The purpose of the study was to determine how historic
organizations in Virginia have responded to the issue of handicapped
accessibility at their properties. The study sought to determine
which historic sites are accessible to the mobility impaired, what
handicapped accessible features exist in the sites' buildings and what
adaptations have been made to programs and activities taking place at
the sites. The study also involved exploring reasons why some
historic organizations have not made their buildings and programs
accessible to the disabled and determining what future plans the
historic organizations have for making their sites accessible to all
people.
Questionnaires were sent to 228 historic sites in Virginia; 147 of
the returned surveys met the research criteria. Even though most
sites had at least one handicapped accessible feature, only 40 sites
were reported to be accessible to everyone. Video-tours, slides and
large photographs are made available to visitors who cannot
participate in the entire tour at some of the historic sites. The
main reasons historic organizations have not made their sites more accessible are that alterations are too expensive and structurally
difficult. Forty-eight historic organizations plan to make their
properties more accessible in the future.
A directory, containing a table of accessible features found at
the sites, general tourist information and a description of programs
available at the sites for the disabled, was compiled from the
findings of this study.
next to an author's name indicates that all files or directories associated with their ETD are accessible from the Virginia Tech campus network only.
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