Delphine Labbé

Social participation for people with disabilities is defined as involvement in meaningful community activities, including engagement in community and civic life, and access to employment, housing, ...

People with disabilities continue to face significant barriers when flying, despite decades of policies enacted to protect their rights and ensure equitable and dignified access. These challenges are often linked not to a lack of policy but to inconsistencies, fragmentation, and unclear responsibilities across operators and jurisdictions. This review examines international, U.S., and Canadian air travel policies to assess their comprehensiveness, coherence, and alignment across jurisdictions, to promote accessible air travel for travelers with disabilities. We conducted a structured policy review following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. We systematically identified, selected, charted, and analyzed 28 U.S. policies, Canadian policies, and international guidelines. Policy content was compared using the themes of a scoping review on air travel experiences of people with disabilities and the Disability Policy Lens to examine definitions, aims, and coverage. Findings highlighted substantial variation across jurisdictions in the allocation of responsibilities among actors and the specificity of policy provisions. These variations contribute to uneven interpretation and implementation of accessibility measures, shaping inconsistent travel experiences for people with disabilities. International guidelines have the potential to serve as an important reference point, but currently lack comprehensiveness. There is a need for greater cross-jurisdictional coherence in air travel policies.

Public transportation is fundamental for people with disabilities to access meaningful opportunities. However, their access to public transit is still limited, partly due to the policies establishing the accessibility requirements of public transportation services. We conducted a policy scan analysis of the local, provincial/state, and federal public transportation policies in Canada and the United States. With this scan, we analyzed the policies’ aims, the definition of disabilities, and the content of those policies. The policy analysis revealed that the definition of disability was inconsistent across jurisdictions, creating a discrepancy between those who have access to accessible transport and those who do not. The analysis also showed that policies in the United States and Canada mainly focused on the built environment, the adaptations of vehicles, and the provision of services. In contrast, only a few policies covered social accessibility, such as interaction with the staff, which underscores a significant policy gap and suggests the need for more training requirements in the policies. Funding to transport agencies for people with disabilities was also a missing piece highlighted in this comparative analysis, particularly in Canada. Policymakers need to develop funding mechanisms to ensure a better implementation of accessibility in services and infrastructure.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people with disabilities were particularly inactive and online programs offered new opportunities for their engagement in leisure time physical activity (LTPA). However, research regarding how virtual adaptive LTPA programs were developed and delivered is limited. This case study examined the staff perceptions of developing and delivering virtual adaptive LTPA for people with disabilities to better understand the barriers and facilitators organizations experienced during its implementation. Five semi-structured interviews conducted with staff of a community-based organization specializing in adaptive LTPA explored the process of transitioning to a virtual format, challenges and facilitators, and lessons learned. Interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis and organized around three themes. Systematic development of virtual programs suggested that supporting the organization, staff and members facilitates virtual adaptive LTPA. Creativity and resourcefulness in delivering programs highlighted the importance of flexible management and using staff skills. Effects of transitioning to virtual programming emphasized positive impacts of virtual LTPA such as connectedness, health benefits, and expanded organizational reach. The results of this study emphasize the benefits of virtual adaptive LTPA and highlight key management factors that organizations can use to provide virtual opportunities for adaptive LTPA for people with disabilities.

Despite diverse mobility needs worldwide, existing mapping tools fail to address the varied experiences of different mobility device users. This paper presents a large-scale online survey exploring how five mobility groups -- users of canes, walkers, mobility scooters, manual wheelchairs, and motorized wheelchairs -- perceive sidewalk barriers. Using 52 sidewalk barrier images, respondents evaluated their confidence in navigating each scenario. Our findings (N=190) reveal variations in barrier perceptions across groups, while also identifying shared concerns. To further demonstrate the value of this data, we showcase its use in two custom prototypes: a visual analytics tool and a personalized routing tool. Our survey findings and open dataset advance work in accessibility-focused maps, routing algorithms, and urban planning.

