Beyond Inclusion

Abstract

Access and inclusion have become “hot topics” in many fields in the last decade, including museum education. While this interest has shed light on the need to improve access to the museum for a number of marginalized groups, people with disabilities still remain largely left out of the conversation. Many museums and their staff continue to struggle to make art museums accessible for this group. This chapter serves as a practical “how-to” for both prospective and current museum educators. This chapter proposes that museums move beyond inclusion, towards a radical form of accessibility that troubles the “check-list” nature of traditional access, values the voices and experiences of people with disabilities, and utilizes principles of universal design.