7 Tips to Welcome a Person with Disabilities

7 Tips to Welcome a Person with Disabilities

by | 23 Apr, 2021

Two wheelchair users share drinks with other people

7 Tips to Welcome a Person with Disabilities

 

7 Tips to Make a Person with Disabilities Feel Welcome

  1. Stay natural
  2. Ask questions
  3. Don't think for them
  4. Offer your help, don't impose it
  5. Make sure you're talking to the person with disabilities before anything else
  6. Don't take offense if some behaviors seem strange to you
  7. Don't pet a dog without first asking his owner

Who hasn’t been uncomfortable dealing with a person with disabilities? We’ve all been afraid to drop a clanger, to be clumsy and to behave badly. It’s normal to feel disconcerted in a new situation when we don’t understand the appropriate codes. But it’s actually not that difficult. Here are a few tips that will work every time, regardless of the disability type of the person you’re talking with!

1. Stay natural

Alright, it’s easier said than done… But you need to realize that the person in front of you is above all a human being with the same needs as anyone. Meaning that past the initial moment of surprise, even the moment of panic (because this can also happen…), you simply have to say hello and start talking to the person in front of you.

2. Ask questions

Yes, it’s a new situation and yes, it’s normal not to have all the keys in hand. Simply ask the person you’re talking with what you can do for them. They know best how to explain it to you.

3. Don’t think for them

Because we want to do things right, we often tend to anticipate what a person with disabilities will say or do. But it’s a trap! There’s a good chance you’ll be wide of the mark concerning their expectations and this may cause frustration that could make the person with disabilities aggressive towards you! Give them time to express themselves.

4. Offer your help, don’t impose it

Some people with disabilities don’t dare to ask for help. You’ll make it easier for them if the offer to help comes from you. But do it in an open way so that the person you’re talking to can feel free to tell you if they need it or not.

5. Make sure you’re talking to the person with disabilities before anything else

If a person with disabilities is with someone like a caregiver, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t communicate with you. It’s in fact rarely the case. But even if it was, it’s not a reason to ignore them in the conversation. Just speak directly to them. The caregiver they’re with will naturally take over if it’s necessary.

6. Don’t take offense if some behaviors seem strange to you

There’s nothing more normal than to feel disconcerted facing an attitude or a behavior that’s out of the ordinary. But you need to realize that some types of disabilities may be the cause and that it’s completely out of control. Try to disregard it and treat the person with disabilities as an adult no matter what.

7. Don’t pet a dog without first asking his owner

Obviously, this advice concerns every dog but it’s particularly the case with guide dogs or service dogs used for other types of disabilities. Petting them while working could distract them and thus put in danger the people they’re accompanying.

 

We hope these basic tips will enable you to feel more confident next time you’re dealing with a person with disabilities in your venue or somewhere else! You’ll find other tips adapted to specific types of disabilities such as 12 Tips to Welcome a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Person and 9 Tips to Welcome a Person with an Intellectual Disability.

Please keep in mind that there are trainings to help you and your personnel best assist customers with disabilities. Thanks to qualified organizations, you’ll be able to talk about dealing with people with disabilities without any taboos!

 

 

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Some people with disabilities don’t dare to ask for help. You’ll make it easier for them if the offer to help comes from you.

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Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

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Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Jul 30, 2021

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?July celebrates Disability Pride Month! A month to support and raise awareness on disability. It gives people with disabilities an opportunity to be seen and heard. Obviously, everybody has their own...

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ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility: Examples of a Technology that Serves People with Disabilities

Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility: Examples of a Technology that Serves People with Disabilities

by | 05 Mar, 2021

A machine learning brain

Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility: Examples of a Technology that Serves People with Disabilities

Beaucoup d’entre nous pensent que l’intelligence artificielle est une notion abstraite et futuriste que l’on ne voit que dans les films de science-fiction, avec ses robots humanoïdes et ses hologrammes. Pourtant, elle est de plus en plus ancrée dans notre réalité et touche divers domaines et catégories de personnes, y compris les personnes en situation de handicap. L’intelligence artificielle révolutionne véritablement l’accessibilité et l’inclusion ! Grâce aux solutions technologiques de l’IA, les personnes en situation de handicap peuvent améliorer considérablement leur quotidien. 

Nous avons déjà vu que les smartphones sont un outil puissant pour aider les personnes malvoyantes. De nombreuses applications leur permettent en effet de rester autonomes. Par exemple, grâce à Seeing AI, les personnes malvoyantes peuvent facilement consulter leurs courriers en recevant des documents sous l’appareil photo de leur smartphone. L’IA s’adapte à tous les types de handicap. Par exemple, les personnes à mobilité réduite peuvent contrôler tout leur domicile simplement par la voix grâce à un assistant personnel virtuel comme Amazon Alexa.

Examinons l’IA et comment elle peut améliorer l’accessibilité grâce à quelques exemples de solutions innovantes ! L’avenir commence maintenant !

Qu’est-ce que l’intelligence artificielle et comment fonctionne-t-elle en matière d’accessibilité ?

L’intelligence artificielle (IA) définit des machines ou algorithmes intelligents capables d’effectuer des tâches cognitives habituellement réalisées par des humains. Cela inclut différentes solutions technologiques qui imitent l’humain et utilisent la logique, allant des échecs à la résolution d’équations.

L’apprentissage automatique est l’une des technologies de l’IA  : lorsque les algorithmes sont exposés à davantage de données, ils peuvent en tirer des enseignements et s’en améliorer afin d’anticiper les besoins des consommateurs. Par exemple, Google utilise l’apprentissage automatique : ses algorithmes collectent les recherches et les appréciations des internautes sur les réseaux sociaux afin de proposer des résultats de recherche et des recommandations plus personnalisées. 

