MarshAccess

April 1st, 2007 - September 30th, 2010 | PROJECT

The Meadowlands Environmental Center, reaching 60,000 members of the public annually, will develop test and implement the "Marsh Access" program." This project will identify and test appropriate assistive technologies and programmatic approaches engaging 5,000 adults from specific disability groups in outdoor field-based experiences in order to better support their engagement, to foster their interest in science and to improve their scientific literacy. One hundred professionals will participate in conferences and professional development around the implementation of these programmatic approaches and will create plans to implement similar programming in outdoor settings across the nation. Utilizing an accessible outdoor garden and trail in the marshes of the New Jersey Meadowlands, Ramapo College in partnership with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Spectrum for Living and the Adler Aphasia Center will identify and prototype kiosks and educational programming. Evaluation and program development will focus on identifying specific tools and approaches for engaging people with visual, hearing, mobility, mental/cognitive and age related disabilities. Data will be collected through observations, surveys and focus groups during a field testing process with groups of individuals from partner agencies over the three years of the program. Deliverables include two programmatic modules focusing on the science, natural history and ecology of the meadowlands, two multi media kiosks at points along the outdoor trail, a set of assistive technologies for use by public audiences in both facilitated and non facilitated experiences, and a set of program materials available to the public outlining the process and findings of the program.

Project Website(s)

(no project website provided)

Project Products

Summative Evaluation of MarshAccess

Team Members

Jean Balutanski, Principal Investigator, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Angela Cristini, Co-Principal Investigator, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Victoria Madden, Co-Principal Investigator, Meadowlands Environmental Center

Funders

Funding Source: NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 0638793
Funding Amount: 852276

Tags

Access and Inclusion: People with Disabilities
Audience: Adults | Evaluators | General Public | Museum | ISE Professionals | Youth | Teen (up to 17)
Discipline: Ecology | forestry | agriculture | Education and learning science | Geoscience and geography
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Park | Outdoor | Garden Programs | Professional Development | Conferences | Networks | Professional Development and Workshops | Public Programs