From AFB: For Entire Post, Go Here…
he American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) today announced the release of the Flatten Inaccessibility research report, the culmination of survey findings from 1,921 U.S. participants who are blind (65%) or have low vision (35%). The survey investigated the experiences of these participants during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to determine how they were affected in areas including access to transportation, healthcare, access to food and supplies, employment, education, and voting.
A brief sampling of findings includes:
- Transportation – 68% of participants had concerns about transportation, particularly related to safety, restricted access to transportation options (paratransit, public transit, taxis, rideshare), and fears they would not be able to get themselves or loved ones to COVID-19 test sites or healthcare providers if they were to get sick.
- Healthcare – 54% of participants had concerns about healthcare, and 59% felt their underlying health conditions made them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 complications.
- Employment – 47% of participants had concerns about employment, with 38% reporting accessibility problems with at least one of the technology tools needed to do their job from home, and 22% reporting they were unable to access technology at home that was essential for their job.
- Education – 47% of parents or caregivers had concerns about their child’s education, with 60% reporting the technology tools they needed to use were not accessible and 90% reporting they received no training in the new technology.
The survey was made possible thanks to the collaboration among 16 organizations and companies concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on adults with visual impairments in the United States. The survey opened on April 3, and closed April 13. Prior to the release of the report, preliminary data was made available on AFB’s website as well as FlattenInaccessibility.com.
