We have an opportunity to work together with 3 students (social studies, tech, and business backgrounds) who will focus on improving the accessibility of specific products in Kenya. To make it the most useful for you, we would like to hear from you:
What are products you use daily (both physical and digital) for which you face accessibility challenges?
I would appreciate your experience inputs and concrete use cases - when do you use this product, etc.
For persons with Psychosocial disabilities I'd say accessibility can be affected depending on the environmental context. For example in meetings, one could attend a meeting or a conference and participate but with some difficulties because their reasonable accommodations are often overlooked and for these RAs to be met, we often have to justify ourselves, which shouldn't be the case. Accessibility ensures full and meaningful participation in social, economic and political activities. Without access to reasonable accommodations because your disability is "invisible" is detrimental to our accessibility needs.
The barriers propagating this are:
The deep set attitudinal notions rooted in the medical model. Where persons with psychosocial disabilities are not fully embraced as persons with disabilities but as people with mental health problems that can be medically managed by the person or even more often the person can "do their best" to fit in for example; Where one may need frequent sensory breaks, it'll be met with something like, "Let's avoid frequent movement" this would completely disadvantage the individual and affect their participation.
The other barrier, psychosocial disabilities are still misunderstood and most persons with disabilities need to be made aware of their rights as part of persons with disabilities. Awareness raising is paramount. To both the individual, the public and all stakeholders. This will ensure that steps are made
In the Neurodivergent community, it all depends on the individual. For instance, Autistic Learners need pecs which means a picture exchange communication system that helps them in daily communication.
Most schools have them with cards with pictures of different things from things we use on a daily routine to things that appear negative and shouldn't be done.
the devices we lack are tablets that have the same in the form of an app and with additional audio output to make the experience better. Tablets aren't available for everyone, this makes it hard because the exposure of such a device can make a huge difference.
Apps for mobile banking may have challenges with accessibility, making it difficult for people with cognitive or visual impairments to independently handle their funds. Accessibility and usability can be hampered by poorly labeled buttons, a lack of alternative language for images, or complicated navigation.
Public Restrooms - There is more difficulties with accessibility in public restrooms. Examples include insufficient signage, a lack of braille labeling, or an inappropriate placement of facilities, which makes it challenging for those with cognitive or visual impairments to locate and use bathrooms safely.
In the Neurodivergent community, it all depends on the individual. For instance, Autistic Learners need pecs which means a picture exchange communication system that helps them in daily communication.
Most schools have them with cards with pictures of different things from things we use on a daily routine to things that appear negative and shouldn't be done.
the devices we lack are tablets that have the same in the form of an app and with additional audio output to make the experience better. Tablets aren't available for everyone, this makes it hard because the exposure of such a device can make a huge difference.
An escalator. Even though it offers the convenience to move up floors and are generally strategically placed, they present a huge challenge. For a person on crutches, especially if you sing two crutches, you struggle to find your balance on it and at the point of alighting, it needs one to know the precise time to move otherwise there's the risk of falling cause there's a small landing at the point where escalator ends. The escalator generally move fast so if the speed could be tweaked a little it could help.
An elevator. Its the most convenient form of going up several floors for a person with physical disability. The backside to it is if you a person on wheelchair you can't squeeze in on a elevator. This is because wheelchairs tend to take up space, hence you either have to wait long or when you do get the priority to go up/down, some people will have to wait for the next one.
Houses. Most houses however disability friendly they are, they'll always be a raised step in bathroom and toilet. This raised step offers some level of difficulty for people on wheelchairs as the drop could lead to falling or it needs one to be helped to easily go over it. Most houses too don't have really wide doors hence modified wheelchairs can't get in easily and at times can't get in at all, this presents a challenge.