Smithsonian Exhibit on "The Disability Rights Movement"

July 26, 2000 will mark the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In commemoration, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC is sponsoring an exhibit on the Disability Rights Movement from July 6, 2000 through November 2000.

The exhibit is exciting not only because of its subject, but also because it includes several Web-based information kiosks, which the Smithsonian says will be "prototypes for a [kiosk] that will eventually be available to museums and other cultural institutions." The kiosks are intended to provide exhibit-related information in a way that will be maximally accessible to individuals with different types of disabilities.

For individuals who cannot attend the exhibit at the Smithsonian, the information is also available at http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/index.html. This Web site covers such topics as the ADA, the history of the Disability Rights Movement, mobility, and technology. Information on attending the exhibit is also included, as is some information about the kiosk design.

Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 4.0 or higher, is required to view the Disability Rights site. To access the audio description component, you must have an audio player that supports the MP3 format. It should be noted that the first page of the Web site refers to a touch screen and navigational buttons that are part of the on-site kiosk and are not incorporated into the Web site itself.

(See Access and Technology section for Marc Krizack's review of this exhibition.)