be seen clearly and does not
become a tripping hazard.
_____C. There are no patterns created by color and
shape in the flooring which create an optical illusion of depth or height
change. For example, a herringbone
pattern of bricks with beveled edges may give the illusion of a raised edge at
the center of each row; dark colors may appear as a lowered section of the
floor.
_____D. The colors work with the lighting to create
a well-lit, easily navigated exhibit space.
Dark colors will absorb the limited light; light colors may be reflected
in cases, potentially creating confusing areas.
Exhibit
Lighting
_____A. If light levels in galleries change from room
to room, there is a gentle transition in lighting level from room to room.
______B. The level of
light on circulation routes is at least 10 footcandles. If light levels are restricted by
conservation requirements, there are at least 10 footcandles of light on the
floor and label text.
_____C. The
light is adequate and even (i.e., not creating shadows and under-lit areas)
across all objects and the galleries.
_____D. The
lighting in the space minimizes the pooling of light and shadow on the floor
that can cause problems with depth perception.
_____E. The
lighting minimizes the glare on the objects, labels, panels, and cases for a
visitor who is either standing or seated.
_____F. The
visitor creates no shadows on objects, labels, and text when standing or
sitting in front of them.
Furniture in Exhibits
_____A. Cases, benches, and exhibit barriers are
positioned so the circulation route is clear and predictable (i.e., cases and
objects do not jut out unexpectedly and
all open edges (corners) of materials, including that of Plexiglas, glass
and other materials are rounded).
_____B. There is seating with arm and back support in
the galleries and corridors (50% of the seating in every area is recommended).
_____C. There is enough space (36" [914mm] wide
for routes; 30" X 48" [760mm X 1220mm] for clear floor space; 5'
[1525mm] diameter for turnaround) around all sides of exhibit cases for people
using wheelchairs, walkers and crutches to circulate and view the exhibits.
_____ D. The cases
are not bumping or tripping hazards. Wall-mounted cases protruding out from the
wall must have their lower edges no higher than 27" [914mm] above the
floor to be cane detectable. If their
lower edges are cane detectable, they can protrude any amount as long as they
do not diminish the required 36" [914mm] wide circulation route. Objects
are not to protrude more than 4 inches from the wall unless their bottom edges
are less than 27 inches above the floor and therefore cane detectable.
_____E. Case
floors are low enough for someone who is short or seated to see everything
inside the case. (Actual maximum floor
height varies with the size and number of objects within the case.)
Labels in Exhibits
_____A. The letters are in a readable type face (sans
serif or slab serif). See Appendix A.
_____B.
The letters are in a readable size (minimum: 1/4" [6.5mm]
x-height).
_____C.
There is enough letter spacing so that letters are neither crowded nor
separated from each other by large amounts of white space.
_____D.
Type is flush left. Label text of
more than 3 lines is never centered.
_____E.
There is high color
contrast between the letters and the background (a minimum of 70% is
recommended).
_____F. Letters are not printed over a patterned
background in a way that they are difficult to
read.
_____G. The labels are placed so that they can be
seen and read if someone is short or seated. (For example, labels should not be
placed on a horizontal surface higher than 36" [914mm] above the
floor.) Wall-mounted labels should be
located between 43" [1220mm] and 67" [1675mm] above the floor
(depending on type size) for easy viewing by both those seated and standing.
_____H. Labels are placed in consistent, predictable
locations, with relation to the objects, so that they are easy to find.
_____I. The text is written in concise, simple
language.
_____J. Label text is provided on the audio described tour medium.
_____K. As with cultural and gender equity, where
appropriate, information and/or photos of people with disabilities participating in the activities being
described are integrated in the content.
_____L. When included, references to people with disabilities utilize appropriate terminology,
such as person first i.e. a person who is deaf not a deaf
person. The
term handicapped is not used.
SIGNS in Exhibits
_____A. The letters are in a readable typeface (sans serif or slab
serif). See Appendix
A.
_____B. The letters are in a size
that when mounted are readable by both those seated and standing.
_____C. There
is enough letter spacing so that letters are neither crowded nor separated from
each other by large amounts of white space.
_____D. There is high color
contrast between the letters and the background (a minimum of 70% is
recommended).
_____E. Letters are not printed
over a patterned background in a way that they are difficult to read.
_____F. The signs are placed so
that they can be seen and read if someone is short or seated. (For example,
signs should not be placed on a horizontal surface higher than 36" [914mm]
above the floor) for easy viewing by both those seated and standing see Fig. 3
below.
![[average viewing sightlines]](smithsonian_files/image002.jpg)
_____G. Signs
are placed in consistent, predictable locations, with relation to the objects,
so that they are easy to find.
_____H. The text is written in
concise, simple language.
_____I. Sign text -- on the audio
described tour medium
OR sign text is audio described on the tour medium.
_____J. As with cultural and
gender equity, where appropriate, information and/or photos of people with
disabilities participating in the activities being described are integrated in
the content.
_____K. When included, references to people with disabilities utilize
appropriate terminology, such as person first i.e. a person who is deaf not a
deaf person. The term handicapped is not used.
Audiovisuals and Manipulatives in Exhibits
_____A. There is enough room for a wheelchair user to
use an interactive station. Wheelchair users need clear floor space of at least
30" [760mm] wide by 48" [1220mm] long to use a station.
_____B. There is knee clearance of 19" [485mm]
deep X 27" [685mm] high x 30" [760mm] wide.
_____C. The controls at the stations are reachable by
people who are short or seated. Controls, at the highest position, can be no
higher than 48" [1220mm] above the ground.
