Disability Access Symbols
by Terri Ricci
Last
month we highlighted sign language with an article from the University
of California at San Diego on how the Medical School has included
American Sign Language as a part of their study. In response to that
article we received information from Communication Service for the
Deaf, Inc. (CSD) here in Minnesota. They have just completed their
third month of Emergency on Call services for the Minnesota Hospital
Consortium and we have filled 100% of the requests within one hour
of receiving the request. CSD is also in
negotiations with five additional medical facilities which would bring the total
hospitals served up to 28.
Please see the CSD
article for more details on this endeavor.
This month we would like to highlight the Accessibility Symbol.
We have all seen the wheelchair symbol displayed at certain times,
but just what does it mean? This month we will look at how to buy
a wheelchair that is correct for your use. Next month we will be
checking out how accessible gyms or fitness facilities are for people
in wheelchairs. Please look forward to that article on Fitness Access.
The creators of the Disability Access Symbol project state that
the wheelchair symbol should only be used to indicate access for
individuals with limited mobility including wheelchair users. For
example, the symbol is used to indicate an accessible entrance, bathroom
or that a phone is lowered for wheelchair users. Remember that a
ramped entrance is not completely accessible if there are no curb
cuts, and an elevator is not accessible if it can only be reached
via steps. If you see the symbol displayed and there is any question
about access, consider talking to the management about the correct
use of the symbol.
If you have an interesting
article of how innovative products or innovative ideas are being
used to help a person with a disability, please send them to access@accesspress.org
