Jane Bringolf, Author at - Page 21 of 111

Access and inclusion for transport in Queensland

Different government departments are responsible for different aspects of transport services and infrastructure. Consequently, not only do we “mind the gap” at the platform, we have to mind the gaps elsewhere in the system. And these gaps are sometimes just too wide for some people with disability. Queensland’s department of Transport and Main Roads seeks to overcome these gaps with their Access and Inclusion Strategy.

Queensland is a popular tourist destination and accessible tourism needs accessible travel to support this sector. Queensland is also hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and this has provided an extra reason to get things right.

A boy in a powered wheelchair is mounting the ramp into the Queensland Rail train. A woman stands behind him and the station guard looks on. A man with a baby stroller and boy wait nearby to enter the train carriage. The image is from the Access and Inclusion webpage.

The Access and Inclusion Strategy aims to create a single integrated network accessible to everyone. The Strategy was developed in consultation with customers, employees and partners, and it covers services, products, information and infrastructure.

The Accessibility and Inclusion Plan 2023-2024 supports the Accessibility and Inclusion Strategy. The Plan has 27 actions across three key pillars: strategy, culture and process.

The web pages for the Strategy and the Plan have a summary and links to alternative formats of the documents including Auslan and a narrated version. There are alternative language summaries and video transcripts as well. An Easy English version is missing though.

Do web accessibility overlays work?

Accessibility Overlays - What are they & why are they so bad? - YouTube — First screen of the YouTube video

This site has a web accessibility overlay or add-in widget. It’s the circle icon next to our logo on the website. If you click on it, it has a dropdown accessibility toolbar. That’s because the platform, WordPress, isn’t inherently accessible. So like the tacked on ramp to a building, it is an afterthought. But really, it advertises that the website platform isn’t really accessible and there are good reasons why.

Website add-ons for accessibility go back to the 1990s with products like Browsealoud and Readspeaker. They added text to speech capabilities on the website. More products arrived in the market with similar aims. To the layperson these features seem beneficial, but their practical value is overstated. That’s because the people who need these features will already have the software on their devices to access the web and other software. The Overlay Fact Sheet by Karl Groves explains more:

From the overlay fact sheet

“It is a mistake to believe that the features provided by the overlay widget will be of much use by end users because if those features were necessary to use the website, they’d be needed for all websites that the user interacts with. Instead, the widget is —at best—redundant functionality with what the user already has.”

Do overlays meet compliance?

While an overlay might improve compliance in some respects, full compliance cannot be achieved using this method. That’s because the products are unable to “repair” all possible issues. In some cases, the overlay can conflict with the users software and cause problems. And ironically, some overlays are inaccessible. So that means it’s back to the programmer and designer to get it right.

The video below gives examples of overlays and graphically shows how they don’t work. You only need to look at the first three minutes to get the idea.

We all have a responsibility to make our digital information accessible. Beware any web developer who says they’ve solved the accessibility problem with an overlay or widget. Indeed, you are showing your inaccessibility by having an “accessibility” overlay and icon on your site.

Web designers might think the international web standards are sufficient. But they are not – just like the standards for access and mobility in the public domain are not enough.

By the way, CUDA uses the WordPress platform’s free version and continues to do so because we do not receive financial support for the website and want to keep it open access. As with everything universal design – it is a work in progress. “Do the best you can with what you have at the time and strive to improve next time.”

Planning inclusive communities: Stage 1

Planning inclusive communities begins with asking the right questions. For example: What makes an inclusive community? What stops communities being inclusive? When we say community, what do we mean? And what does inclusive mean?

Lisa Stafford’s research project sought to answer those questions and more. Her research heard from 97 people aged from 9 to 92 years. Some had a disability or long term health condition, and others were their family members or allies. The findings are presented in a reader friendly format rather than an academic article.

People standing in front of large paper with graphic harvest (drawings) from community chat about inclusive communities — Image from Planning Inclusive Communities website

Findings from Stage 1

The thoughts and experiences from participants with and without disability shared many aspects in common. Here are some of the points in brief.

An inclusive community is about people where everyone is valued and belongs. Everyone is valued and respected regardless of their culture or background. That means communities must be planned for all people – built for equity, fairness and accessibility. Inclusive communities are happy places where people have choices and safe spaces to have fun and socialise. So how do we make it happen?

The answer is planning together from the very beginning. People with disability, diverse groups, government and urban planning practitioners should all be involved.

The Planning Inclusive Communities website explains the project in plain language with lots of graphics. There is also a link to an Easy English explanation of the project. The video below also gives an overview.

