AUDARA (AUDit Accesibilitate RomaniA) app for accessible Romanian museums
AUDARA is a web-based app that processes around 300 accessibility parameters to deliver comprehensive accessibility audit reports for Romanian museums.
Based upon accessibility regulations in force in Romania and inputs from accessibility and accessible tourism experts of accessible tourism tour operator Accessible Romania by Sano Touring, AUDARA contributes to ensuring adequate access and participation of persons with disabilities in cultural activities provided by Romanian museums.
National
Romania
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-11-30
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): SANO TOURING EXPERIENCE S.R.L. Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Cristina Last name of representative: Căluianu Gender: Female Nationality: Romania Function: Director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Morarilor 2 Town: Bucharest Postal code: 022452 Country: Romania Direct Tel:+40 744 935 874 E-mail:proiecte@sanotouring.eu Website:https://accessibleromania.com
URL:https://www.facebook.com/accessibleromaniabyST Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): User name: @accessibleromaniabyST; Posting as: @Accessible Romania by Sano Touring; #ROAccessTourism; #AccessibleRomaniaBySanoTouring
AUDARA is a web-based application https://audara.accessibleromania.com created by Accessible Romania by Sano Touring that delivers accessibility audit reports showing the accessibility status of Romanian museums at the time of the on-site visit.
AUDARA processes a number of approximately 300 parameters resulting from the accessibility criteria provided by the legal framework applicable in Romania at the time of the visit, from the analysis of examples of good practices globally and from the theoretical and practical experience of the auditors - accessibility and accessible tourism experts of Accessible Romania by Sano Touring, trained and certified by international organizations.
The results of the audit will allow Accessible Romania by Sano Touring to have complete information on the accessibility level of the museum, so the designed accessible tourism experience is fully compliant with the specific special need of each tourist.
AUDARA contributes to ensuring an inclusive access to cultural activities organized in Romanian museums. Not only the accessibility audit report represents a support for grounding future investment in improving accessibility and barrier-free access, but the entire auditing process and the discussions over the results of the audit are tools for accessibility experts to deliver initial non-formal training to museum staff and make them interested in the topic and further training.
As accessibility auditors are accompanied by persons with disabilities when performing the audits, AUDARA is also a process that supports inclusion and participation of end beneficiaries, and their direct access to an innovative digital technology.
AUDRA supports also the strong partnership between the SANO TOURING EXPERIENCE and CED Romania Association, NGO, non-profit. The results of the accessibility audit reports will be included in a structured way in their online project Romania-accesibila.ro and promoted through their specific channels to end-users.
Accessibility audit
Accessible culture
Barrier-free museum
Inclusion
Sustainability
AUDARA is designed and operated to be environmentally sustainable and minimize its environmental footprint:
- energy efficiency: it is energy efficient by including reduced server load due to optimized code (all image processing is done on the client devices) and using cloud-based infrastructure;
- recycling and e-waste: it is designed to minimize e-waste and thus implemented as a mobile-friendly web app that is able to operate on older devices as well;
- green hosting/datacenter energy use: it is hosted in a datacenter powered by green energy from 100% carbon dioxide-free and environmentally-friendly hydropower https://www.hetzner.com/assets/Uploads/downloads/oekostrom-zertifikat-2022.pdf;
- reduced paper usage: provides digital alternatives to traditional paper-based processes by processing the audits on mobile devices and delivering the accessibility reports electronically, which help to reduce the environmental impact of paper production and disposal.
AUDARA has a clean, intuitive, and well-organized design that is logical and easy to navigate and use. AUDARA has a clean, intuitive, and well-organized design that is logical and easy to navigate and use. This includes using clear, legible typography and appropriate use of color, space, and imagery.
Users feel full control and satisfaction. The data entry process follows all the stages of visiting a museum: general online and physical accessibility; definition of key zones and their accessibility components; definition of the accessible routes between the zones and their accessibility components. The app allows the upload of photos for each audited area and competence.
The accessibility audit reports use friendly pictograms to reflect the four general types of special access needs defined in the Romanian regulations (motor, visual, hearing and cognitive impairments), the two assessment criteria (appropriate or unsuitable) and the three impact types (positive, negative and no impact/not applicable).
AUDARA is based upon local regulations, is designed in Romanian, and addresses the Romanian museums and public.
