We Care...Access for Persons with Disabilities: 02/27/09

Friday, February 27, 2009

The New Episod at Prangin Mall...

Welcome back!..This is a new episod at Prangin Mall. Let's check...

This is a pictures of the parking space and the handicap ramp for persons with disabilities at Prangin Mall's sub-basement. As we saw there are only two parking space for persons with disabilities and the space of the parking is big. But, is it enough if only provides two parking space? hmm...I think that is quite enough because there are only a few persons with disabilities go to the mall and maybe they go with their family and of course they don't use that parking space...(..that is our opinion). That area is only for persons with disabilities because the sign showed "strictly for disabled only". Hopefully the society not use the facilities like parking space that provides for them. The handicap ramp for disable also provided. It is suitable but the lenght between parking space to the handicap ramp are look far. Why not the building administrator build that ramp near the parking space? Because, as we see they need to walk along through the parking space before they enter to the mall. So, that path must be build near parking space to make them easy to enter to the mall.

That all for this part. See you all again in the next finding... wait aa...~peace~

Let us see what is provided at Bukit Jambul shopping complex,Penang

Welcome back…Most of us like to go for shopping right…so now I bring you to Bukit Jambul(BJ) shopping complex, Penang. But not to buy anything…just want to do a survey on the facilities provided for disability. Now we present to you the facilities provided at BJ.

Picture shown above is the main entrance to BJ shopping complex. How is the situation if persons with disability especially for those who are using wheel chair join their family to do their shopping here? They can’t use this stair. I guess those who are not using the wheel chair can use this stair to come into BJ shopping complex because it is provided with handrail at both side. The step is also quiet wide and not too high for them to step.

We found the ramp for person with disability which is using wheel chair but it is quiet far from the entrance to that building. It is located at the left and right side of the main entrance and they might take few minutes to find the ramp.

But what is happened here? Can you see... can you imagine how they want to use this ramp? I don’t think is a better accessibility. What do you think? This conditition might bring difficulties to persons with disability who are using wheel chair. Besides that, this is not the straight ramp but a bit circle and quiet long. In addition, there is no landing area for them to rest while they are tired.

Here is the main entrance to this building. I guess it is not easy for those who are using wheel chair pass this step by themselves. There must be someone help them to lift and push the wheel chair or else they will just stop there. This is just the view outside the building. Next time I will bring all of you to judge the accessibility inside this building…Tunggu…:)

Help us to help them...

We are final year students from School of Social Science majoring in Anthropology & Sosiology. This blog is to share some knowledge and the idea about the accessibility for persons with disabilities. We try to concern on every single places and areas especially at the commercial buildings. We hope that through this blog we can produce conciousness among the community about the importance to provide the comfortable, convenience and applicable facilities for persons with disabilities especially the corporate community. We welcome your opinion, comment and suggestion...Together we share and care about this issue...Help us to keep them smiling...

Accessibility

Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product (e.g., device, service, environment) is accessible by as many people as possible.

Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" the functionality, and possible benefit, of some system or entity.

Accessibility is often used to focus on people with disabilities and their right of access to entities, often through use of assistive technology.

Several definitions of accessibility refer directly to access-based individual rights laws and regulations. Products or services designed to meet these regulations are often termed Easy Access or Accessible.

Accessibility is not to be confused with usability which is used to describe the extent to which a product (e.g., device, service, environment) can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

Accessibility is strongly related to universal design when the approach involves "direct access." This is about making things accessible to all people (whether they have a disability or not). -wikipedia-

Disability

Disability is a lack of ability relative to a personal or group standard or norm. In reality there is often simply a spectrum of ability. Disability may involve physical impairment such as sensory impairment, cognitive or intellectual impairment, mental disorder (also known as psychiatric or psychosocial disability), or various types of chronic disease. A disability may occur during a person's lifetime or may be present from birth.

Disability may be seen as resulting directly from individuals, in which case the focus is typically on aspects of those individuals and how they could function better. This view is associated with what is generally termed a medical model of disability. Alternatively, the interaction between people and their environment/society may be emphasized. Here, the focus may be on the role of society in labeling some people as having a disability relative to others, while causing or maintaining disability in those people through attitudes and standards of accessibility that favor the majority (a prejudice dubbed "able-ism"). This view is commonly associated with a human rights or social model of disability. -wikipedia-