Way to Go: Obstacles and Solutions to Indoor Wayfinding for People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined the barriers and proposed solutions that people who are blind or have low vision face when wayfinding in indoor environments. Methods: Four questions from a survey were examined. The questions were about the barriers participants face when navigating indoor spaces, their ideal indoor wayfinding solution, in what environments they would be most likely to use a hypothetical app-based solution, and which landmarks they would like to be informed of along the path to their destination. Results: When examining the responses to the question about barriers during wayfinding, Orientation Barriers were the largest theme (n = 77, 72%), while Signage Barriers (n = 43, 40%) were the second most common theme. When participants were asked to describe their ideal solution, turn-by-turn wayfinding (n = 55, 60%) was the most common theme. Participants were interested in using a hypothetical indoor wayfinding solution in a variety of spaces; almost all environments were above 70% while the lowest, “my current workplace” scored about 19%. Additionally, participants were very interested in getting as much information as they could along the route to their destination. In terms of frequency of interest by the participants, all landmarks were rated 80% or higher. Discussion: Many blind and low-vision individuals face indoor wayfinding barriers related to limited signage and landmark access. These individuals may benefit from a mobile app to assist wayfinding in a variety of unfamiliar indoor environments. Future studies may consider a less skewed sample to uncover a wider variety of solutions and barriers. Implications for Practitioners: Orientation and Mobility specialists should continue to focus on the foundations of orientation and mobility while also keeping up to date with current assistive technologies. Developers of mobile applications should consider user feedback to ensure that their product addresses the needs of their users with disabilities.