The title of the full report is What Makes Inclusive Communities? Meanings, Tensions, Change Needed and is downloadable in Word. It gives more detail about the background to the research and the findings.

Stage 2 of this research project will identify people who want to help make change and create a plan for inclusive communities.

Here is a quote from the website that has more information.

“I feel like it’s all about everyone being able to equally engage in the environment in the community. For people with disabilities there is a lot of restraint and they can’t engage as much as other people. It’s also like equality is not enough, it should be equity so everyone has what they need to be able to engage in that community. Because I feel like a community is about people and engagement, but also being able to access and work around a community.”

Planning Inclusively: Make Communities Just for All

Urban planning is a highly contested and politicised area to work in. The talk is that planning is about people, not roads and buildings. But when do users – people – get a say in planning? Only at the end when plans are put on exhibition. Then you need to be an expert to understand them. Planning inclusively is to make communities just for all.

Lisa Stafford, in a briefing paper, asks how well do we consider human diversity in planning cities and regions? Planners and bureaucrats would rarely even consider the concept of “Ableism” in their designs. That’s why we still have marginalisation by design. The lens of the average or the “normal” person is rarely put aside for a lens of diversity.

Social planning can drive inclusive communities because it operates from a justice framework. Participatory planning is one way to work towards inclusion.

The tile of Lisa Stafford’s paper is, Planning Inclusively: Disrupting ‘Ableism’ to Make Communities Just for All. She has four recommendations at the end of her easy to read paper. Briefly they are:

1. 1. Adopt an approach of planning for all
  2. Apply spatial justice thinking to planning
  3. Embed universal design as a core planning principle
  4. Re-emphasise the social in planning

Editorial Introduction

“Disabled people continue to experience exclusion by design in our everyday spaces, infrastructure and services, which has been magnified through the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, there is an opportunity for urban and regional planning practitioners, researchers and disabled people to come together to advocate for and create inclusive, sustainable communities for all. However, to make this transformative, we must first critically question how well do we really consider human diversity in planning cities, towns and regions? This question is examined in this briefing paper by contesting entrenched challenges like ‘ableism’ before providing fundamental starting points for planners in planning more inclusive and just communities for all.”

National accessible parks policy

Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy our national parks. The personal benefits include increased wellbeing and improved quality of life. But not everyone can access these parks. The new Accessible Parks Policy published by the New South Wales Government should go some way to addressing the barriers.

The policy aims to provide a framework for improving access by integrating accessibility into the planning and management of parks.

But once again, we have a document professing to promote access and inclusion yet universal design is tacked on at the end as if it is an optional extra rather than an underpinning concept.

The reference link to universal design takes you to the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in Ireland and the list of the 7 principles of universal design.

Guiding principles

In brief, the National Parks Service recognises:

- the health and wellbeing benefits
- cultural and historic heritage can present a range of barriers
- barriers to accessing national parks may have compounding impacts on Aboriginal people
- disability is diverse and may not be visible to others
- good information is critical to empowering people with disability
- the inclusion of people with disability in the planning and decision-making process
- people who experience barriers to access should have the opportunity to participate in finding solutions to those barriers
- accessible facilities or experiences in national parks are only one component of the whole visitor journey
- it will not always be feasible to provide physical access to national parks for all people.

Commitments

In brief, the National Parks Service will:

- identify and aim to remove barriers to services, facilities and experiences
- identify and remove barriers to people engaging and collaborating with the management of national parks and reserves
- engage and consult with those experiencing barriers in accessing national parks, visitor facilities and visitor experiences
- where possible, apply the principles of universal design

The webpage has different policy sections for visitor facilities, information, collaborating, and decision making.

Connection to Country is not included in this policy as there is a separate policy document. Perhaps as some point the Department of Planning will take a universal design approach which embraces intersectionality. That is, First Nations people also have disabilities and specific access requirements.

New mobility and universal design

On one hand, new mobility technology increases opportunities to improve transport systems. But on the other, the technology is unevenly distributed in terms of access and inclusion. This means many will be left out, especially those with reduced mobility.

The new technology can create unintended barriers: physical, technological, economic and mental – each one a challenge to universal design. Public policy also has a role to play in reducing barriers to mobility.

Norway has a whole of government universal design policy and has done good work in making public transport accessible. However, many advancements require digital skills in using smartphone apps and electronic ticketing. And that’s just one universal design challenge.

