Accessibility Resources

This toolkit is built on existing best practices and international frameworks. Here are the key resources that inform our guidance.

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Frameworks and Guidance

How to create a Building Accessibility Guide

Organization: Australian Government Department of Finance Type: Template guidance Public-facing building guide structure and content expectations.

Visitor access guides

Organization: Sensory Trust Type: Guidance Explains what to include and how visitors use it.

Access Chain: an inclusive design tool

Organization: Sensory Trust Type: Framework Models access across the full visitor journey.

Crafting an accessibility guide

Organization: City of Melbourne Type: Guidance Practical steps for organizations creating an accessibility guide.

Tactile Mapping Project

Organization: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Type: Project / Video Explains the importance and creation of tactile maps for the blind.

Tactile Map for People With Blindness or Partial Blindness

Organization: Instructables Type: DIY Guide Detailed instructions for creating 3D printed tactile maps. Note: Many public libraries now have 3D printers available for use.

OpenStreetMap Accessibility Tagging

Organization: OpenStreetMap Foundation Type: Technical standard Community-maintained accessibility tagging standards for wheelchair access, doors, facilities, and navigation aids. Use for structured, machine-readable metadata.

Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities: Wayfinding

Organization: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Type: Technical Report Guidance on wayfinding systems that support people with cognitive disabilities, including clear signage, landmarks, and navigation cues.

Supplemental Guidance: Supported Wayfinding

Organization: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Type: Pattern Design patterns for implementing effective wayfinding support in digital and physical environments.

Way-finding Systems Research

Organization: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Type: Research & Wiki Research documentation on wayfinding systems, their importance for accessibility, and implementation considerations.

ADA Standards for Accessible Design (2010)

Organization: U.S. Department of Justice Type: Technical Standard Official U.S. technical requirements for new construction and alterations. See Facility Standards page for international equivalents.

EN 17210:2021 - Accessibility and usability of the built environment

Organization: European Committee for Standardization Type: Technical Standard European standard for functional requirements in building accessibility and usability.

CSA B651 - Accessible Design for the Built Environment

Organization: Canadian Standards Association Type: Technical Standard Canadian standard for accessible building design, referenced in provincial building codes.

Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach

Organization: National Disability Authority (Ireland) Type: Design Guidance Comprehensive guidance on universal design for buildings. Free 12-booklet series covering different building types.

Global Street Design Guide

Organization: Global Designing Cities Initiative Type: Design Guidance International best practices for designing accessible streets and public spaces. Free online access.

Inclusive Design Toolkit

Organization: University of Cambridge Engineering Design Centre Type: Educational Resource Introduction to inclusive design principles and methods. Explains the 7 Principles of Universal Design.

Centre for Accessible Environments

Organization: Centre for Accessible Environments (UK) Type: Organization UK charity providing training, consultancy, and resources on accessible design and the built environment.

Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Resources

Organization: Rick Hansen Foundation (Canada) Type: Assessment Tools Resources for assessing and improving building accessibility, including certification programs and training materials.

Organization: NaviLens Type: Digital Wayfinding Technology Digital navigation system using high-contrast colorful codes detectable from up to 12 meters away. Provides audio-based wayfinding and orientation information for blind and low-vision users via smartphone app. Widely deployed in transit systems and public buildings.

Microsoft Soundscape

Organization: Microsoft Type: Digital Wayfinding Technology Audio-based wayfinding app that uses 3D audio to help blind and low-vision users build awareness of their surroundings and navigate independently.

Web Speech API - Text-to-Speech

Organization: MDN Web Docs / W3C Type: Technical Standard Browser-native API for implementing speech synthesis (text-to-speech) and speech recognition. Supported in modern browsers without external dependencies.

Microsoft Edge Immersive Reader

Organization: Microsoft Type: Browser Feature Built-in reading mode with natural text-to-speech, adjustable reading speed, and word highlighting. No additional software required.

Making Audio and Video Media Accessible

Organization: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Type: Guidance Comprehensive guidance on creating accessible audio and video content, including captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions.

FEMA: Planning Considerations for Putting People First (2024)

Organization: FEMA Type: Policy Framework Foundational guide for Whole Community planning in emergency operations with focus on equity and accessibility.