Près de 4 milliards de personnes dans le monde utilisent le moteur de recherche Google , et donc l’IA, perçue comme un bien social. Tout le monde peut y avoir accès, y compris les personnes handicapées. La technologie en général et l’intelligence artificielle en particulier jouent un rôle essentiel dans l’accessibilité. Il ne s’agit pas seulement de trouver les dernières innovations, mais surtout de proposer une solution au service d’une catégorie de personnes afin d’améliorer leur vie. Cela représente une avancée majeure pour plus d’un milliard de personnes handicapées dans le monde qui pourraient utiliser l’IA. Que peut faire l’IA pour l’accessibilité ?

Il peut supprimer les barrières d’accessibilité grâce à différentes solutions :

⊗  Reconnaissance d’images pour les personnes malvoyantes,

⊗  Reconnaissance faciale pour les personnes malvoyantes,

⊗  Reconnaissance de la lecture labiale pour les personnes malentendantes,

⊗  Résumé de texte pour les personnes ayant une déficience mentale,

⊗  Sous-titres ou traductions en temps réel pour les personnes malentendantes ou même celles qui ne parlent pas la langue.

L’IA a un impact considérable sur le quotidien des personnes handicapées : grâce à la synthèse de textes, une personne atteinte d’un handicap mental peut facilement appréhender le monde qui l’entoure. Ce qui peut apparaître un message complexe à déchiffrer se révèle être un texte facile à comprendre. Des choses qui semblent initialement difficiles, voire impossibles, leur sont désormais accessibles au quotidien. L’IA permet aux personnes handicapées d’accéder à un monde où leurs difficultés sont comprises et prises en compte. La technologie s’adapte et contribue à transformer le monde en un espace inclusif grâce à l’accessibilité de l’intelligence artificielle. L’IA met tout le monde sur un pied d’égalité, avec ou sans handicap.

Quels sont les bénéfices de l’intelligence artificielle en matière d’accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées ?

Nous avons vu les principaux points concernant l’accessibilité de l’IA, mais concrètement, où l’IA est-elle mise en œuvre pour améliorer la vie des personnes handicapées ? Comment l’IA les aide-t-elle à rester autonomes ? Concentrons-nous sur quatre situations majeures où l’IA apporte une valeur ajoutée :

Communiquer avec les autres et être connecté

Selon le type de handicap et le profil, communiquer avec les autres peut s’avérer complexe. Il en va de même pour rester connecté dans un monde de plus en plus numérisé, avec l’importance croissante des réseaux sociaux et notre dépendance à Internet. Mais la technologie et l’IA ne laissent personne de côté et peuvent être au service des personnes en situation de handicap. De nombreuses applications utilisent l’intelligence artificielle pour favoriser l’accessibilité.

Pour les personnes aveugles ou malvoyantes :

⊗ VoiceOver : un lecteur d’écran directement intégré aux iPhones. Bien que son utilisation principale soit la lecture d’e-mails ou de messages texte, VoiceOver utilise également l’IA pour décrire les icônes d’applications, le niveau de batterie et même certaines images.  

⊗ TalkBack : l’équivalent de VoiceOver pour smartphones Android. Il permet aux utilisateurs d’exploiter pleinement leur smartphone. 

⊗ Siri : l’assistant virtuel de l’iPhone. Grâce à la commande vocale, il suffit à l’utilisateur d’énoncer sa requête : qu’il s’agisse d’une recherche Google ou de la rédaction d’un SMS à envoyer à un ami. Les personnes malvoyantes peuvent facilement utiliser Siri et rester en contact avec leurs proches. 

⊗ Cortana : assistant virtuel créé par Microsoft et implémenté sur Windows. Il aide les utilisateurs aveugles ou malvoyants à naviguer sur leur ordinateur simplement en utilisant leur voix. Il est en quelque sorte similaire à Siri. 

⊗ Google Assistant : une application activée par commande vocale. Les utilisateurs peuvent facilement configurer une alarme ou gérer leur emploi du temps, comme Siri. 

Pour les personnes sourdes ou malentendantes :

⊗  Ava : une application de transcription instantanée qui utilise l’IA pour transcrire instantanément les conversations d’un groupe. Son algorithme ajoute la ponctuation, le nom de l’interlocuteur et le vocabulaire nécessaire, tiré du dictionnaire de l’utilisateur. Un moyen simple pour les personnes malentendantes d’être incluses et de suivre une conversation avec plusieurs personnes sans lire sur les lèvres. 

⊗  RogerVoice : une application de transcription instantanée en français pour les conversations de groupe, disponible en 90 langues. Son fonctionnement est identique à celui d’Ava.

Pour les personnes handicapées physiques :

⊗  Assistants virtuels comme Siri, Google Assistant et Google Voice Access : les personnes à mobilité réduite peuvent utiliser leur smartphone par commande vocale. Google Voice Access a été spécialement conçu pour les personnes à mobilité réduite.

⊗  IFTTT : une application qui connecte d’autres applications pour permettre aux utilisateurs à faible dextérité d’utiliser toutes les fonctionnalités de leur smartphone sans difficulté. Elle crée des combinaisons avec les applications pour exécuter automatiquement des tâches telles que la lecture d’un e-mail à voix haute ou l’envoi d’un tweet.