The challenges to universal design and new mobility are discussed in a book chapter by Jørgen Aarhaug. The chapter title is, Universal Design and Transport Innovations: A Discussion of New Mobility Solutions Through a Universal Design Lens. It’s open access.

From the abstract

Most technological advances in mobility result in better accessibility for many, yet the benefits remain unevenly distributed. New and improved mobility technologies typically result in increased mobility. However, most new technologies create both winners and losers. Who wins and who loses depends on how the mobility solution in question is introduced to the mobility system.

This study finds that many of the new mobility technologies that are introduced, though not directly relating to universal design, strongly affect the universality of access to mobility.

The chapter aims to give insight into how certain new mobility solutions affect different user groups, and to highlight how the outcome is a function of the interplay between technology and its implementation. The paper concludes by pointing to the need for regulation to align the objectives of the actors behind new technologies and an inclusive society.

Automated vehicles: mobility and accessibility

The transportation and mobility sector has a design history focused on infrastructure efficiencies. User perspectives are being introduced in other sectors and it is time for the mobility sector to catch up.

An article from Norway discusses the issues introducing universal design and co-creation. The author uses three vignettes to highlight some of the issues users encounter.

The title of the article is, Automated Vehicles Empowering Mobility of Vulnerable Groups – and the Pathway to Achieve This.

From the abstract

Many people in Europe still have limited access to transportation modes overall. Socio-economic constraints, and cognitive, sensory and physical impairments affect everyday life, posing challenges to accessing mobility services.

Technologies for vehicle automation have advanced in recent decades. Yet, the implementation and use of automated and autonomous vehicles (jointly referred to as AVs) entails chances but also hurdles regarding accessibility and inclusivity of vulnerable groups.

This concerns both the use of the vehicle by humans as well as the interaction between humans and vehicles as participants in road traffic.

In this chapter, we identify opportunities and risks narrow down the vulnerable social groups we are looking at. Subsequently, we present the benefits that co-creation and universal design can have in overcoming or, in the best case, avoiding these obstacles.

Detailed recommendations for action cannot be given within this framework, but suggestions for solutions are outlined.

Law schools and universal design

Law schools teach law and introduce the values that students take into the legal profession. Unless law schools embrace universal design, they will continue to be inequitable and pose barriers to people who might be good lawyers. This is the basis of an article by Matthew Timko where he says the place to introduce universal design is through law libraries.

Timko says the law library is the ideal testing ground for changes that assist student comprehension and testing. Beginning with the library services, the value of universal design will gradually become apparent to all stakeholders. From there it will enter the legal academy, legal education process and legal profession.

Timko uses the 7 Principles of Universal design as the framework for his proposition. This shows how flexibly the principles can be applied. He then discusses the role of disability legislation in the United States and the supports available.

Ethical and professional standards provide another opportunity to support individuals. Timko argues that most accommodations pose menial burdens on institutions but provide great benefit to individuals. However, they need to be provided as a general rule, not just when they are asked for. This is the underlying tenet of universal design for learning.

The article goes into more detail about the role of legislation and how it should apply to law schools. In the conclusion, Timko states:

“Universal design offers the key to not only increased access to legal education and legal knowledge but also a more fundamental shift in the perceptions and thinking that have plagued disability laws and design habits over the last 30 years.”

The types of universal design features discussed can be introduced into the law library gradually and in cost-effective ways.

The title of the article is, Applying Universal Design in the Legal Academy.

From the editor

I was invited to participate in a question and answer interview for the Law Society Journal with Features Editor, Avril Janks. I was encouraged to find that universal design has entered the realms of the legal profession and happy to participate.

We discussed universal design broadly and then how it might be implemented in legal workplaces. Universal design can be applied to the office design, office systems, and employment practice. So plenty of scope for the profession to be more inclusive. If you want to read the article published in the March 2023 edition, contact journal@lawsociety.com.au

Jane Bringolf

Home modifications: a clash of values

Publicly funded home modifications are a regular feature of My Aged Care and the NDIS schemes. NDIS participants seeking independence and desires to age in place are increasing, but our housing stock is not fit for this purpose. Consequently, homes need adaptation as people age or acquire a disability. However, there is a clash of values between what the client wants, what the funder wants, and what the occupational therapist (OT) deems functional. That’s a finding from researchers at the Hopkins Centre.

Our homes are not designed for disability and ageing. Consequently, modifications are essential for remaining safely and independently at home. They are an essential part of the NDIS and My Aged Care schemes.

The chart shows the key overarching themes from the research

Graphic showing the three values; aligning values and expectations, and quantifying value for money.

