All abilities trek to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko - Australia's highest peak

All abilities trek to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko - Australia's highest peak
All abilities trek to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko - Australia's highest peak - © Jennifer Johnson 2008

Saturday, December 3, 2016

New article- Inclusive by Design: Transformative Services and Sport Event Accessibility

Originally published at Dickson, T. J., Darcy, S., Johns, R., & Pentifallo, C. (2016). Inclusive by Design: Transformative services and sport-event accessibility The Services Industry Journal, 36(11-12) pp532-555. Article available for no charge athttp://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WdSae6GJGPG7rNXBV9qh/full 


FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 Canada

Quote from abstract:
This paper examines the service dimensions required to be inclusive of people with access needs within a major-sport event context. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities seeks to counter disability discrimination and enable citizenship rights of people with disabilities, including access to goods and services, across all dimensions of social participation including major-sport events (e.g. Olympic and Paralympic Games, world cups in football, cricket and rugby union). Providing for people with disability and access needs is also an emerging tourism focus with initiatives addressing accessible tourism included in the World Tourism Organizations mission and recent strategic destination plans. To enhance the understanding of service delivery for an accessible tourism market in a major-sport event context, a case study of the Vancouver Fan Zone for the FIFA Womens World Cup Canada, 2015 TM is analyzed through the lens of transformative services. From this analysis future research directions are identified to benefit those with access needs who wish to participate in major-sport events.

Photo 1: signage and wayfinding is so important at major events particularly where temporary overlays are used -photo courtesy of Dr Tracey Dickson ©2015.


The paper uses service blueprinting and a "traffic light" approach to assessing the fan experience from a disability perspective. Table 3 from the document is provided to give an understanding of the approach. The font and colours are explained as  Normal font or green = OK; Italics =or yellow = caution; Bold or orange = problem. The colours chosen were recommended to support screen readers.

Table 3 Traffic light service blueprint: assessment of stages of Fan Zone experience
STAGES
EVIDENCE
MOBILITY
VISION
HEARING
COGNITIVE
Research and planning
Websites (FIFA; Vancouver City)
No accessibility information for Fan Zone. Links to accessible transport information
FIFA Website not fully WCAG 2.0 compliant
No accessibility information for Fan Zone
No accessibility information for Fan Zone
Travel
Websites (FIFA;  Transit), Access Audit; observation
Public transport is accessible for independent travel
 HandyDART available for other support
Transit website is not fully WCAG 2.0 compliant
Buses and trains have LED signs indicating next stop
HandyDART available for other support
Arrival
Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis
Clear path of travel
No tactile tiles
Signage is clear
Only one entry
Activations
Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis
No overt mobility support or participation opportunities
No braille information; noise levels too high to hear instructions. Most activations assume vision
No written information available for instructions
Noisy, crowded
Food and Beverages
Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis
All vendor trucks serving areas inaccessible to wheelchair users. 3 step process to buy alcoholic drinks not helpful for those with mobility needs
No braille information, but servers can speak to customers
Signage is clear
Typical lining up process, but no guidance about where/how to line up
Toilets
Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis
Unisex accessible portable toilets available in unisex toilet area
No braille information. No staff nearby to give directions
Signage is clear
Standard port-a-loos, but in unisex layout
Watching matches
Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis
Iterations of accessible viewing not appropriate; no crowd management to support viewing
Sound system not clear. No match commentary
No hearing loops
No subtitles on screen. No sign language for MC
No ticketing, reserved seats or spaces.
Leaving & emergency exits
Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis
Clear path of travel
No tactile tiles. Sound system did not cover all Fan Zone area if emergency exit info needed, but there were security staff and volunteers
Signage is clear; security staff and volunteers available
One main exit clearly marked; security staff and volunteers available



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