Même les personnes souffrant de troubles de la parole peuvent bénéficier de l’IA grâce à l’application Voiceitt. Grâce à l’apprentissage automatique, Voiceitt peut facilement comprendre les personnes atteintes de lésions cérébrales ou de la maladie de Parkinson, dont la parole peut sembler difficile à appréhender au premier abord. Cette application normalise leur discours pour créer un fichier audio ou texte, permettant ainsi aux personnes souffrant de troubles de la parole de continuer à communiquer et d’être comprises.

Bien entendu, les applications d’IA et les smartphones ne sont pas les seuls moyens pour les personnes handicapées de communiquer et d’interagir avec les autres. L’accessibilité du web continue de s’améliorer pour se conformer à l’ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), offrant ainsi le même accès et les mêmes services à tous, quel que soit leur handicap. 

Concevoir un site web accessible peut s’avérer complexe, mais l’IA change la donne. La conception d’un site est analysée grâce à l’apprentissage automatique. L’accessibilité peut alors être améliorée grâce à plusieurs points :

⊗  Une reconnaissance faciale avec un logiciel d’IA pour remplacer les CAPTCHA qui peuvent être difficiles à trouver pour les personnes malvoyantes,

⊗  Une optimisation de la navigation au clavier via le bouton « Tab » pour les personnes en situation de handicap physique,

⊗  Une technologie de reconnaissance vocale ou de reconnaissance vocale comme le projet Euphonia de Google pour que les personnes souffrant de troubles de la parole puissent utiliser Internet grâce aux sons et aux gestes,

⊗  Contenu de descriptions audio pour les personnes ayant une déficience visuelle,

⊗  Sous-titres et traductions de vidéos en ligne pour les personnes malentendantes comme Microsoft Translator ,

⊗  Réajustements des éléments graphiques tels que les polices, les couleurs et l’espacement pour les personnes malvoyantes,

⊗  Une bibliothèque intégrée d’idiomes, d’argot et de phrases qui sont rarement utilisés pour les personnes ayant une déficience mentale.

L’apprentissage automatique imite un navigateur, de la même manière qu’il imite les humains, pour adapter automatiquement le contenu affiché à l’écran et le rendre accessible aux personnes handicapées. L’intelligence artificielle améliore pleinement l’accessibilité et l’inclusion.

Se déplacer

Pour les personnes handicapées, la mobilité est l’un des défis les plus complexes à relever. Comment les utilisateurs de fauteuil roulant peuvent-ils se déplacer en ville de manière autonome et sereine alors qu’ils doivent constamment connaître l’emplacement des trottoirs abaissés et des toilettes accessibles ?

Dans notre article « Comment aider les personnes handicapées à mieux vivre leur expérience dans le métro ? » , nous avons vu que les personnes handicapées doivent préparer rigoureusement chacun de leurs déplacements. Heureusement pour elles, de nombreuses applications de navigation basées sur l’IA peuvent les aider à gagner en autonomie et en spontanéité dans leurs déplacements.

⊗  Google Maps : l’une des applications GPS les plus utilisées au monde. Les personnes malvoyantes ou en fauteuil roulant peuvent préparer leur voyage à l’avance et visualiser leur itinéraire ainsi que le moyen de transport le plus adapté à leur profil. Grâce à l’option « Accessible aux fauteuils roulants », les personnes en fauteuil roulant peuvent connaître l’emplacement des rampes et des ascenseurs en ville.

De plus, la fonctionnalité « Lieux accessibles » leur permet d’obtenir plus d’informations sur la disposition de nombreux lieux : entrée, places de parking, toilettes, disposition des sièges… Cette fonctionnalité est également utilisée par les personnes malvoyantes pour localiser l’entrée d’un bâtiment.

⊗ Moovit : une application idéale pour les usagers des transports en commun. Elle fournit des informations trafic en temps réel et s’avère utile pour les personnes malvoyantes, notamment lorsque les annonces vocales ne sont pas activées dans le bus. 

⊗ Wheelmap : répertorie et cartographie tous les lieux publics accessibles (restaurants, commerces, cafés…). Les utilisateurs peuvent également ajouter des données et des informations concernant le niveau d’accessibilité des lieux. 

⊗ Paysage sonore : une application qui décrit aux personnes aveugles leur environnement grâce à la technologie audio 3D. Elles peuvent ainsi facilement identifier les points d’intérêt à proximité et les intersections. Pratique pour profiter de la ville.

⊗ Evelity : la première application d’orientation intérieure pour les personnes en situation de handicap. Quel que soit leur profil, ils peuvent facilement s’orienter dans des lieux complexes et fréquentés tels que les réseaux de métro, les universités , les centres commerciaux , les stades … Evelity fonctionne comme un GPS et fournit des instructions étape par étape. Elle est conçue sur mesure pour s’adapter aux profils et aux besoins des utilisateurs :

→ Les utilisateurs malvoyants peuvent le configurer pour qu’il fonctionne avec les lecteurs d’écran VoiceOver et TalkBack afin de pouvoir recevoir des instructions audio.

→  Les utilisateurs malentendants peuvent utiliser des descriptions textuelles et des icônes.

→  Les utilisateurs de fauteuils roulants et les personnes à mobilité réduite bénéficient d’itinéraires optimisés.

→  Les personnes atteintes de troubles cognitifs disposent d’interfaces simplifiées.

Cette application de navigation innovante pour les personnes handicapées est l’exemple parfait de la technologie de l’IA qui améliore l’accessibilité en général et la vie quotidienne des gens en particulier. 

Evelity est actuellement testé à la station de métro Jay Street-MetroTech à New York . D’autres lieux complexes ont installé cette application de navigation en France, où elle a été créée : le métro de Marseille , la faculté de médecine Rockefeller de Lyon et le musée LUMA d’Arles .