Researchers interviewed OTs experienced in prescribing home modifications. They wanted to gauge their experiences in the assessment process. They found that clients (homeowners) value aesthetics and property values. On the other hand, funding bodies value the cheapest option, and OTs are looking for the most functional outcome. OTs are also confronted with different decision making criteria across the various schemes.

Consequently, it is up to the OT to balance the desires of the client with those of the funder using their professional knowledge. Not an easy task, and unlikely to lead to optimum outcomes. And OTs become de facto bureaucrats in this process, which can also be a challenge to their professional values.

But what is “value”?

The research paper discusses the various aspects of value from different perspectives. The best outcomes are achieved when there is open discussion between the client, the funder and the OT. This encourages a better alignment of values.

While this paper is focused on the OT professional, it links closely with the notion of disability and ageing stigma. The idea of having a grab bar or a ramp appears to be an affront to one’s dignity. Older people see this as the beginning of the “downhill run” of life. The new Livable Housing Design Standard will help minimise this stigma by providing a step free entry and better bathroom design. Until we have sufficient stock, OTs will continue to provide home modification assessments.

The title of the paper is, Valuing home modifications: The street-level policy work of occupational therapists in Australian home modification practice.

There is also a webinar on the Hopkins Centre website that discusses client perspectives of home modifications. In a nutshell, they see modifications as value for money if they meet their specific needs to a high standard. Also, the process of getting a modification has to be straightforward without wasting time and money.

Phillippa Carnemolla’s research showed the number of care hours saved and improved quality of life with appropriate modifications.

Future-proofing is best

For those who can afford to renovate their home now, it is worth considering future-proofing, rather than leaving it “until the time comes”. The Livable Housing Design Guidelines are a good reference for anyone updating their home at any point in their life. This Guideline is the basis of the mandated Livable Housing Design Standard, but has more useful information for homeowners.

Train station design

The Design Council in the UK has published a full report of the work they did on train station design. The aim of the project was to find a generic train station design that could be rolled out on the various rail networks. For this they undertook some serious community engagement.

The majority of rail stations are small to medium size situated in the heart of local communities. This is why they have to deliver more than just trains for commuters.

The community engagement process gave architects design concepts that work as a whole or a kit of parts. This works well when upgrading existing train stations. Key design elements are

The clocktower – acts as a beacon to help identify the station and orientate people.

The welcome mat – extends the public space outside the station. It creates space between people and cars, inviting people to spend time here.

The activity framework – can be adapted to the needs of each place. Provides space for local communities and small enterprises alongside station facilities.

The photovoltaic canopy – even the smallest stations will include a timber framed platform canopy with integrated PV panels.

The pods – create extra shelter under the platform canopy or activity framework. These can include space for passenger facilities such as waiting rooms, toilets or a ticket office.

Train stations are evolving from a focus on rail infrastructure to a focus on passengers and the local community. This is how you do universal design – with a focus on users.

The full report of the process and the outcomes is documented in Explore Station: Building momentum for a future passenger hub.

8-Inclusion needs to prevent discrimination

The 7 Principles and the 8 Goals of universal design have their roots in the built environment and people with disability. We have moved on since their inception to thinking about how other marginalised groups can be included. With this thinking comes intersectionality where an individual can be a member of more than one of those groups. For example, a female refugee with a disability.

The 8-Inclusion Needs framework sits alongside the classic 7 Principles and the practical 8 Goals of universal design. Together they provide a more holistic view of the real lives of people.

A human head shape with a montage of photos of many different people.

The framework seeks to provide a new perspective for shifting the focus from a list of identities to addressing the needs of all people. As such it provides a guide for inclusive designs and interventions that eliminate discrimination. It also provides another perspective on the amorphous term “diversity”.

The 8-Inclusion Needs of All People framework

The results of the literature review formed the basis of the 8-Inclusion Needs framework. Briefly, they are:

1. Access – Ensuring all people can see and hear, or understand via alternatives, what is being communicated; and physically access or use what is being provided.
2. Space – Ensuring there is a space provided that allows all people to feel, and are, safe to do what they need to do.
3. Opportunity – Ensuring all people are provided opportunity to fulfil their potential.
4. Representation – Ensuring all people can contribute and are equally heard and valued.
5. Allowance – Ensuring allowances are made without judgement to accommodate the specific needs of all people.
6. Language – Ensuring the choice of words or language consider the specific needs of all people.
7. Respect – Ensuring the history, identity, and beliefs of all people are respectfully considered.
8. Support – Ensuring additional support is provided to enable all people to achieve desired outcomes.