Section 508: Emergency Response Policy Framework

Organization: U.S. General Services Administration Type: Policy Framework Legal and technical baseline for accessibility in federal digital emergency communications.

UNDRR Strategic Framework 2026-2030

Organization: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Type: Global Policy Global framework for locally-led disaster risk reduction with rights-based inclusion mandates.

W3C Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) 1.0

Organization: W3C Type: Technical Standard Designing ‘Survival UX’ that functions on low battery and poor connections. Critical for emergency contexts.

P-CEP: Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness Toolkit

Organization: Collaborating4Inclusion Type: Planning Tool Capability-based framework for mapping support needs (Communication, Mobility, Power) before disasters.

Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (PIDS)

Organization: PIDS Type: Advocacy Organization Leading advocate for disability rights in disaster response. Home of the REAADI for Disasters Act.

FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC)

Organization: FEMA Type: Government Office Official technical assistance for inclusive emergency management at the federal level.

Glia: Open Source Medical Devices

Organization: Glia Type: Distributed Manufacturing Open-source designs for 3D-printable medical supplies (tourniquets, stethoscopes) for on-site production during emergencies.

Field Ready: Local Manufacturing for Humanitarian Relief

Organization: Field Ready Type: Distributed Manufacturing Pioneering localized humanitarian response through 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC routing for immediate disaster relief.

TapSOS Emergency App

Organization: TapSOS Type: Emergency Communication App Nonspeaking emergency reporting (911/999) using visual, icon-based interface for Deaf, nonspeaking, or high-stress users.

Kiwix: Offline Wikipedia & Educational Content

Organization: Kiwix Type: Offline Content Platform Download entire websites (Wikipedia, WikiHow) for offline access during network outages. Essential for shelter digital libraries.

Government Guidance

Technical Standards

Tactile maps are essential for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Modern technology has made these significantly more accessible to create.

  • LightHouse Tactile Mapping Project: Learn how the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired uses tactile maps to empower independent navigation.
  • 3D Printed Tactile Maps: A DIY guide to creating 3D printed maps. Many public libraries now offer 3D printing services that can be used for this purpose.

Canonical Reference Extracts

We maintain structured extracts of key guidance documents to ensure their operational insights are preserved.

Physical Infrastructure Standards

For building codes, technical specifications, and universal design principles, see:

Emergency Preparedness Resources

For comprehensive guidance on inclusive emergency management, we maintain specialized resource directories:

Emergency Readiness Framework

  • Emergency Readiness: Strategic overview of digital-to-physical resilience, multi-platform redundancy, and accessible emergency communications

Specialized Emergency Resource Directories

  1. Digital-to-Physical Resilience & Distributed Manufacturing
    • Distributed manufacturing and medical supplies
    • Print-ready emergency guides and templates
    • Tactile and sensory physical media
    • Technology for offline portability
  2. Advanced Digital Accessibility & Multi-Platform Communications
    • Strategic planning and policy frameworks
    • Multi-platform and tactical communication
    • Academic and technological research
    • Implementation best practices
  3. Disability-Inclusive & Sustainable Infrastructure
    • Policy and global standards
    • Sustainable and resilient digital design
    • Implementation and advocacy tools
    • Government and local registry examples

Best Practices Case Studies

Learn from real-world examples of comprehensive accessibility documentation:

  • Sesame Place Philadelphia Best Practices: Analysis of attraction-level accessibility documentation and sensory guide frameworks from a theme park environment, with lessons applicable to museums, theaters, and other multi-experience venues.

Museums and Cultural Venues

Museums have pioneered many repeatable accessibility solutions—tactile maps, mobile web audio tours, verbal description training, and sensory-friendly programming—that transfer directly to other building types.

  • Museums and Cultural Venues: Framework page covering key innovations including tactile maps, QR codes, mobile web tours, audio descriptions, sensory profiles, and programmatic access. Includes an implementation checklist and transferable lessons for non-museum buildings.
  • Smithsonian Institution Example: Evaluation of one of the most comprehensive museum accessibility programmes, with lessons for multi-site cultural organisations.