Tip of the Iceberg
Posted: January 16, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, Accessibility Awareness Leave a commentI was just thinking about all of the different aspects of accessibility and how far this concept of accessibility awareness reaches.
Right now I am looking into basic Accessibility Awareness. Focusing in on thinking about accessibility which I hope will create discussion on What is Accessibility. This is just the tip of the iceberg…
Other topics to look into include:
* Accessibility within Society
* Accessibility in the Virtual World
* Accessibility for the Consumer
* Accessibility for the Employee
*Accessibility for the Employer
* Accessibility of Basic Needs (food, water, shelter)
* Accessibility to Health Care
* Accessibility Laws and Procedures
* Accessibility Advocacy
So many thoughts at this moment… I am sure I will add to this list as I go along…but I think it is best to take it one step at a time. 🙂
Walgreens
Posted: January 15, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Places | Tags: Accessible, Policies, Walgreens Leave a comment
Walgreens Store... Accessible?
From the outside it seems that Walgreens would be accessible… as a huge corporation with stores all over the country I wondered what are their policies on accessibility.
There is no disability claim on the door like I saw on the Jo-Ann Fabrics store. I did not see any other signs telling me how they are accessible.
So I asked the cashier when I checked out.
She told me that they try to be as helpful as possible. I asked if there was any sort of accessibility training… she states the training tries to cover as much as possible but if I had more questions I might get better answers with the manager.
So of course I talked to the manager on duty. I asked: What does Walgreens do for accessibility?
The manager asked me what I meant. He didn’t understand the question and as I told him accessibility for all abilities he started to get a little nervous. He stated he tries to be as helpful as possible and does not discriminate because of gender, race, disability… etc… like what you read on your job application. I asked if Walgreens had any policies on accessibility. He did not know of any.
Questions I still have
If your employees do not know of the accessibility policies… are you accessible?
Does just the parking spot in front and automatic doors make a place accessible?
Should large corporations be made to be ‘completely accessible’? what is ‘complete accessibility’?
In a world that is not accessible should it be assumed that people know certain places are accessible?
How should these businesses let us know they are accessible and how they are accessible?
Will there be a time where there is more accessibility than not accessible that we can assume a place is accessible to all?
What is Accessibility?
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, Communication, Emotional, Financial, Hearing, Mental, Physical, Visual 4 CommentsI have been trying to figure out this so called ‘accessibility’. I can not claim on what accessibility looks like in your country but I can question accessibility in the places I have been and the laws within the United States.
I try to put myself in other’s shoes as much as I can and ask a lot of questions. I want to know what is difficult for people of all abilities. I am learning about accessibility awareness more and more which makes me believe this is an important topic that needs to be addressed in a global sense. We are not cookie cutouts so the environment should not be that way. The environment around us needs to be flexible and change because each and every one of us is unique.
What is ‘Accessibility’ to me?
Accessibility is creating an environment where everyone no matter their abilities can access all things as independent as possible.
Below are a few types of accessibilities I believe we need to be aware of. With a short comment of how I think of these accessibilities. (There are many more than what is on this list that I am figuring out as I become more aware)
Physical Accessibility: The ability to move within a given environment freely.
Communication Accessibility: The ability to communicate in the environment with any form of communication.
Visual/Hearing Accessibility: The ability to freely discover an environment as independent as possible.
Mental/Emotional Accessibility: The acknowledgement that everyone processes differently and that the environment respects the time, process and opinion or way of doing things of the individual.
Financial Accessibility: To have a quality environment for people of all income levels.
I have started questioning places who claim to be accessible which will also be covered in this blog.
Please feel free to comment and share your stories of accessibility.
Thanks!
