Most of the work undertaken to date to improve access to parks and preserves for people with disabilities has focused on assuring that the design of trails and related infrastructure is aligned with federal guidelines derived from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While these efforts have been invaluable in helping to reconnect populations with the most significant levels of disability to nature, there is a growing awareness that those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and related conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) also struggle to break through other barriers to accessing and enjoying the outdoors. The Land Trust Alliance (LTA) has recognized the significance of these gaps, and will soon publish national guidelines for improving the inclusion of people with disabilities, with the goal of increasing access to preserves and engagement in conservation efforts.
Drawing on his training as a clinical psychologist, and experience as a father to a young woman with significant I/DD and related conditions (Margot), Dr. Peter Doehring has developed Progressive Access, a framework for understanding and systematically overcoming barriers to help people like Margot enjoy the outdoors. In this presentation, Dr. Doehring will describe how to use Progressive Access to identify opportunities to connect people with I/DD and related conditions in your communities to land and water trails in place or under development. Specifically, Dr. Doehring will describe how eight steps across two phases of Progressive Access – Education, Environment, Equipment, and Engagement, and then Execution, Enjoyment, Evaluation, and Endurance – can be used to create successful experiences hiking a land trail or paddling a water trail. This presentation targets organizations with established land or water trails, and which have already begun to take active steps to accommodate people with disabilities.