Pour les deux premiers lieux, Evelity reste un système de navigation classique, mais pour le musée, elle propose également du contenu culturel géolocalisé ! Pour les visiteurs aveugles et malvoyants, l’application décrit les œuvres d’art exposées et leur permet de se repérer dans les différentes salles du musée. La culture a un faible pour allier technologie et accessibilité !

Comment rendre les musées plus accessibles aux personnes handicapées ?

Les voitures autonomes (aussi appelées voitures autonomes ou voitures sans conducteur) représentent une nouvelle solution pour la mobilité des personnes handicapées, quel que soit leur handicap, car elles peuvent les aider à se déplacer de manière plus autonome.

Nul besoin de demander conseil à un proche ni de réserver un service pour se déplacer en voiture. Les voitures autonomes utilisent des capteurs, des caméras, des radars et l’IA pour atteindre la destination choisie. Leurs algorithmes collectent toutes les données nécessaires sur leur environnement, comme les feux de circulation, les trottoirs, les piétons…, en s’appuyant sur Google Maps et Google Street View. De nombreuses entreprises du secteur automobile testent ou développent des voitures autonomes.

Vivre de façon autonome 

L’IA touche tous les domaines et peut ainsi améliorer l’accessibilité, même à domicile. Les assistants virtuels peuvent améliorer la vie de chacun, et c’est particulièrement vrai pour les personnes en situation de handicap. Nous avions déjà parlé de Siri sur iPhone. Mais à la maison, grâce à des enceintes connectées comme Amazon Echo avec Alexa et Google Home avec Google Assistant, les personnes en situation de handicap peuvent tout contrôler par la voix : allumer les lumières, régler une alarme ou écouter de la musique dans le salon. 

N’importe quel objet domestique peut être connecté, ce qui signifie qu’une personne aveugle peut configurer son quatre simplement en demandant à Alexa ou qu’une personne à dextérité réduite peut baisser la température d’une pièce simplement en utilisant sa voix. 

Avant même de rentrer chez elles, les personnes handicapées peuvent contrôler leurs assistants virtuels grâce à l’application IFTTT. Celle-ci connecte différentes applications, dont des assistants virtuels comme Alexa, pour créer des combinaisons appelées « applets ».

C’est très pratique pour les personnes à dextérité réduite : n’importe quelle tâche peut être automatiquement exécutée par commande vocale. Elles peuvent par exemple augmenter la température de leur thermostat en rentrant du travail pour être plus sereines une fois rentrées chez elles. 

Avoir une maison connectée peut parfois sauver des vies : en cas de chute d’une personne handicapée, un système préconfiguré peut alerter les secours. Les personnes handicapées peuvent ainsi vivre seules en toute sécurité en cas de problème.

Les solutions technologiques d’IA permettent aux personnes handicapées de gagner en autonomie et de se sentir bien chez elles. L’IA propulse l’accessibilité à un niveau supérieur. 

Accéder aux mêmes services que tout le monde

L’inclusivité signifie que chacun a le droit d’accéder à tous les services, quels que soient son profil et son handicap. Les personnes aveugles peuvent lire grâce au braille et les personnes malentendantes peuvent regarder un film grâce aux sous-titres. Voici quelques exemples non exhaustifs de technologies d’intelligence artificielle au service de l’accessibilité :

⊗ Braille AI Tutor : une solution innovante pour pallier le manque d’enseignants en braille. Grâce à la reconnaissance vocale basée sur l’IA et à la gamification, les élèves aveugles peuvent apprendre le braille de manière plus autonome. L’éducation est un droit fondamental. L’accès à l’éducation est essentiel pour que les personnes aveugles puissent trouver un emploi et s’intégrer dans la société.

⊗ Voir AI sur iOS : une application conçue pour les personnes malvoyantes, capable de lire et de décrire tous les types de documents placés sous l’appareil photo du smartphone, comme des billets de banque ou du courrier. Elle peut même reconnaître des images, des couleurs et des visages, fournissant ainsi des détails sur les émotions des personnes. 

⊗ Lookout sur Android : l’application équivalente à Seeing AI. Elle dispose d’un mode d’analyse rapide permettant de parcourir rapidement un texte.

⊗ Projet Guideline de Google : une solution basée sur l’IA qui permet aux personnes aveugles de courir seules. Avec un simple harnais autour de la taille, leur smartphone Android connecté et des écouteurs, les personnes aveugles peuvent courir sans aide extérieure en suivant une ligne directrice peinte au sol. 

⊗ Documents accessibles grâce à Microsoft Accessibility Checker ou Adobe Accessibility Checker : les étudiants et les employés en situation de handicap peuvent toujours avoir accès à l’information pour réussir.

Le secteur médical bénéficie également de l‘IA grâce à la technologie robotisée, qui améliore la précision des interventions chirurgicales ou la collecte de données pour un diagnostic plus précis. Pour les personnes handicapées, cela représente un progrès considérable en termes de qualité de vie. L’exemple le plus frappant est l’invention d’un exosquelette alimentée par l’IA qui permet aux personnes paralysées de retrouver l’usage de leurs jambes : elles peuvent se lever et marcher. Une avancée technologique, mais aussi médicale, pour les personnes handicapées motrices !

Ce ne sont là que quelques exemples de technologies d’IA utilisées pour améliorer la vie des personnes handicapées dans divers domaines. De nombreuses solutions sont disponibles et développées par des startups ou de grandes entreprises comme Google et Microsoft . Grâce à une approche centrale sur l’utilisateur, les technologies d’intelligence artificielle utilisent une conception inclusive pour concevoir des solutions qui répondent au mieux aux besoins des personnes handicapées et améliorent l’accessibilité. En effet, l’IA leur permet de gagner en autonomie, qu’elles soient à la maison devant un film sous-titré ou au travail en train de lire un document accessible, rendant le monde plus accessible et inclusif.

Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur les applications utilisées au quotidien par les personnes en situation de handicap ? Consultez nos articles : 

5 applications indispensables pour les personnes sourdes et malentendantes en 2022

12 applications indispensables pour les personnes aveugles ou malvoyantes en 2022

9 applications indispensables pour les personnes handicapées physiques en 2022

Mis à jour le 28 décembre 2021 / Publié le 5 mars 2021

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A blind man uses the app Evelity to get around in the subway

AI enables people with disabilities to step into a world where their difficulties are understood and taken into account.

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Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

9 Tips to Welcome a Person with an Intellectual Disability

9 Tips to Welcome a Person with an Intellectual Disability

by | 09 Oct, 2020

9 Tips to Welcome a Person with an Intellectual Disability

 

9 Tips to Make a Person with an Intellectual Disability Feel Welcome

  1. Smile!
  2. Stay natural
  3. Do not infantilize your conversation partner
  4. Be patient
  5. Use a simple and clear language
  6. Add other mediums to your communication
  7. Offer to help
  8. Do not take offense
  9. Avoid clichés

You’re facing a person with an intellectual disability and you don’t know how to exchange with them? Everybody can feel uncomfortable seeing we don’t always know how to approach, or help if necessary, a person with disabilities. Whether you are a tourism professional who needs keys to welcome a person with an intellectual disability in your establishment or a curious citizen who wants advice in order to easily communicate with a colleague with an intellectual disability, these tips are made for you! 

 

What is intellectual disability?

Intellectual disability comes from a learning disability. Generally appearing from birth, it’s characterized by learning difficulties and an intellectual development that’s inferior to the population average. People with an intellectual disability have trouble thinking, conceptualizing, communicating and making decisions.

Trisomy 21 (or Down syndrome) is the most well known genetic disorder that leads to an intellectual disability but other syndromes exist such as Fragile X, Prader-Willi or Smith-Magenis…

Around 7 million people have intellectual disabilities in the United States. (Our article Disabled People in the World in 2019: Facts and Figures details all the figures about the types of disabilities.) How to easily communicate with them and make them feel welcome? 

1. Smile!

There’s nothing like a beautiful and sincere smile to put at ease your conversation partner! Keep in mind that we can draw a lot of emotions thanks to our facial expressions!

 

2. Stay natural

When facing a person with an intellectual disability, the best thing to do is to address them the same way you would anyone. Using a warm tone devoid of pity!

 

3. Do not infantilize your conversation partner

Remain civilized and respectful in all circumstances, even if their behavior can seem childish to you.

 

4. Be patient

Take your time to truly listen to the person in front of you and adopt a reassuring attitude. Let the person speak and react at their own pace. Also be patient when you inform or guide a person with an intellectual disability. 

 

5. Use a simple and clear language

Opting for a language devoid of technical and specialized terms or unnecessary details will help you get your message across.

 

6. Add other mediums to your communication

A written text, an image or even body language can be useful when the person in front of you has trouble understanding you or memorizing information.

 

7. Offer to help

Of course you can offer to help but don’t get offended if the answer is negative. A person with an intellectual disability can indeed be autonomous according to the situations and their capabilities so it’s best not to impose your help even though you have good intentions in the first place.

 

8. Do not take offense

Some behaviors or attitudes can seem strange to you but there’s no need to take offense.

 

9. Avoid clichés

Keep finding out about people with disabilities and how to behave around them. Our article 8 Clichés about Intellectual Disability can complete these tips.

 

Implementing a simple yet efficient signage system with colored icons and easy-to-understand words help facilitate the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in establishments open to the public. As you can see, it’s easy to make them feel welcome in any type of situation! 

 

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Take your time to truly listen to the person in front of you and adopt a reassuring attitude.

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Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

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Urban mobility of the most vulnerable: 5 minutes to understand

Urban mobility of the most vulnerable: 5 minutes to understand

by | 23 Aug, 2019

Urban Mobility of the Most Vulnerable: 5 Minutes to Understand

 

Ensuring urban mobility for all is a major challenge. Many people who are vulnerable because of their physical condition, mental health, age or strong cultural barriers can not move independently. The sidewalks that we walk every day without difficulty can be a source of anxiety and factor of social withdrawal for the most fragile people.

In the light of different surveys, we will try to understand the behavior and needs of fragile people in their travels. What are the difficulties encountered? What are the measures to be taken to improve their experience in the urban space? This article takes stock of the situation.

Make the city “legible”

According to Kevin Lynch’s book Image of the City (1960), the city is made “legible” thanks to five structuring elements: streets, neighborhoods, landmarks, boundaries and nodes (junction and concentration points). Pedestrians rely on these physical forms to find their bearings. They are meant to offer the user the opportunity to create a mental image of the places he or she walks.

When readability is lacking, apprehension takes the lead. This anxiety can become a real source of stress that paralyzes the most vulnerable people so that they give up moving and lose autonomy.

The perception of urban space varies from one user to another according to his physical and mental abilities, his personal experience and his culture. These personal filters encourage the consideration of the capacities of the most diverse users.

Priority goes therefore to the “legibility” of the city to improve the feeling of safety of all users.

Urban mobility: who are the most fragile people?

Disabled people

“About 15% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability, of whom 2-4% experience significant difficulties in functioning.” WHO

Disability typologies are grouped under six main categories:

⊗ mobility impairment

⊗ sensory disability

⊗ psychic handicap

⊗ mental disability

⊗ cognitive impairment

⊗ debilitating diseases

Among them, there are people with several disabilities of the same degree as deafblindness and people with a severe disability with multiple expressions resulting in extreme restriction of autonomy.

