Effective, ongoing engagement with the disability community: A case study of the Accessibility Advisory Committee at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Abstract

Staff across Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) interact with dozens of advisory committees, made up of experts on various topics, as a way of expanding their knowledge and the impact and effectiveness of their work. One of these committees is the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). As described by Bob, the committee chair, the AAC is made up of “a lot of experienced voices who get together and brainstorm ideas about how to make state parks and wildlife areas more accessible for the ever-growing disability community.” This case study report has been developed to help staff at state wildlife agencies and other nature organizations implement and run, or revive, an effective and engaged accessibility advisory committee. We believe that doing this well may be the most important step that organizations can take to increase accessibility for disabled wildlife viewers, hunters, anglers, hikers, campers and other outdoor recreationists. Other initiatives, such as designing and building accessible trails or observation blinds, developing disability-friendly wildlife viewing programs, and implementing adaptive equipment loaner programs, will all likely benefit significantly from collaborating with a diverse group of thoughtful disabled stakeholders throughout the process. Establishing, and supporting, an accessibility advisory committee is likely to make these other initiatives more cost effective, more usable, and more impactful to the very community agencies are trying to serve through such efforts. This report was created as a result of hours of interviews with five Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff members, and five members of the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). It answers the following questions:

Why is an Accessibility Advisory Committee helpful to state wildlife agencies? What is the role of the Accessibility Advisory Committee at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department? How did the Accessibility Advisory Committee get implemented? What challenges exist in implementing and running the Accessibility Advisory Committee? How were they overcome? What resources are needed to run the Accessibility Advisory Committee? How does the Accessibility Advisory Committee operate? What effect does the Accessibility Advisory Committee have on agency staff? What are the committee members’ motivations for participating in the Accessibility Advisory Committee? What factors make the Accessibility Advisory Committee effective? Advice on implementing an Accessibility Advisory Committee at your agency.

References and appendices are included, including information about methods, terminology, the typical flow of an Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting, and strategies for building relationships with the disability community. We hope you find this report full of helpful, replicable ideas and strategies to create, and engage effectively with, an accessibility advisory committee. Thank you for your work to increase accessibility in the outdoors for the 1 in 4 Americans with a disability!