A new mobile application could be the secret to fixing accessibility problems in publicly funded institutions, according to the Laval disability rights group ROPPHL.
What is the app called and how does it work?
The new app, called Brigade AXECIBLE, allows people with disabilities to flag potential accessibility issues at public locations, such as hospitals, pools and schools.
How do people with different disabilities use the app?
Launched in December, the app includes questions based on the location and the disabilities of the user. For instance, a person who uses a wheelchair would answer a different set of questions than someone who is visually impaired.
Although some problems can be costly to fix, many are not, says Kim Joly, executive director of ROPPHL, the Regroupement des organismes de promotion de personnes handicapées de Laval.
Simple things — like a lack of signage advertising accessible entrances — are easily fixed, she said.
What happens after problems are flagged in the app?
When problems are flagged through the app, the group then informs the institution, and suggests how to fix the problem.
Right now, there are about 30 volunteers — called brigadiers — who are able to use the app to file reports.
How much does an app like this cost to develop?
The app cost about $50,000 to create and implement with funding from different governmental agencies, such as the city of Laval and the Office des personnes handicapées du Québec.