Old people

“Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years old will nearly double from 12% to 22%.”(WHO)

The elderly are often affected by gait disorders, cognitive disorders and sensory disorders.

Foreigners

Cities around the world are not alike and that’s good! Culture is indeed at the heart of urban development. Some tourists and especially some immigrants can lose their bearings because of a different conception of the city as they know it and the lack of knowledge of the language. In American for exemple, over 76 million tourists from all over the world are visiting the country every year. In England, over 40 million visits have been recorded in 2017.

Other factors

Everyone can feel vulnerable, the time of a trip. Distraction, temporary tiredness or punctual stress are all factors that affect physical or intellectual abilities.

Movement strategies of the most vulnerable people

 

The Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Development (CEREMA) has initiated about twenty commented journeys in urban environments with so-called “fragile” people. The objective of this study is to highlight the difficulties of certain urban amenities and the travel choices of the most vulnerable people to solve these difficulties.

The perception of public space by people with disabilities

People with visual impairments face many technological and social challenges on a daily basis. But that’s without counting the environmental difficulties, especially in their movements in the city. The design of the public space is rather intended and thought for people who have all the senses. The experience of space without the eyes rests mainly on the decipherment of the sound and tactile cues, as for example:

 

 

⊗ attention to sidewalk changes that signal a zone change

⊗ listening to the noise of cars to appreciate the proximity of the street

⊗ the attention paid to the arrangement of the trees to know the position of the buildings, etc.

To move safely, visually impaired people make travel choices that vary from person to person such as:

⊗ be accompanied by a person

⊗ favor the streets at right angles and with few shops or terraces to avoid obstacles and crowds

⊗ walk along the walls to cross wide open spaces,

⊗ follow the GPS directions by choosing the shortest route or the one with the least turns

Deaf people, who have invisible disabilities, also find it difficult to decipher their environment. A study conducted by the Gare de Lyon in Paris shows that among users with all types of disabilities, it is the people with hearing problems who have the most difficulty to achieve a journey. This result can be explained by “the natural invisibility of hearing loss that does not generate spontaneous assistance from the public or staff (…) but also by the reluctance of the people involved to announce their disability”, says the study.

To decipher their environment, deaf people favor visual ambiances, kinesthetic or olfactory cues and breaks in the atmosphere or certain urban furniture. They rely mainly on written inscriptions, characteristic smells and break points.

In terms of choice of travel, the CEREMA study shows that deaf people generally avoid approaching areas considered dangerous as water bodies.

As for people with reduced mobility, they prefer a route adapted to their physical condition. Wheelchair users need alternatives to stairs, steps and slopes equal or greater than 1:12. In either case, they take care to prepare their trip upstream.

For people with mental, cognitive and psychic disabilities the understanding of the urban space is often altered by the worry and stress of the unknown. The disability can be aggravated when the logic of the organization of space is not made explicit. In this case, the person tends to give up moving. Travel choices focus on familiar routes, close to home and leave no room for the unexpected.

Public space for the elderly

Older people may also have sensory, physical or motor disabilities, or many at the same time. They are subject to stress, fatigue, memory loss. It can be difficult for them to read road signs or a map because of vision problems.

According to a March 2016 Observatory Mobility (OMNIL) survey, the main reason for moving for people over the age of 60 is the home-purchase journey.

Older people concentrate their trips to do their shopping near their homes. They will take their time, sit on public benches to rest, go outside of the period of influence…

The case of foreigners

For some foreigners, the city they discover may not have the architectural codes they know. In addition, the lack of knowledge of the language is an impediment to decipher road signs and ask for directions.

Preferred travel strategies are the use of a GPS or a map (which can be a distraction 

and can cause accidents) and the assistance of passers-by.

Suggested improvements to enhance urban mobility of fragile people

Facilitating access to the city by all means designing more ergonomic urban spaces. Urban planners and public decision-makers must take into account the mobility difficulties of the entire population and set benchmarks to facilitate their orientation and their choice of trips.

Here are some ways to improve urban mobility for all:

⊗ Provide GPS-type tools for people with disabilities to calculate a route based on a specific disability

⊗ Design clear and visible signage by all to avoid endangerment by looking for clues

⊗ Install audio beacons in key city locations and transportation networks to guide visually impaired

⊗ Securing pedestrian crossings for the visually impaired by installing

⊗ Accessible Pedestrian Signals Avoid the creation of obstacles on the main axes of movement which are the reference routes for the most fragile users

⊗ Consult the users to seek feedbacks and the experts in order to propose adequate solutions

⊗ Make available and maintain accessibility equipment and street furniture, especially benches to rest and promote social bonds

⊗ Delimit space changes with clear visual or tactile cues

⊗ Limit spaces to a proper function to promote readability

⊗ Focus on the quality of public spaces ambiances to make them reassuring and welcoming

We are all vulnerable pedestrians. Tourist, expatriate, permanently or temporary disabled, subject to the tiredness of age or a busy day. This fragility, whatever its nature, induces a loss of autonomy and serenity in our travels.

A more legible city is a city that welcomes more visitors, boosts its economy and takes into account the travel choices of the entire population. Designing the city for the benefit of the most vulnerable means ensuring comfort and security for all. So consult the users and ask them about the areas to focus on to improve your city.

Start now to enhance urban mobility!

Check out our articles on the city of tomorrow:

MaaS: a Solution for Tomorrow’s Mobility

Disability as an Innovation Driver for the Smart City

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Some tourists and especially some immigrants can lose their bearings because of a different conception of the city as they know it and the lack of knowledge of the language.