Jo-Ann Fabrics ‘Accessibility’
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Places | Tags: Accessible, Jo-Ann Fabrics Leave a comment
Jo-Ann Fabrics' Accessibility Logo
When going into Jo-Ann Fabrics I saw this logo on the door. It has the ‘handicap’ logo and states next to the logo. ‘It is the policy of Jo-Ann Stores Inc. to make the stores accessible to persons with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and you need assistance to access our store please make your needs know to any employee.” (the ‘no pets’ logo states underneath service animals welcome)
First off I thought it was quite interesting that the doors were not automatic and I even had a hard time opening them. So how is one suppose to ask for assistance if you can’t even get into the store?
The store in general is very crowded… I would imagine it would be hard for anyone with movement issues or in a wheelchair to access all of the store.
The most interesting and refreshing thing about my Jo-Ann Fabrics visit was the employee I spoke with. I asked about the sign on the door and how this store is accessible. She very plainly said ‘I don’t think it is’.
It just so happened this employee has worked with people with special needs and understood how difficult it is to get in and out of some stores and buildings. She said she thinks about accessibility often and wonders how things are going to change to make things more accessible. She also stated how the front door to the store is a very difficult door and she has seen people get their fingers stuck because the door is so heavy. She also told me that they are going to be remodeling soon and hopes these issues are addressed. She was definitely going to look into it and let me know the next time I stop by.
I left with a big smile and thanked her for being aware. It is people like her that can make a difference. If she shares her awareness things can change for that store and even the corporation itself.
Great to know I am not alone in the questions of accessibility.
Hopefully once someone with a physical disability can get into the store we can look at other accessibility needs.
McDonalds Drive Thru
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Places | Tags: Accessible, Drive Thru, McDonalds Leave a comment
McDonald's Drive Thru Window
I have been quite curious recently what this sign means in the McDonalds Drive Thru Window. It says “Hearing/Speech Impaired Assistance Available At This Window”
So today while going thru the drive thru I asked.
The teenager at the window had no idea. Lucky for me there was a manager right there he could ask.
Of course when he did ask the manager responded “why, do you need it?” So I explained I was doing research on accessibility and the manager told me they use a picture menu or give them a pen and paper to write down their order.
I was actually impressed they had anything at all. Unfortunately I went at a very busy time and could not ask as many questions as I wanted… so I will be going back and updating this post with what I find out.
What are some of the issues with this situation?
1. The person working the window had no idea of the accessibility options.
2. This picture menu did not seem to be in the window area. (I am definitely going back to see this picture menu.)
3. I did not see a sign on the menu/ordering station that said ‘pull up to window for Hearing/Speech Assistance.’ (I will look closer to see if I might have missed it)
4. You had to ask for accessibility
Other things I think the drive thru could use
1. An option for a touch screen order device… (who can ever understand what those people are saying thru those speakers?) but also leave the option to speak with someone.
2. Easy read menus. (I don’t think I am the only one who can’t find what I am looking for on those menus in the drive thru)
3. The screen with the list of your order and price needs to have pictures along with text for the items you ordered.
Assumptions made with the drive thru:
1. everyone can read
2. everyone reads the same
3. everyone has been thru a McDonalds drive thru and understands the process and knows about the ‘accessibility’ options.
Those are my thoughts for now on the accessibility of the McDonalds Drive Thru.
The most frustrating question.
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Accessibility, Thoughts | Tags: Accessibility, Accessibility Awareness Leave a commentAs I have been trying to find ways to make environments more accessible or learning about accessibility in so called ‘accessible’ environments the most annoying question I am asked is:
Do you need accessibility?
I was working on an concert for people of all abilities and while setting up the space I requested there be a space for someone with a wheelchair. I was then asked if I was expecting someone in a wheelchair.
At McDonalds I asked about the hearing/speech accessibility in the drive thru. I was then asked ‘why, do you need it?’
Working with a web designer and asking them to make the website more ‘accessible’… the web designer responds ‘I don’t think that is necessary’
Is a place accessible if they are not accessible all the time?
Is a place accessible if you have to ask for accessibility?
Is it possible to be too accessible?
R U Accessible 