The Specifics of Inclusive Programs for Visually Impaired People in the State Museums of the Federal and Regional Subordination of the Russian Federation in Moscow: Medical vs Social Approaches to Disability

In recent years, issues of inclusion and accessibility have been among the most relevant topics discussed within the museum community. The topic of the current study is the specifics of inclusive programs for people with visual impairments in state museums of federal and regional subordination of the Russian Federation in Moscow: medical vs social approaches to disability. The research problem is the contradiction between research positions regarding the specifics and effectiveness of ongoing inclusive programs for people with disabilities in museums. The purpose of this study is to identify the specifics of ongoing inclusive programs for people with visual impairments in state museums of federal and regional subordination of the Russian Federation in the city of Moscow. For a deep understanding of the issue, a qualitative design was chosen: expert interviews with professionals in the field of inclusive interaction with museum visitors and in-depth interviews with visually impaired people were chosen as research methods. As a result, recommendations have been developed to improve inclusive programs to communicate with people with visual impairments. Keywords: accessibility, inclusion, visitors with disabilities, visitors with visual impairments