Most of the information we use in our daily commutes is presented in a visual way.
However, this volume of information could be useless for people with a visual impairment,
for them it exists some resources such as tactile flooring or braille information
points that can constitute their main guiding tools in public spaces. Although, there
is little information available about the extent of the real utility of these elements.
Furthermore, it has been detected a gap of information regarding the characteristics
of the commutes and needs of people with visual impairment.This study aimed to identify
the information needs of people with visual impairment through identifying the following
aspects: (1) Daily life activities, (2) Orientation strategies and way finding in
the complex built environments, (3) Frequency and way of use of the signals provided
in the environment by people with complete blindness or severe visual impairment,
(4) Types of discrepancies, errors, and omissions in the characteristics of the environment,
which reduce the usability of the space and might put the user in danger, and (5)
Safety perception.Data were obtained through a semi-structured interview that was
responded by 18 adults with complete blindness and severe visual impairment. As references
for orientation, the most common aspects were textures or level changes on the floor,
as well as ambience elements like noise and smell. On the other hand, the information
presented in braille was reported as little used, due to the difficulty to find the
information. In regard to safety, participants reported feeling unsafe, most of them
mentioned street crossing as a major risk point.The use of auditory, tactile or even
olfactory signals can provide important information while commuting, making paramount
the design of signals that consider these senses to take advantage of them. It is
required as well to assess the characteristics of the existent tactile signals and
their location to identify opportunities for improvement to ensure the safety and
independence of people with visual impairment.
