The global increase in the proportion of the population with disabilities has caused a greater awareness toward guaranteeing their use of public services. In particular, there is emphasis on the accessibility and inclusivity of tourism resources, to improve the enjoyment and well-being for people with motor disabilities. This paper presents a case study on accessibility to beaches in the Region of Murcia, Spain, which is one of the main tourist areas in the country. First, the most important elements that allow for the accessible use of beaches are analyzed and exposed in detail. Then, an extensive field-work in the area of interest has been carried out and its results are evaluated. Finally, the development of a new mobile app is described. The objective of this tool is to provide updated, accurate, and reliable accessibility information regarding the beaches. As a result, more than a third of the beaches analyzed had a high level of accessibility, while almost another third are totally inaccessible. The proposed application is a valuable tool, not only to help people with physical and motor disabilities, but also to raise awareness among local authorities to create and improve accessible services.
People with motor disabilities must face many barriers and obstacles in their daily lives, making it difficult to perform everyday tasks. The purpose of this work is to improve their living conditions by providing an app with accessibility information in an updated, reliable and friendly form. The development of the system integrates national and regional accessibility regulations, architectural aspects, with an extensive field work, and a sustainable software process. The levels of accessibility and the requirements of the application are defined in the first phases of the project. The field work included the evaluation of 357 commercial establishments in the city of Murcia, Spain, showing that only 25% have a good accessibility, 40% are practicable with help, and 35% are inaccessible shops. The proposed system achieves its objectives of being sustainable and helping in the accessibility. Besides, the system can be a great incentive for businesses to improve their accessibility conditions. In conclusion, new technologies must have a much more active role in the promotion of universal accessibility. These tools must also consider the necessary requirements of sustainable development.
Con un porcentaje mundial de personas con discapacidad del 15%, la accesibilidad universal resulta una consideración fundamental en el diseño habitable de los edificios. Además, debido al envejecimiento de la población, especialmente en España, este será un factor clave de la sostenibilidad desde el punto de vista humano. Este artículo presenta un caso de estudio de la accesibilidad en el acceso a comercios de la ciudad de Murcia. En primer lugar, se expone la normativa de accesibilidad aplicable y los criterios de los usuarios a través de la Federación Murciana FAMDIF, para después describir el extenso trabajo de campo llevado a cabo, donde se han analizado in situ más de 650 comercios y locales de servicios por personal técnico. Por su volumen, se trata de uno de los mayores estudios realizados hasta la fecha. Como resultado, se ha obtenido que solo 1/5 de los locales son accesibles en la entrada, mientras que casi 3/4 no cumplen las normativas vigentes. Creemos que este trabajo ayudará a concienciar y a mejorar la accesibilidad física en el futuro.
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