Disability and the built environment
Date
2013-05-31
Authors
Mafhala, Vhangani Richard
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Abstract
The research report highlights the barriers ecountered by visually impaired persons when navigating the built environment. As will be seen, the three primary barriers that are dicussed include attitudinal, organisational and environmental barriers. Environmental barriers usually receive the most attention (Stienstre et al, 2002). This barrier is given the most attention largely because of its impact on the lives of the disabled people. In addition to that , it is the right of citizens as outlined in the Constitution to have access to an environment that is not harmfull to a person`s well-being (Republic of South Africa; Act No. 108 of 1996). In light of this Act, the rearcher undertook to explore how visually impaired people interact with the built environment and how these experiences could influence or enhance approaches to planning and design of the built environment. There are various methods and techniques that visually impaired people use to navigate the built environment that allow limited access, but because planners are interested in visual signs, these are not taken into consideration and incorporated as a matter of course. The report explains key concepts that underpin the behaviour portrayed by society, partiularly with regards to attitudes and legislation. Principally, the social and medical models of disability are thoroughly engaged. In essence, these models of disability explain what is regarded as the root cause of discriminatory legislation as well as the adverse impact that environmental barriers pose to equal participation in society. Various elements of the built environment are discussed and their impact on the daily experiences of visually impaired people, particularly when moving around. The researcher has found these elements to be vital as they play a central role in dividing the environment into smaller, clearly connected and more manageable sections that could be directly encoded into a hierarchy of spatial knowledge. Information from the interviews is presented to demonstrate the adverse state of the built environment using the experience of the interviewees. Responses to overcoming these barriers are outlined and recommendations made. For example, even though structure environmental barriers are frequently more complicated to remove, they can be designed-out when an are is upgraded. Given the constitutional mandate as mentioned above and the Myriad of information regarding the difficulties encountered by visually impaired people, the research report concluded by emphasizing the fact that it is important to ensure that when building are designed there shouldn`t be other sections of the built environment that in any way excludes certain groups of people on the basis of their disability. The built environment should be designed in such a way that all people with or without impairment should be able to, without assistance, approach, enter, pass to and from, and make use of an area and its facilities without difficulties. The national Building Regulations should however be revised for this to occur especially Part S which is the section in the national Building Regulations which directly deal with disability issues whilst at the same time taking advantage of the Universal Access design guidlines. A comprehensive bibliography is provide for further information, and includes the references used in preparing the research report.