If a barrier obstructs the controls, they can be no higher than 42"
[1065mm] above the barrier.
_____D. The controls are not difficult to use.
Controls must require use by only one hand, no more than 5 pounds of force, and
no pinching, grasping, and twisting to operate.
_____E. The control buttons are large enough. Buttons
should be at least 3/4" [19mm] at the smallest diameter.
_____F. The interactive exhibits are captioned
(including instructions for use) for those who cannot hear narration or
instruction.
_____ G.
Instructions for the interactive are easy to understand.
_____ H.
Audiovisuals are to be captioned if they
contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of
the content.
_____ I. Audio presentations are not loud or located
near each other so that they conflict with each other or provide distracting
background noise.
_____J. Audio-only presentations have provided a
transcript of the narration within the exhibit space.
Public Programming Spaces in Exhibits
_____A. Assistive listening systems are available,
the assistive listening system symbol (Appendix C) is displayed and directions
for obtaining the equipment are shown at the exhibit entrance.
_____B. The video / multimedia presentation is
captioned. The video / presentation is recommended
to be shown with the captioning open, regardless of the anticipated audience.
_____C. The presentation/exhibit is audio described.
(36 CFR Part 1194)
The audio description symbol (Appendix
C) is displayed to indicate its availability.
Appropriate
equipment for accessing the audio description is available on site, and
directions for obtaining the equipment are shown at the exhibit entrance.
_____D. There are locations for seating for
wheelchair users (minimum 30" [760mm] wide by 48" [1220mm] long), and
there are signs to indicate the locations.
Required number of seating locations is listed in Appendix
B.
_____E. Designated wheelchair locations are dispersed
to provide a variety of views comparable to those offered in fixed seat
locations.
_____F. Locations for wheelchair users are next to
spaces with seats.
_____G. One percent of the total seats (no fewer than
one seat) are available with removable or no armrests. These seats are located on the aisle.
_____ H. If there is a
raised stage designated for audience and staff involvement, it must be
accessible from both the audience level and behind stage with the following
characteristics:
_____1.
There is a ramp that meets all access requirements up to the stage.
_____2. There is enough maneuvering
room on the stage for a wheelchair user.
_____3. There
is a detectable warning at the edge of the stage (e.g., railing, color strip,
detectable surface change).
Emergency Egress
_____A. Emergency routes out of the exhibit are
accessible paths of travel (i.e., free of changes in level, sufficient width
and light level, accessible doors and hardware, accessible signs directing to
the exits).
_____B. The accessible paths of travel to the
emergency egress are indicated by direction signs including the International
Symbol of Accessibility (this ISA is the wheelchair symbol)..see Appendix C for
this symbol.
_____C. Emergency routes connect directly to
accessible routes within the museum.
_____D. Emergency exits are obvious and clearly
marked as such.
_____E. There are the required number and
configuration of visual fire alarms within the exhibit space.
_____F. Information on emergency egress (i.e., floor
plans indicating accessible egress) is available to visitors.
_____G. The information on emergency egress is also
provided on the audio described tour medium.
APPENDIX A
Slab Serif, Serif and Sans Serif Fonts
Slab serif
Sort of a cross between sans serif (see below) and serif fonts, they
are very similar to serif fonts, except that the serifs are thick slabs.
Examples include Litho Antique.
Slab serifs present a feeling of strength and foundation. Because of
their design, slab serifs are wonderfully legible even in poor printing
conditions. Great for headlines too.
Note that Courier New, a font used extensively in text editors, is in
fact a slab serif font.
Serif font Times New Roman
This is a serif font
Sans serif
No serifs. The best example of a sans-serif font is Arial (Helvetica
on the Mac). Also Verdana and Futura. Very legible fonts, useful in headings
and posters, because they are easily visible from a distance. Not a very good
idea for lots of printed text, because the lack of serifs make them less
readable than serif fonts. Paradoxically, the opposite is true on screen, where
sans-serif fonts tend to be easier to read, since the letterforms are simpler
and easier to represent on a pixilated display (especially on older LCD
panels).
Sans serif font (font is Futura Light)
Sans serifs are often used to present a contemporary feel. They also
make great headlines, especially when paired with a serif font, such as Times
New Roman, for the body copy.
APPENDIX B
|
Capacity of
seating in assembly
areas |
Number of
required wheelchair
locations |
|
4 to 25 |
1 |
|
26 to 50 |
2 |
|
50 to 75 |
3 |
|
76 to 100 |
4 |
|
101 to 150 |
5 |
|
151 to 200 |
6 |
|
201 to 300 |
7 |
|
301 to 400 |
8 |
|
401 to 500 |
9 |
|
501 to 1000 |
2 percent of total |
|
Over 1000 |
20 plus 1 for each 100 over 1000 |
APPENDIX C
The International
Symbols:
Post the appropriate International Symbols where various modes of adaptive equipment are available such as TTY, sign language interpreters, assistive listening systems, and so forth.
Information 
International Symbol of
Accessibility 
(indicates the facility/area is in full compliance with the Federal accessibility standards)
TTY 
Telephone
with volume control 
Video, film, etc. is Closed Caption 
Audio Description
available 
Assistive Listening System available
Sign Language
Interpreted 
Large Print (18 point) materials available
Materials available
in Braille 
For more information please contact: your Regions Recreation Accessibility
Coordinator (RRAC). For a list of RRACs
contact Janet Zeller, National Accessibility Program Manager, (202) 205-9597 or
jzeller@fs.fed.us
High Resolution
versions of these international symbols are available to download at http://www.gag.org/resources/das.php.