The mobility of visually impaired people: Removing the architectural barriers

The needs and abilities of visually impaired people require an adequate analysis of the influence of existing physical environment characteristics on the mobility of these people, which serves as a prerequisite for understanding the activities that should be undertaken towards positive changes. This text reviews the concept of architectural disability as a fundamental factor of exclusion of visually impaired people from the society. The two dominant socio-culturally constructed models of disability are discussed in the text - the biomedical and the socio-political model, as well as the disability approaches that arise from these models. The text presents characteristic research data that indicate a negative influence of the physical environment characteristics on the mobility of visually impaired people, which influences their quality of life. These physical environment characteristics, which inhibit and prevent the mobility of visually impaired people, are architectural barriers that further create architectural disability. The concluding part provides examples of the recommended ways, arising from the socio-political model, in which it is possible to change the architectural design according to the needs of the visually impaired. One possibility is to apply a universal design which facilitates their mobility and contributes to their independence, hence improving their quality of life in its entirety. Before starting a discussion on any specific further inclusion, it is vital for visually impaired people to be able to reach certain places and find their way in given space.