Global Accessibility Map Makes Life Easier and More Fun

Rick Hanson, an incredible champion for all those who live with disabilities, just finished polishing off the latest shining star added to his cause: a Global Accessibility Map. This brand new online rating tool is designed for people with disabilities to help and connect with each other through their daily experiences in public venues, allowing them to evaluate and share the accessibility of restaurants, hotels and other sites.  The Global Accessibility Map, released a few weeks ago, is as an easy-to-use source for people with all varieties of disabilities, including mobility, sight and hearing impairments. Visually impaired users can also access the internet-based map using standard software programs that convert text into audible content.

Similar to sites like Yelp or Urbanspoon, users can sort through reviews by geographic location, type of impairment, kind of place, name, rating level, or any combination, and later return to post reviews and comments. This interactive system allows both users and venue owners to better understand the real world accessibility of a place, rather than just by a theoretical rating.   Imagine arriving somewhere that had described itself online as “fully acessible,” only to realize that there are 3 steps between you and the front door. Daryl Rock, the chairman of the Accessibility Map’s steering committee and himself a wheelchair user, notes that all too often “there is a disconnect between the venue owner’s perception and the consumer’s assessment of reality.” Through the Global Accessibility Map, says Rock, “we have the opportunity to take matters into our own hands.”

The Map was introduced this year as part of the 25th anniversary of the Man In Motion World Tour, and represents, as its website describes, “a unique call to action designed to focus on improving physical access to the public built environment in communities around the world.” The opportunity to not only search, but to leave reviews and comment on venues, enables all people to make informed decisions on everyday activities.  Rick Hansen, the foundation’s creator, knows how important this is better than anyone.  At the age of 15, he was paralyzed in a car crash, and since then, his enthusiasm and devotion towards disability awareness has been unparalleled.  Most famously, he is known for his Man in Motion World Tour, a 26-month, 34-country trek he took in a wheelchair 25 years ago to raise money and awareness for spinal cord injury research.

For more information, please visit www.rickhansen.com/accessibility/.