Accessibility

NPS Accessibility Guidelines

Visitors with disabilities are entitled to the same information and park experience as everyone else. The National Park Service is committed to providing facilities, programs and services that are accessible to all.

Download the Word document of the HFC Media Accessibility Guidelines for reference.

Additional Resources

For more information about expanding your park's media accessibility, explore these resources:

Accessibility and Audiovisual Media FAQ

To begin assessing the accessibility of your media, download the Media Accessibility Checklist.

To bring more awareness of accessibility to park staff and the public, download and hang the NPS Accessibility Poster.

Audio Description

Harpers Ferry Center produces audio description for its videos, exhibits, publications and waysides. National Park Service Audio Description Core Concepts are available. These resources along with a supplemental presentation can get you started.

Audio Description Core Concepts Introduction

Wayside Audio Description

Assistive Listening

Assistive listening is critical for people who have hearing loss. Harpers Ferry Center installs these systems in visitor center theaters and exhibits when audio is present. To learn more about effectively communicating to visitors during walks, talks and tours, download this brochure and go to our Portable Assistive Listening Device FAQs.

Alternate Formats

For people who cannot access print material, alternate formats are necessary. Alternate formats for print materials, include braille, large print and audio versions. The Harpers Ferry Center is partnering with the University of Hawai’i to research and develop audio description versions of National Park Service brochures.

Braille booklets are published shortly after Unigrid brochures are printed and are available at most park visitor centers. More than 150 additional copies are available through the Library of Congress, National Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

Parks are encouraged to post brf files (braille-ready-files) on their accessibility web pages for visitors to download and emboss their own copies. See the HFC Braille Publication Guide for information on how to prepare reprints of Unigrid braille booklets or produce braille for other park-produced publications.

Trailhead Signage Guide

This guide identifies the information required for trailhead signage to meet accessibility standards. It includes annotated examples of graphic design approaches that can be taken to communicate the information visually and with text.

Download the Word document of the Trailhead Signage Annotated Examples: Outdoor Developed Areas for reference.

Accessibility Training Opportunities

There are numerous training opportunities related to accessibility. Following are two resources to get your started.

• The National Center on Accessibility offers face-to-face classes and on-demand distance learning.

• The US Access Board and the ADA National Network webinars are another source of information. These webinars provide overviews and information on specific topics. They are recorded and can be watched anytime.

For More Information

Additional resources are available:

• HFC Media Accessibility Coordinator - Michele Hartley, Phone: [phone]

• Accessibility for Visitors