GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Abstract

Disability is a natural part of the human experience across the world and an integral part of the human condition. However, people with disabilities are often seen as different from "the norm" of human being and as a result their needs are marginalized in their societies. The access to many aspects of social life is limited for them. Initially, disability was recognized in the medical and social context as a dysfunction requiring medical treatment, "special" schools, workplaces or social benefits due to incapacity for work.

Over time, the influence of the environment on the functioning of a person with a disability became the subject of interest. The importance of shaping space for people with disabilities is developed in disciplines dealing with urban planning, spatial planning and architecture. Even the concept of "geography of disability" lately came into existence.

Geographic information systems offer analytical methods and tools to explore various spatial concepts and their impact on the functioning of people with disabilities. Their application is growing and strengthening GIS in disability research can contribute to greater autonomy of people with disabilities and promote their integration into society. One of the impulses for the development of GIS in this area are undoubtedly regulations guaranteeing people with disabilities access to the physical environment, transport and other facilities, information and communication as well as services intended for use by the general public, and obliging not only public entities, but more and more often private entities to ensure accessibility.

The aim of the article is to indicate what new challenges were created by the legal systems and what expectations can be addressed to GIS.