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Zoe Gervais

Zoe Gervais

Content Manager

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The Ultimate Guide to Accessible Pedestrian Signals  Table of contents What are accessible pedestrian signals?Why do cities have accessible pedestrian signals?Who are APS for?How do audible traffic signals work exactly?What is pedestrian detection?Why are...

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Public Transport: Accessibility Solutions, Also for the Intellectual Disability!

Public Transport: Accessibility Solutions, Also for the Intellectual Disability!

by | 28 Jun, 2019

Public Transport: Accessibility Solutions, Also for the Intellectual Disability!

 

153 million people live with an intellectual disability in the World. How do they get around the city and take public transportation independently? What are the facilities, accessibility equipment or human solutions that facilitate their mobility? The accessibility regulation is not very explicit on the subject. But many public transport networks have already experimented and implemented measures that have positive effects. Here is an overview!

Intellectual Disability: Specific Needs for Mobility

 

Intellectual disability, also known as general learning disability or mental retardation, is characterized by significantly impaired intellectual and adaptive functioning. Often confused with the mental illness and associated with the cognitive disability, the intellectual disability nevertheless has its specificities.

People with intellectual disabilities have, to a greater or lesser extent depending on the case:

⊗ difficulties of understanding and conceptualization,

⊗ reduced analytical capacity,

⊗ increased emotions and sensitivity to stress,

⊗ difficulties in getting in touch and being understood,

⊗ a reduced ability to be aware of space and time,

⊗ a lack of ability to cope with unforeseen circumstances,

⊗ difficulty concentrating and remembering information,

⊗ difficulties to sort out too much information,

⊗ complicated access to writing, especially when the information is long or contains abbreviations or acronyms…

For the use of public transport, these difficulties have concrete consequences at each stage of the journey: reading maps, understanding schedules, wayfinding, remembering and following directions, identifying the correct bus stop or subway station, coping with service disruptions, delays and emergencies, requesting information from appropriate sources…

 

Tools Adapted to the Intellectual Disability to Use Public Transport

Many transport authorities have already put in place solutions to facilitate access for people with intellectual disabilities to public transport. Beyond the 153 million people with intellectual disabilities identified in the World, it is many other travelers who benefit: the elderly, children, people with mental or cognitive disabilities and potentially anyone stressed or distracted.

 

Help by Planning a Trip

Planning a trip is essential to feel reassured and anticipate difficulties. Some people with intellectual disabilities need to be trained to use public transport.

In New York City, the MTA offers free travel training to all travelers with disabilities. They learn to use the bus and subway independently. To remember the skills obtained, they can also refer to the MTA Guide to Accessible Transit.

In San Francisco, travelers with intellectual disabilities can also get an individualized travel training with a qualified travel trainer. This training allow them to improve their travel skills and gain more experience using the Muni system.

This kind of trainings also exist in Paris with “Mobility Workshops”. The RATP transit system has published a guide in language easy to read and understand.

Some people with an intellectual disability are quite able to use a map as long as it is simplified. Many cities have maps that include photos of the main places. This preview has a reassuring effect and facilitates the recognition of its destination when reaching it. Transport for London offers a large collection of maps in different forms: color, black and white, large print, audio, etc.

 

Multichannel and Multisensory Signage

 

Dissemination of information via several channels and in different sensory modalities (visual, sound, tactile) can reach a wider audience and ensures a better understanding of the message in all circumstances.

More and more transit systems are providing traveler information in real time both in visual form (lighted signs) and sound. Most of the World’s largest cities have passenger information systems with both visual and vocal announcements. This is very helpful for most fragile travelers.

Many French cities have installed audio signage for blind and visually impaired people. The speakers are activated on demand with a remote control or smartphone to avoid noise pollution on roads. They broadcast a fully customizable message wich announces the name of the location and guiding information. Specialized associations on intellectual disability suggest extending the use of these audio beacons to the population they represent. These devices are gradually installed to locate the entrances of metro stations in Paris.

The use of symbols or pictograms also facilitates identification and helps memorize information. Mexico City’s Metro system has icons to identify each station. Instead of a name, these graphic elements make wayfinding easier for passengers with intellectual disabilities or those who cannot read.

Still underdeveloped in the urban space, pavement marking has a strong potential for wayfinding of all the public. In Liverpool, the locations of the main bus stops are indicated by footprints incorporating the bus number and differentiated by a color code.

 

Training Frontline Staff and Drivers on Disability Awareness

 

The behavior of drivers and transport employees can, as appropriate, improve or aggravate the stress or panic situations of travelers with intellectual disabilities. This is one of the reasons why training for the reception of disabled people and accessibility must be provided to all personnel in contact with the public.

This approach is already in place on many public transport networks, as in London, Paris, San Francisco or Toronto.

 

Implementation of Easy-to-Use Equipment

 

The complexity of automated ticketing or security gates can compromise access to transport for people with intellectual disabilities.

The design of this equipment must therefore take into account the specific needs of these users:

⊗ Reduction of the number of manipulations,

⊗ Information easy to understand,

⊗ Tolerance to slowness, etc.

Digital Solutions Adapted to Intellectual Disability

 

People with intellectual disabilities also benefit from advances in information and communication technologies. The Disability Innovation Institute in Sydney (Australia) conducts interdisciplinary research on the use of mobile technology by people with intellectual disabilities, and its capacity to improve their social inclusion. Apps on tablets and smartphones can help them in their daily lives to do their shopping, count the currency, organize their schedule, and of course, travel on public transport. To design accessible applications, it is necessary to take into account the following points:

⊗ Easy to read and understand text: use simple words, not jargon (e.g. travel document = ticket),

⊗ Photos of places: preview of strategic points and places of destination. The fact of being able to visualize one’s journey has indeed reassuring for a person with intellectual disability. A 360 ° view is a real plus.

