Q: What is your approach as an advisor?
Ann: I take the attitude that I'm here to help you. I try to build on the museum's interest. That interest may be to increase audience, the revenue new audiences bring in. So it could be economic or short- or long-range goals.

Q: What has been your experience with various museum staff?
Ann: Basically, there are two main styles or personalities: those who see quickly or over time that accessibility can be integrated into what they are already doing and those who see change as an addition and as a burden. For the former, it's "Oh, yeah, I see how we can help," whereas the latter have difficulty being creative. Sometimes this second group seems to me to express the feelings that they are "above" or "beyond" accessibility issues.

Most people do "get it," but then you come back and the people you worked with have moved on to other jobs and you have to start again.

Q: What do you want to hear from science center staff calling to ask for your help?
Ann: Two things. I want to have the sense that they have goals and that they want to take some action. In other words, that there's a commitment. Even when I am paid for consulting, I want to feel my ideas are being paid attention to; I want to feel there will be some impact. Which gets to my second point. I want to hear that they are seriously interested in building a relationship between their institution and the community.

Q: How do you like to work?
Ann: I like to work as a member of a team that includes people with various disabilities. People are different, even people who use wheelchairs. Using a team makes for a more rounded perspective. In addition to being part of a team, it helps when looking at exhibits to start with some hands-on time. I've found that as we explore the exhibit together, each of us lets down our guard and we start to brainstorm. Exploring the exhibit together is an opportunity to become comfortable with each other. Soon we are being creative about access. Also, and this may be different for others, because I am consulting I expect a stipend or, at the least, for my mileage to be reimbursed.

It is difficult to write a complete "job description" for an individual who will be part of a team conducting an access inventory of a facility and its exhibitions, but I'll try. The advisor, ideally, has an understanding and interest in the survey; is clear on the specific need for the survey; is clear exactly what he/she is being asked to do; has an understanding of the ADA guidelines and reasons for them; has an understanding of the difference between personal preference and minimum regulation standards; is willing to demonstrate to other team members the why behind specific measurements; and is willing to be part of a whole team in an effort to help the museum meet ADA compliance.

Just being a person with a disability doesn't make you necessarily a good advisor on disability issues. I agree with Ann's approach of choosing consultants who can identify with people with specific disabilities and has related expertise. Advisors may serve on a team to conduct an access inventory or as a member of focus group, depending on the amount of time and commitment expected of them.

Regarding other issues museum staff needs to consider, I'll start with "To pay or not to pay?" I would recommend paying advisors a stipend as it helps insure a certain amount of expertise, commitment and follow through. Also, be sure to maintain the relationship with advisors over time in order to keep up the momentum. To help do that, determine who will have responsibility for initiating regular contact – a museum staff person or the advisor? Both parties are likely to be busy and too often access issues of museum professionals and volunteer activities of advisors are moved to the bottom of priority lists. Finally, involving advisors helps integrate access reviews into the routine procedures of a museum. An example is in the development of exhibits. I would also encourage museum folks to involve advisors in a second access review after the exhibit is up and running to see how things are really working in practice.