Toward TechnoAccess: A narrative review of disabled and aging experiences of using technology to access the arts

This paper presents a narrative literature review that addresses the issue of how disabled and aging people access the arts through technology. Our review synthesized 56 studies about disabled and aging people's experiences of access through technology, with a focus on methods used and accounts of user experiences/stories to inform a Canadian research and development initiative called Accessing the Arts. We urge designers and developers to consider the complex, multimodal sociotechnical relationships surrounding technology and access—or TechnoAccess—as they develop technology with disability, aging and access in mind. Although existing evidence offers ways to improve everyone's access to the arts, recommendations are provided for research around access and technology as an inherently politicized topic that must be informed by disabled and aging people's intersectional cultural experiences, including how they wish to use technology to access the arts.     

Accessibility at the household level using the Structural Accessibility Layer: A forecast of potential future travel behaviour based on self-selection of residential location

The current paper analysis the differences in accessibility categories at the household level and by lifecycle changes by using the Structural Accessibility Layer. Results are evaluated from spatial, numerical and qualitative perspectives. Main findings show differences in residential preference by a single-person household, couple without children and households with children for different potential accessibility categories. This paper provides evidence that external factors influence the population to move from public transport into car-based mobility. Finally, we observe areas categorized as suitable for both walking and public transport mobility presenting low population density and residential development of those areas is suggested.     

伦敦绿地发展特征分析

分析了国际化大都市伦敦的绿地数量与分布特点、绿地评价与规划原则，介绍了伦敦绿地的基本类型、概念及其特征，并着重分析了基于自然保育原则的伦敦绿地发展趋势和途径。     

Strategies to reduce postal network access points: from demographic to spatial distribution criteria

The wide diffusion of digital technologies has produced a sharp decline in letter mail volumes. In this context, postboxes are mostly underutilized, and postal operators are pushing toward a re-discussion of their distribution criteria with the National Regulation Authorities, to reduce their number. In this work, we propose two alternative strategies to support this process, and we evaluate the impact produced by their implementation on the accessibility of users to the postal network. Results obtained from an extensive application to the Italian case prove the capability of the proposed approach to provide insightful managerial and policy implications.     

老年人健康生活视角下菜市场使用频率的建成环境影响分析

老年人使用菜市场频率的高低在很 大程度上体现了其日常体力活动水平和健康 生活质量,与菜市场自身及周边的建成环境特 征息息相关。从可达性和吸引力两个层面入 手,将其分解为空间接近度和出行适宜度以 及自身规划要素和外界环境特征两个维度, 构建整合性分析框架。结合大连市的实证研 究,可达性方面,相较于出行适宜度,空间接 近度对老年人菜市场使用频率的影响效度更 大;吸引力方面,自身规划要素和外界环境特 征的影响效应呈相互补充关系;相较于可达 性,吸引力是影响老年人菜市场使用频率的主 导因素,其中集市类型和设施网点多样性最为 关键。据此提出满足老年人健康生活需求的 菜市场精细化改造建议。     

Impact of xylan structure and lignin–xylan association on methane production from C5-sugars

Xylan biopolymers are the dominant hemicelluloses present in agricultural plant materials which have potential use in various biotechnological processes including methane production. Hence, the effect of lignin content and the structural features of xylan on anaerobic digestion were studied by using synthetic assemblies consisting of xylans and lignin models (dehydrogenation polymers). The ramification by arabinose and uronic acid was shown to be a key factor in low methane potential (BMP) from xylans and xylan–lignin assemblies. Indeed, BMP increased when xylose content was increased, and decreased when arabinose and uronic acid contents were increased. Lignin content and molecular weight were found to be the most influential parameters on the anaerobic digestion rate. Digestion rate decreased when the lignin content and molecular mass increased.     

The interaction experiences of visually impaired people with assistive technology: A case study of smartphones

Globally, the number of visually impaired people is large and increasing. Many assistive technologies are being developed to help visually impaired people, because they still have difficulty accessing assistive technologies that have been developed from a technology-driven perspective. This study applied a user-centered perspective to get different and hopefully deeper understanding of the interaction experiences. More specifically, this study focused on identifying the unique interaction experiences of visually impaired people when they use a camera application on a smartphone. Twenty participants conducted usability testing using the retrospective think aloud technique. The unique interaction experiences of visually impaired people with the camera application, and relevant implications for designing assistive technologies were analyzed.Relevance to industryThe considerations for conducting usability testing and the results of this study are expected to contribute to the design and evaluation of new assistive technologies based on smartphones.     

Whiteboard: Synchronism,accessibility, protagonism and collective authorship for human diversity on Web 2.0

The Whiteboard is a synchronous and collaborative tool projected in line with the accessibility principals and universal design, whose objective is to increase the knowledge socialization and promote the real-time decision making. Aspects resulting from the Culture of Collaboration and Participation are discussed to delineate the Web 2.0, a perspective that will be concrete only with the guarantee of everybody’s participation, specially the participation of people with diverse needs. This article considers the implications of the Whiteboard functions and discusses about the validation processes performed with real users in relation to the possible resources that are available to increase individual and collective authorship, to promote the virtual learning cycle and impel practices that value the human diversity.     

特殊教育学校感觉统合教室设计要点的研究

特殊教育学校(以下简称特教学校)的康复训练领域在近十几年间有了长足的发展。感觉统合作为一种新型的有效康复训练手段,今后会被特教学校广泛采用,为了保证其康复治疗效果,感统教室应具有一定的规定性。而现有的《特殊教育学校建筑设计规范》JGJ76-2003中尚未对感统教室有明确的设计要求。浙江省的特殊教育发展较为成熟,省内的特教学校已普遍设置了感统教室,具有一定的代表性。因此本文将调研浙江省内既有的感统教室,梳理其现状特点,对其设计要点进行总结。期望本文的研究成果能为规范的修编及今后感统教室的建设提供有益的借鉴或指导。     

Exploring an integrated method for measuring the relative spatial equity in public facilities in the context of urban parks

This paper proposes a new integrated modeling framework that contributes to the evaluation of public facility distribution for spatial equity in urban development. The framework consists of two integrated models—accessibility and mobility—that, based on the gravity model, are integrated as a framework for measuring the relative spatial equities of urban public facilities. They are presented as geographic information system (GIS) and spatial analysis models. The models consider individual traffic behavioral abilities and simulate regional differences in the spatial equities of urban parks. The results show unequal regional spatial development that affects mismatches between urban park services. The accumulated travel time costs associated with different resident traffic mobility and urban park location types affect the access opportunities of residents. This integrated model could be a useful reference to help urban planners analyze, investigate, and adjust the distribution of public facilities in a more equitable manner.