⊗ Voice input: Users must be able to query with their own words.

⊗ Several possible paths: What is logical for some is not necessarily for others, for example for people with autism. An application accessible to all must allow access to the same information by several methods.

⊗ Suggestions when typing: Whether the query is captured by voice or text, the application should provide suggestions for failure (e.g., “Do you mean…”).

⊗ Priority to the most common queries: These should appear as close as possible to the beginning of the home screen to allow quick access to information.

⊗ E-mail or SMS Alerts: To help users better manage unexpected events and disruptions, it is essential that the application offers an e-mail or SMS alert system on predefined routes. The application should also propose alternative routes.

⊗ Personal preferences: Users must be able to record their own parameters as their preferred mode of transport (surface transport for a claustrophobic person), their walking speed (calculation of the journey time), map display mode (change map orientation, zoom control), etc.

 

As you can see, the needs of people with intellectual disabilities allow the development of solutions that benefit all public transport users. Anyone who occasionally encounters difficulties in comprehension, memory, strength or reactivity, because of their age, illness, stress, fatigue or a simple moment of distraction . Mobility professionals with disabilities are able to assist you in implementing these solutions.

 

If you like this article you might also like this one: 8 Clichés About Intellectual Disability

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The needs of people with intellectual disabilities allow the development of solutions that benefit all public transport users. Anyone who occasionally encounters difficulties in comprehension, memory, strength or reactivity, because of their age, illness, stress, fatigue or a simple moment of distraction.

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Zoe Gervais

Zoe Gervais

Content Manager

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By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

7 Clichés About Psychiatric Disability

7 Clichés About Psychiatric Disability

by | 10 May, 2019

7 Clichés About Psychiatric Disability

 

7 popular beliefs about psychiatric disability

  1. Psychiatric disability does not affect me
  2. Intellectual disability and psychiatric disability are the same thing
  3. People who live with a psychiatric disability are unable to work
  4. A mental illness is for life, it cannot be cured
  5. The only way to treat people with psychiatric disabilities is to medicate them
  6. Schizophrenics are violent and dangerous. They often kill people
  7. There are no effective measures for promoting accessibility among people who have a psychiatric disability

Psychiatric disability, or mental illness, has long been associated with insanity. It very often (and wrongly) prompts an irrational fear in us. Like all other disabilities, it has many forms and a person can lead an active life with appropriate support.

1. Psychiatric disability does not affect me

Unfortunately, no family is safe from mental health issues, whether depression, anxiety, addiction, schizophrenia, anorexia or other. The WHO estimates that these disorders affect one in four people and that mental illness now represents the most common disability in the world.

2. Intellectual disability and psychiatric disability are the same thing

Even though the results of these two types of disabilities sometimes resemble each other, it is important to distinguish between them.
Intellectual disability is the result of a cognitive impairment that affects a person’s ability to learn, think and conceptualize. Psychiatric disability is the result of disabling psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and personality disorders. It is also often called “mental illness” but this can increase confusion between the two disabilities. In any case, psychiatric disability does not affect a person’s intellect. It simply makes it more difficult for them to use their intellectual abilities in certain circumstances or in a particular emotional state.

8 Clichés About Intellectual Disability

3. People who live with a psychiatric disability are unable to work

One of the main difficulties facing people affected by a psychiatric disability is keeping their job. The unemployment rate among people recognized as disabled workers is twice that of the general population. Nevertheless, with personalized support (rearrangement of work schedule and environment), they are more than capable of working and contributing their skills. A job can even act as an effective way of preventing their disorder from worsening.

4. A mental illness is for life, it cannot be cured

Studies show that the majority of people with mental health problems improve or even recover completely. They can then participate fully once again in family life, society and work, even if some symptoms linger on.

5. The only way to treat a person with a psychiatric disability is to commit them or medicate them

The vast majority of psychiatric patients are treated as outpatients and are never hospitalized. Psychotherapy, physiotherapy, social rehabilitation courses and support groups are just some of today’s alternatives to medication and hospitalization.

6. Schizophrenics are violent and dangerous. They often kill people

The statistics speak for themselves: less than 1% of crimes are committed by people suffering a serious mental illness. There is no connection between a psychiatric disorder and the committing of a crime.

7. There are no effective measures for promoting accessibility among people who have a psychiatric disability

Since anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of a psychiatric disability, anything that helps create a reassuring atmosphere is welcome. We can also add:

⊗ Hiring patient, respectful staff who are trained in receiving people with disabilities;

⊗ Posting simplified, illustrated signs with easy-to-understand words, colors, symbols and icons;

⊗ Using visually different carpets or floor coverings, or tactile strips to point out the main pathways;

⊗ Comforting background sound with noise-dampening coverings;

⊗ Indoor navigation apps such as Evelity: it can suit every user’s profile and provides step-by-step instructions to serenely guide people within complex venues.

Updated on January 19th, 2022/Published on May 10th, 2019

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Less than 1% of crimes are committed by people suffering a serious mental illness. There is no connection between a psychiatric disorder and the committing of a crime.

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Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

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The Ultimate Guide to Accessible Pedestrian Signals

The Ultimate Guide to Accessible Pedestrian Signals  Table of contents What are accessible pedestrian signals?Why do cities have accessible pedestrian signals?Who are APS for?How do audible traffic signals work exactly?What is pedestrian detection?Why are...

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By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.