(Dis)ability and the experience of accessibility in the urban environment

Abstract

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people have a right to participation. The built environment plays a major role in determining what people with disabilities can do and be, and Universal Design has become an important strategy for improving accessibility. The social and psychological dimensions are important to the experience of accessibility. We have interviewed citizens with sight loss and mobility restrictions while walking in an urban environment, talking about accessibility, to gain more knowledge on barriers and accessibility as experienced in an urban environment. The analysis highlights how attention to physical details in the built environment and psychosocial factors such as being different, are important. The study indicates that people with impairments may have a wide range of needs that require accommodation. These findings lead to the conclusion that accessibility must include biological, psychological and social dimensions to provide a sound understanding of the person-environment interaction.