Disability Access Plan

I am delighted to present the National Museum of Australia’s Disability Access Plan 2018–2022 as part of our continuing commitment to providing all Australians with access to our collections, exhibitions and programs.

We are working to give people living with disability more ways to connect with the Museum in our physical and online spaces. We are drawing on the wealth of knowledge shared by visitors and employees with lived experience of disability and impairment.

This plan consolidates earlier policies and practices and demonstrates our commitment to constantly improving and measuring community inclusion, along with the accessibility of our buildings, exhibitions, services and employment.

We have built our plan around principles that ensure that the Museum is accessible to all visitors and employees through its:

• buildings and digital services
• collections and exhibitions
• events and activities

We will continue to work with stakeholders to integrate accessibility into all our work and we will ensure our policies and practices reflect international best practice.

I extend my warmest thanks to all the people and organisations who generously share their experiences with the Museum, and whose knowledge guided this plan.

I firmly believe this Disability Action Plan will continue to build a supportive, confident and inclusive national institution where all visitors and employees can join the conversation about Australian history.

Mathew Trinca
Director
National Museum of Australia

In 2015, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers found 18.3 per cent of the population had a disability, as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. In 2017, this was more than 4.5 million Australians.

There are many different kinds of disability resulting from accidents, illness, genetics or age.

A disability may affect mobility, senses, ability to learn, or ability to communicate easily. Some people have more than one disability.

A disability may be visible or hidden, permanent or temporary, or exist in the future. It may result in minimal or substantial adaptations to people’s lives.

The Australian Network on Disability states that:

• 45 per cent of Australians will have a mental health concern in their lifetime
• 1 in 6 Australians are affected by hearing loss. Almost 30,000 people with total hearing loss use Australian sign language (Auslan).
• An estimated 124,400 Australians are blind and 720,300 have an uncorrectable vision impairment.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that up to 15 per cent of Australians use a mobility aid such as walking canes, crutches, wheelchairs, walking frames or modified vehicles.

Since opening in March 2001, the National Museum has consistently improved accessibility to its building, collection, events and services, through:

• providing free loan of mobility scooters and wheelchairs
• making available to people with a sensory impairment
  - hearing induction loops
  - open captioning
  - braille maps, guides and information panels
  - tactile tables
• accessible iOS and Android apps with Auslan and audio descriptions
• implementing procedures, with the assistance of the Australian Human Rights Commission, to identify and help assistance animals and their handlers
• establishing a dedicated position to develop and deliver programs and workshops for people with sensory and neurological disabilities
• implementing the Diversity Action Plan 2014–18 with aims and actions to improve Museum employment for people with a disability
• engaging an independent access consultant to audit the Museum’s main building and galleries
• working towards the provision of an accessible website for people who use assistive software.

The Disability Access Plan 2018–2022 is the Museum’s public commitment to, and strategy for, identifying and eliminating barriers faced by people with disabilities and any practices that are discriminatory towards them.

This plan outlines the Museum’s goals to meet the needs of its employees and visitors, nationally and internationally for the coming five years, by:

• engaging and communicating respectfully with our visitors
• promoting accessibility for all people
• introducing innovative techniques to engage with all audiences
• creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture
• excelling in everything we do.

The Museum is physically accessible

Commitments

1. The Museum will work towards providing a built environment that meets Australian building codes, standards and guidelines for accessibility.
2. The Museum will, during capital works and general maintenance projects, comply with the recommendations of the Building Access Audit 2014.
3. The Museum will provide multiple and accessible wayfinding tools for visitors that may include accessible signage (essential information, high contrasting colouring, enhanced pictograms, and braille), ibeacons, QR tags, tactile numbering and indicators.
4. The Museum will provide induction hearing loops on multimedia with spoken word in all galleries, theatres and venues for public hire.
5. The Museum will provide defined paths of access, internally and externally, free from glare and deep shadow, with solid contrasting colours between floors, walls, doors and furnishings.

The Museum’s exhibitions are accessible

Commitments

1. The Museum will develop exhibitions that enable access for congenital, acquired and age onset physical, sensory, learning, cognitive and neurological impairments.
2. The Museum will incorporate multiple interpretive tools in permanent, temporary and travelling exhibitions, such as digital labels and interactives, alternative formats like large print and braille labels, audio tours and Auslan apps accessible with assistive software.
3. The Museum will include, in the development of exhibitions and programs, experiences that enable visitors to touch and explore objects and their history, including but not limited to digital interactives or virtual and augmented reality.
4. The Museum will provide exhibition text and catalogues in a variety of text-to-speechenabled electronic formats, including PDF, e-pub and braille ready format for use with ereaders, smart devices and refreshable braille displays.

The Museum’s public and education programs are accessible

Commitments

1. The Museum will develop, with disability groups, programs specifically for groups requiring alternative access to the Museum.
2. Digital programs, including outreach programs, will be usable with the accessibility features of smart devices, to enable inclusion and communication with students and visitors.
3. The Museum will provide more than one accessible way to book and pay for public and education programs.
4. The Museum will support alternatives to audio and visual presentations, such as hearing loops, Auslan, captioning, large print, braille and audio description.

The Museum’s collections are accessible

Commitments

1. Visitors are able to search the Museum’s collections electronically.
2. The Museum will maintain a handling collection of de-accessioned, replica, 3D printed and donated objects.
3. On request the Museum will endeavour to facilitate small group visits to the collection storage facilities, to view specific objects.
4. On request the Museum will endeavour to provide disability groups and providers with supported after-hours access and exclusive opening hours to exhibitions.

The Museum is digitally accessible

Commitments

1. The Museum will enable all visitors to use its website, digital collection management system and apps, by maintaining them at level AA of the WCAG and implementing the WAI-ARIA.
2. The Museum will use alternative text descriptions for all images on social media posts on Facebook and Twitter.
3. The Museum will enable access to digital content by ensuring it is usable with built-in accessibility tools of smart devices
4. The Museum’s (ICT) systems will meet Australian standards for accessibility.

The Museum will actively listen and engage with stakeholders to integrate access in all its work

Commitments

1. The Museum will seek to engage and work cooperatively with various disability stakeholders when undergoing major redevelopment of its galleries, public areas and venues.
2. In addition to the Client Service Charter, visitors will be provided with a dedicated avenue to inform the Museum of feedback regarding accessibility matters and the Museum will provide a timely response.

The Museum’s internal policies and procedures will reflect best practice

Commitments

1. The Museum is committed to implementing best practice and this will be reflected in its policies and procedures.
2. The Museum will build disability awareness among staff and contractors through programs and training.
3. The Museum will enable visitors to access all Museum publications through implementation of the Copyright Act 1968 (amended 2017) and the ratified Marrakesh Treaty.

Thank you to those who gave their time and comments to assist in the development of the Disability Access Plan 2018–2022:

Heather Fitzpatrick, Vice President, Canberra Blind Society
Karen Carrigan, Team Leader Client Services, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
Jennifer Moon, Community Education and Access Advisor, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
Joanne Weir, Client Feedback Officer, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
Petrea Messent, ACT Regional Director and General Manager, Dementia Australia
Bonnie Millen, Acting CEO, Advocacy for Inclusion
Robert Altamore, Executive Officer, People with Disability ACT
Susan Thomson, Advocacy Advisor, Vision Australia.

Australian Network on Disability

Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing & Carers 2015

Australian Human Rights Commission

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Commonwealth)

Australian Government Digital Transformation Agenda

National Museum of Australia – Diversity Action Plan 2014–2018

W3C – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

W3C – Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessible Rich Internet Applications

National Museum of Australia Digital Strategy 2016 –2020