Talking to the experts: Lorena Freitas
Lorena Freitas is a doctoral student at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Geographer by background, she has earned her master degree in Transportation Engineering, and, since then, she has kept her studies in this area. Since she got her master degree she has tried to understand ways to promote social equality focusing in disabled people. At moment she studies the invisibility of the population of wheelchair users in Rio de Janeiro city, and through the experiance of these citizens, discover how to improve their autonomy in urban spaces. With two great friends (Juliana DeCastro e Luiz Saldanha) and theirs leader, Professor Ronaldo Balassiano, she has been developing studies about active transport at Planett (Strategic Planning of Transport and Tourism Centre, available at: www.planett.coppe.ufrj.br). She also writtes about art (cinema, theater, dance etc) and fashion for the brazilian digital magazine "Woo!Magazine" (www.woomagazine.com.br). Through this work she is trying to combine art and voice for groups and themes that need space and visibility.
Amanda - Miss Lorena, can you explain for us what is the correct term that we can use when we are talking about this group of people: people with special needs, disabled, people with disability...?
Lorena - Actually, the answer for this question vary accordingly with the time and the place. Even though, it is important to be aware to the right term to don't sound prejudiced or just commits a gaffe. For example: In Brazil the term "pessoas com necessidades especiais" (people with special needs) was common, however, after the changes in the legislation the term "pessoas com deficiencia - PcD" (disabled people) started to be used. In the English language literature it is common to see the use of terms as "Disabled", "people with disabilities" and "Handicap".
Amanda - In the transportation area we hear a lot of the term accessibility. Although this term is commonly associated with people with disabilities, this term in the transportation area is broader, is not it? Can you talk a little bit about this and explain if there is a specific term to address accessibility as a feature of transport systems that is accessible to people with disabilities?
Lorena - This term is really broad, and it is correlated with the possibility to access activities. Thus, the conditions of the provided environment and of the transportation systems are straightly connected with the accessibility. When we refer to people with disabilities these conditions became even more relevant, since the existence of this lack in the infrastructure can even prevent the trip to happen. It is important to highlight that we are talking about the called "architectural accessibility". When we talk about inclusive environments the accessibility can be analyzed through different strands, as: architectonic, communicational, methodological, instrumental, programmatic and attitudinal. From this perspective it is possible to see that this term does not refers only to the idea of access places but it also refers to information, services, social contexts... at long last: opportunities in a general way. Regarding the urban planning, the architectural accessibility is the most commonly used. The truth is that the concept behind the term is complex and broad. In the field of transport, the term accessibility is, in most of the cases, linked to a broader meaning. Considering people with disabilities, there is a tendency to use the term "adapted" to designate services that meet (at some level) the specific needs of these people.
Amanda - How is treated the accessibility to people with disabilities in the transportation area? Are there subgroups or different classifications? I am asking this because, for example, the needs of someone who uses a wheel chair is totally different from a blind or deaf person, is not it? How is this treated?
Lorena - The human being is very diverse! The needs will always vary from one individual to another, or from one group of individuals to another. The difference is that in many cases for disabled people the barriers in transportation systems and in the infrastructure makes locomotion unviable. It is why is so important that the mobility of disabled people be treated and guaranteed as a civil right. However, when we think about the urban planning, in general, the philosophy of Universal Design should be considered. This concept emerged in the 1980s, and deals precisely with the design of spaces that can meet the need of all the individuals. This is the main idea of inclusion. At this point it is even interesting to mention that inclusive infrastructures are those that guarantee access on equal terms. Those that do not segregate the citizens according to their characteristics (physical, social, economic etc). What we currently have in transportation systems (and even in many public and private urban spaces) are environments that enable integration, without ensuring inclusion. Having said that, when we think about transportation system planning, we are talking about a project that can meet the demand imposed by all types of disabilities. For example: it is important that all public transportation system offer sound and luminous signaling that can warn the passanger that the driver is aware that he wants to disembark, buttons in an appropriated height for the individuals that cannot be stand, space for wheelchair or for a guide dog, adaptations for the boarding and disembarking of wheelchair users, seats for obese people, among others. These can guarantee, at some level, that most of the population will be well served by this service. Finally, we must not forget that systems are also composed of their stations / staging points and surrounds, which must also be thought through this perspective.
Amanda - What are the characteristics that make a transportation system universally accessible? Could you cite some examples of interventions that need to be done to make a system universally accessible and inclusive?
Lorena - As mentioned before, there are a number of features that need to be considered in the transportation systems design, not only focusing in the vehicles but also in the stations and its surrounds, turnstiles, ticket offices, among others. Some countries have, for example, low-floor buses that facilitate boarding and disembarkation, well-adapted stations, specific services... In fact, there are many technologies currently available that can increase the levels of individual autonomy. Maybe, the most important thing now is listen to these people more to understand how to better incorporate these technologies.
Amanda - Is there a country that has managed to achieve "perfection" in terms of universal accessibility? What is the situation in Brazil / Latin America? Do you think we are still far from being able to offer a transportation system and a truly universally accessible city for people? What is the biggest challenge to promote inclusion and universal accessibility?
Lorena - Well, it is kind of hard to say. In general seems that Barcelona, in Spain, is a city that is really aware to this question. In Brazil we still have a long way to go. Our cities are still far from provide an environment that offers equality of access. In fact, I think that we are still far from been a country that really recognize these people as citizens. Nowadays in Brazil, and in many other countries in the world, these people are still invisible for society and for governments. There is still a long way off until these people can really move on with their lives without have to pass through constraints and difficulties. On the other hand, seeing this topic gaining strength in my country and in the world fills me with hope, you know? But it is a long road ahead us. Moreover, I think the main challenge lay in the governments start to think the inclusion and the equality as a priority for the cities. Beside this challenge there are many others, but without this, there is no even a begin.
Amanda - As a last question I would like to know where researchers who want to start studying the issue of accessibility for disabled people in transportation systems can seek information and start their research. Is there any international data source or any international organization that can be used as a source of data or information?
Lorena - It is still a very insipid topic in terms of research outside the medical field and assistive technologies. In the transportation area it is still not popular, but we are moving forward. For the ones who want to check some data source for getting some information and start to understand a little more about the topic more I recommend the United Nations website (https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/).