TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Debbie Austin

Travelability.net Now Includes 140+ Accessible Landing Pages (Including 11 Caribbean Islands) To “Destinations with Accessibility” Microsite

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TravelAbility’s “Destinations with Accessibility” initiative continues to expand the search for accessible destinations and the inclusion of their landing pages on its microsite. The team is excited to announce the addition of 11 popular Caribbean islands allowing travelers with disabilities to find things they can do in 140+ destinations all on one site.

About Destinations with Accessibility: While the ADA provides a baseline for physical infrastructure for people with disabilities there is no ADA for information.  Our research team found that it took an average of 3.5 minutes to drill down on travel websites to find content about the accessibility features of the destination. By aggregating this information all in one place the team has made travel planning for people with disabilities that much easier. Visit the Destinations with Accessibility microsite.

Disability Role Model Cory Lee finds Oklahoma City is on a “Roll”

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Photo Courtesy: Cory Lee

Fans of Oklahoma, either the classic movie or the Broadway revival, are sure to love Cory Lee’s latest adventure: Oklahoma City.

With no real knowledge of the city itself, its offerings, or even its attractions – other than that learned while watching the Broadway musical – travel enthusiast Cory Lee recently headed out to Oklahoma City for a long weekend visit. All of his experiences, from a beautiful morning at Myriad Gardens to an emotional visit at the First Americans Museum, surpassed his expectations. He stated, “I left thinking that this is undoubtedly one of the most underrated cities in the U.S..”

If you’re looking for a wheelchair-accessible Oklahoma City experience, Cory Lee’s article has you covered. As he says, “Here are some of the greatest accessible things to do for a phenomenal trip…” How can we argue with that?

Check out Cory’s things to do and places to stay in Oklahoma City.

Actress and MS Sufferer Selma Blair Promotes a New Disability-Friendly Makeup Line

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Selma Blair (r)

“Legally Blond” star Selma Blair is the new front for a disability-friendly makeup line. The line, created by GUIDE Beauty founder Terri Bryant, has been designed for those stricken with dexterity, movement or other mobility challenges. It’s a perfect fit for Blair who, in 2018, announced her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Blair is not only the new chief creative officer for GUIDE Beauty but also a dedicated user of its makeup line. The range of products features a gold ring held between the fingers as an extension of the hand – a game changer for someone with Blair’s condition. She has stated that this has left her feeling more confident than when she was using a traditional pencil liner; it’s also brought back the fun in doing her own makeup.

Bryant was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease following a loss of dexterity in her hand. Determined to continue her beauty work, she founded GUIDE Beauty in 2020. Its main goal is to help make-up remain accessible for everyone.

Read the press release here

Pottery Barn Develops 150-Piece Collection Designed for People with Disabilities

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Image ©potterybarn.com

Today, there’s one more option for those seeking accessible furniture and home goods. Pottery Barn has officially launched its new accessible furniture collection, making it the first large home brand to do so. Designed specifically for the elderly, the injured, and those living with disabilities, this collection is not only functional but also continues the company’s promise of style and quality.

Marta Benson, Pottery Barn’s president, and the company’s designers worked in consultation with the Disability Education and Advocacy Network to create not only new furnishings but also the adaption of 150 of their best-selling styles to fit the needs of all shoppers. While some pieces simply required a tweak to their design, others required more elaborate changes. These ranged from adding a tilt element to mirrors to more adaptive overhauls like incorporating power-lift and other mobility functions to their most popular armchairs.

Pottery Barn’s Accessible Home line initiative may be the nudge needed for the rest of the industry to realize that it makes good business sense to design more inclusively.

To learn more about the furniture options available, see the article from FastCompany

WTF? The New York Subway System is Set to Become Fully Accessible by… (drumroll)… 2055!

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Great news! New York City’s subway system will finally become more accessible to people with disabilities and other mobility issues! But hold on. It’s not due for completion for another 33 years. The undertaking comes on the heels of two class-action lawsuits filed against the city.

As Michael Gold of The New York Times reports, New York has lagged considerably behind other American cities for years. Its current system boasts only 126 accessible stations of a total of 472. This equates to only 27 percent of the city’s subway stations having elevators or ramps to make them fully accessible. Similarly older systems in cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago have already accomplished more in retrofitting to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

On the plus side, once 2055 arrives, the benefits from the changes outlined in the settlement will be massive. In a city as heavily populated as New York City, this brings great promise for the disabled and non-disabled alike. The enormous faction of the population that struggles with narrow fare gates, stairs, and other cumbersome sections of a subway station, including parents with strollers, shoppers hauling large items and travelers carrying luggage, will find new ease in subway travel.

To read more about this, click here