Safely walking or wheeling in a wheelchair in the community is a civil and human right. Some progress has been made in the US towards making walking/wheeling paths more accessible for people with disabilities through the construction of new curb ramps, fixing sidewalk barriers, and installing accessible pedestrian signals. However, pedestrians with disabilities continue to be limited by infrastructure barriers on sidewalks and streets. To encourage progress and government transparency, we developed a set of performance metrics for local governments to monitor and report their progress in implementing barrier removal plans, called Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plans. We used the five-step Nominal Group Technique to systematically develop and prioritize a set of performance metrics with an expert panel of ADA coordinators, disability organizations, and state and federal Department of Transportation staff. The research resulted in obtaining 53 metrics across five goals and 14 objectives that can be used to measure all phases of implementation and are intended to be customized to fit different community contexts and capacities. The metrics could be used by federal and state transportation agencies, as well as internationally, with some adaptation to ensure that adequate progress in barrier removal is being made. Local governments can use the metrics to document and communicate their progress and effectively reduce ADA compliance litigation concerns.

PurposeRural-dwelling stroke survivors have unmet rehabilitation needs after returning to community-living. Virtual rehabilitation, defined as the use of technology to provide rehabilitation services from a distance, could be a viable and timely solution to address this need, especially within the COVID-19 pandemic context. There is still a minimal understanding of virtual rehabilitation delivery within rural contexts. This study sought to explore the perceptions of rural stakeholders about virtual stroke rehabilitation. Methods Following an interpretive description approach, 17 qualitative interviews were conducted with stroke survivors (n=5), caregivers (n=2), clinicians (n=7), and health administrators (n=3), and analyzed to understand their experiences and perceptions of virtual stroke rehabilitation. Results We identified three overarching themes from the participant responses (1) The Root of the (Rural) Problem considered how systemic inequities impact stroke survivors' and caregivers' access to stroke recovery services; (2) Common Benefits, Different Challenges identified the unique benefits and challenges of delivering virtual rehabilitation within rural contexts; and (3) Ingredients for Success described important considerations for implementing virtual rehabilitation. Conclusion Virtual rehabilitation is generally accepted by all stakeholders as a supplement to in-person services. Addressing the unique barriers faced by rural clinicians and stroke survivors is necessary to provide successful virtual rehabilitation.

PurposeThis study aimed to better understand how the powered wheelchair (PWC) impacts the experiences of family caregivers of PWC users, and explore the strategies and resources used by caregivers to cope with their role.Materials and MethodsThis mixed-methods study was part of a larger cross-sectional research study conducted in four Canadian cities. Twenty-three family caregivers of PWC users, who provided at least 2 h of support per week, completed the Power Mobility Caregiver Assistive Technology Outcome (PM-CATOM), an 18-item measure assessing PWC-related and overall burden experienced by family caregivers. We also conducted semi-structured interviews and analysed them using inductive content analysis.ResultsFrom the quantitative PM-CATOM results, the caregivers perceived low level of burden for the wheelchair-related items, (Median:4.5; Range 3 to 5). Most perceived burden when physically helping the wheelchair user and when providing verbal hints. In terms of overall help, the caregivers experienced some level of burden (Median 3.5: Range 3 to 5). Most caregivers identified burden associated with the limitation to their recreational and/or leisure activities (52.2%) and feeling that they have more to do than they can handle. We identified 3 themes in the interviews: the burden experiences of caring for PWC users, the positive experiences of caregiving, and the coping strategies and resources used by caregivers of PWC users.ConclusionOur study showed that understanding the experiences of caregivers of AT users is central as they are directly and indirectly impacted by the PWC in their lives and caregiving roles. The caregivers experienced some burden related to wheelchair-related help, especially around the driving of the powered wheelchair (PWC).However, the PWC provide independence not only to the user but also to the family caregivers, allowing them to share quality time and helping each otherThe PWC impact the interaction with the social and physical environment of the caregivers.Caregiver-oriented interventions should build on the strengths of the caregivers and contribute to their well-being.