10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Make Your
Programs More Accessible
1. Put name tags on all participants. Address each participant by
name. Require all staff members to wear large print name tags.
2. Welcome each group by beginning the day / program with a
verbal fire and safety room description.
3. Begin each program session with a visual outline of the activities
that will be done during the session.
Read the list out loud, and answer any questions the
participants may have.
4. Observe the “20 minute” rule by changing activities and/or
teaching strategies every 20 minutes (or less).
Switch from lecture, to hands-on activity, to visual
demonstration, or walk to a different location, etc.
5. Provide each participant with a journal developed following
principles of Universal Instructional Design for recording data.
6. Use a PowerPoint presentation to:
 Organize and present the program content.
 Display visual directions.
 Mirror the journal pages
Read each slide out loud. Have a printed version available,
one slide per page, for participants who may request it.
7. Provide enlarged versions of any printed hand-outs.
8. Make tactile versions of charts and/or maps using puff paint
(sometimes called 3D paint or bubble paint).
9. Supplement verbal instructions with printed text, picture/photo
directions or diagrams. Don’t be afraid to be redundant.
10. Turn on the "captioning" feature when showing videos/DVDs.
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Designing and Implementing Accessible Informal Science Education Programs, March 11-14, 2010
Materials are based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement Number HRD
0638793. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Permission is granted to copy these
materials for educational, non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.