Goals
Many planetariums are struggling with becoming an accessible space for individuals with different needs, and I hope to help solve that. I am currently working with local donors to create a pilot program using Google Glass and speech to text software to allow individuals with language and hearing barriers to experience the immersive wonder of a planetarium experience. I have also had discussions with members of the astrobites community (https://astrobites.org/) on their planetarium experience for the visually impaired. My goal is to work with the current planetarium staff at the Museum of Science and Curiosity here in Sacramento, CA to build an easy to implement and broad standard set of skills and tools for accessibility for planetariums.
Future Plans
As I continue with my work in informal education I would like to push the ideas from my TPDP further in my current position, but also create frameworks for other informal spaces to follow. My formal experience as a special education teacher and past experience as a help desk technician has been invaluable in creating professional development at my current museum, but I would liek to branch out. I think maker spaces have massive potential as community centers and informal learning spaces, but they are not spaces that are often easily accessible for large numbers of people for financial, physical, social, sensory or many other reasons. I would like to begin retraining my focus further into more community driven grass-roots efforts so I can help bring better tools, best practice, and training to individuals within the K-12 space and far beyond.