Individual identities – a list

Identities included in the analysis of research on the lived-experience of underrepresented identities:

- Gender
- Race/ethnicity
- Socio-economic status/class
- Indigenous
- LGBTQI+
- Disability
- Religion
- Age
- Immigrant
- Illness (physical or mental)
- Refugee
- Veteran
- Neurodiversity

The title of the article is, The 8-Inclusion Needs of All People: A proposed Framework to Address Intersectionality in Efforts to Prevent Discrimination. Published in the International Journal of Social Science Research and Review.

From the abstract

This paper begins by highlighting the current state of inclusion, and then reviews research on the application of intersectionality to address discrimination.

The literature review includes an overview of existing models designed to assist the application of intersectionality in reducing discrimination.

An analysis of research was carried out on the discrimination on 13 individual identities and 5 intersectional identities. A new framework called the 8-Inclusion Needs of All People is based on 8 common themes.

The framework is illustrated with recommendations for application in government and policy making, the law, advocacy work, and in organizations. This goal is to provide a useful framework for expediting social justice and equitable outcomes for all people.

Inclusive online conference planning

Virtual and hybrid conferences have become more popular since the advent of the recent pandemic. But are they accessible and inclusive? A paper from Canada addresses the issues of inclusive online conferences. Using the recent Parks Accessibility Conference as a case study, the authors describe their experiences. As a Canadian event, they also had to consider two languages in their planning.

Some people with disability or impairment find online events less stressful than attending in person. They can avoid travel stresses and the regular access barriers. Others who find crowds and noise difficult, tuning in from home is a more comfortable. Consequently, conference planners need to take care to plan for easy access and inclusion.

And it should be for every conference, not just conferences with a disability component. However, this is a good place to begin and to learn from first hand experiences. The Parks Accessibility Conference is one such example.

Key strategies

The authors provide a list of their key strategies:

- Make visual elements accessible to attendees with vision impairment
- Make audio elements accessible to attendees who are Deaf or hard of hearing
- Avoid overstimulation for individual who are neurodiverse or with a cognitive condition
- Create ways to incorporate multi-sensory experiences remotely
- Finding the right virtual conference platform.

The planners worked with presenters to help format and organise their presentations and materials. They hosted a pre-conference session with attendees to explain how to use the various features of the online platform so they knew what to expect.

The paper reads like a story, explaining every step along the way so that others might learn from their experience. There are eight recommendations for future conferences based on what they learned. Top of the list is to include people with disability from the beginning.

The title of the paper is, Virtual Accessible Bilingual Conference Planning: The Parks Accessibility Conference.

From the Abstract

The objective of this paper is to share how our team planned and delivered a virtual conference that was fully bilingual and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

We incorporated closed captions, sign language interpretation, language interpretation (audio), regularly scheduled breaks, and a multi-sensory experience.

We describe our approaches to planning the conference, such as including individuals with disabilities in decision-making, selecting virtual conference platforms, captioners, and interpreters, and how we incorporated a multi-sensory experience.

The paper also summarizes feedback we received from our attendees using a post-conference evaluation survey and our team’s reflections on positive aspects of the conference and opportunities for improvement. We conclude by providing a set of practical recommendations that we feel may be helpful to others planning virtual accessible bilingual conferences in the future.

People with complex communication needs

See a separate paper, Supporting Communication Accessibility and Inclusion in Online Meetings for Persons with Complex Communication Access Needs. This is a Masters thesis on running online sessions for people with complex communication needs.

From the abstract

This community-based, participatory research study explores how online sessions can be designed to support complex communication access needs. The use of a community-led co-design approach resulted in a deeper understanding of the individual communication accessibility requirements, barriers, and lived experiences of persons who use AAC, within the online meeting context.

Participants (‘co-designers’) designed and took part in collaborative design sessions aimed at developing ideas for supporting communication access and inclusion throughout the process of meeting online. Through cross-community collaboration, we co-designed an open-source communication access toolkit for online meetings.

The toolkit includes accessibility guidelines with a protocol for holding accessible and inclusive online sessions; suggested accessibility features and plugins for meeting platforms; and a template for a collaborative participant notebook.

The design outcomes provide guidance to the general population on how we might ensure that online meetings of all forms are inclusive and accessible for diverse and complex communicators, as we all have a right to communicate with dignity in ways where we understand and are understood.

Author: Jane Bringolf

Access and inclusion for transport in Queensland

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