Why are inappropriate barrier-free acoustic designs for visually impaired persons provided?

Abstract

In Japan, many sounds designed for the visually handicapped are not only useless, but also create noise for the impaired and non-impaired people alike. Interview surveys with visually handicapped people were analyzed to reveal why inappropriate barrier-free acoustic designs have been provided for them. Responses from participants were divided into three categories: (1) mistaken needs-assessments, (2) poor technical knowledge of the visually impaired and (3) problems of power/political relationships. Furthermore, the responses of almost all the participants seemed to apply as well to other kinds of barrier-free designs, in spite of the fact that the topic of this survey focused only on acoustic designs. The results suggest that we must examine social as well as technical and psychological issues when we plan barrier-free designs.