Online Accessibility Maps Should be Interactive
APRIL 2, 2018BY OLIVIA HARNEMAPS AND CARTOGRAPHY
https://www.gislounge.com/online-accessibility-maps-interactive/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gislounge+%28GIS+Lounge%29
Looking at the websites of public spaces – such as universities, parks, or museums – you’ll often find a section of their site that offers an accessibility map, one that gives the locations of entrances and pathways that are built to adequately meet the needs of individuals in wheelchairs, or with other physical disabilities.
Most of these maps are often presented in a document or PDF format, with very little interactive element. Alternatively, these places may provide printed handouts of these maps, often requiring people to tote papers around with them.
In many ways, the current distribution and effort placed into these accessibility maps is often minimal at best. These public spaces could easily provide a better format of this data through online GIS, rather than placing everything into the constraints of a physical document. Both ArcGIS Online and Google Maps provide tools that allow basic customization of lines and points, allowing organizations to recreate these maps without much trouble. But there are also more detailed options that allow a complete reworking of current accessibility map standards, making them far more interactive and helpful.