Museums can create or update their accessibility policy using the information provided in the audit report. This information may be posted on their website and displayed in Romanian as the first language, and in other languages if the website allows it.
Accessibility information that will be promoted on Romania-accesibila.ro accessible website will be available in Romanian as a first language and in languages to be selected by the user, as the website allows automatic translations. This approach helps to create a more inclusive and culturally sensitive experience for end-users and beneficiaries - persons with disabilities.
AUDARA is currently not accessible and the accessibility report is not delivered in a .pdf accessible format. These aspects are considered for the next development stages (see below).
AUDARA provides several benefits for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in cultural activities developed by Romanian museums:
- improved accessibility: helps identifying areas of improvement in terms of accessibility in physical environments, making it easier for individuals with disabilities to navigate and access public spaces, buildings and facilities;
- increased awareness: the accessibility audit process and the report delivered by AUDARA raise awareness among Romanian museums and local authorities that support them about the importance of accessibility and the barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing their communities;
- informed decisions: the accessibility audit reports delivered by AUDARA provide valuable information for decision-makers, including property owners and managers, on the accessibility of their buildings, facilities and spaces. This information can be used to make informed decisions about how to improve accessibility and inclusivity;
- increased productivity: the information included in the accessibility audit reports delivered by AUDARA help museums to save time and resources by automating the accessibility audit process, allowing them to quickly identify areas of improvement and prioritize necessary upgrades and renovations;
- improved user experience: the information on accessibility included in the audit reports delivered by AUDARA can be used by museums to provide comprehensive accessibility information on their websites, making it easier for individuals with disabilities to access and use public spaces and facilities, leading to an improved overall user experience;
- increased social inclusion: AUDARA supports the creation of more inclusive and accessible cultural spaces, enabling individuals with disabilities to participate more fully in cultural activities, increasing social and economic opportunities and promoting equality.
The project was designed and implemented by a tour operator specialized in accessible tourism with 7+ years of experience. Specific to this business is the evaluation of accessibility of hotels, restaurants, cultural, MICE, sports, or any other leisure location prior to including it in an accessible tourism product. In order to deliver the expected experience, the accessible tourism expert must have all the accessibility details to be provided to the tourists, in full compliance with their individual special needs.
The idea of designing an accessibility audit app came from the practical experience of Accessible Romania by Sano Touring, as a tool for supporting the accessibility auditing process and for raising the accessibility awareness of Romanian museums’ staff and on the need to become more inclusive environments, so more museums can be included in the accessible tourism travel packages designed by the agency.
Persons with motor disabilities volunteers of CED Romania Association are always directly involved in the accessibility audit process, accompanying Accessible Romania by Sano Touring’s auditors when carrying out on-site visits.
During the audit, persons with disabilities and auditors contribute directly by showing practically what are the needs to be addressed by accessibility measures.
Auditors and museum staff analyze the accessibility reports delivered by AUDARA, and non-formal training is provided.
AUDARA has a positive the impact on the final users - people with disabilities - who get to make the most of Romanian cultural heritage.
Accessibility is a still an under-addressed topic in Romania, even though significant progress has been made in improving the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities 33 years after the fall of the communist regime that was characterized by exclusion, marginalization, and a lack of opportunities and support for persons with disabilities.
The legal frame on inclusion and accessibility has been adopted, but its implementation is inconsistent. The very few Romanian accessibility experts and accessible cultural events experts are self-taught professionals, who researched international resources and best practices. Most of them are persons with disabilities themselves or family members of such persons, so their need to get involved, informed and trained is based on personal reasons.
Since 2015 and as of 2023, Accessible Romania by Sano Touring is still the only Romanian travel agency that specializes in accessible tourism. Besides research, documentation and self-education, its accessible tourism staff benefitted from training and experience exchange opportunities arising from the international networks and projects where SANO TOURING EXPERIENCE is a partner. Inputs of persons with disabilities that accompany accessible tourism experts when assessing the accessibility of locations are a valuable asset in the auditing process.
Aiming for an increased inclusion of persons with disabilities, AUDARA was designed to transpose the legal provisions in force in Romania with regards to the accessibility of the built environment, and to deliver audit reports observing the accessibility status by reference to the said regulatory frame.
The accessibility audit reports delivered by the app facilitates engaging local and national stakeholders - museums, decision-makers such as local and central authorities, regulatory bodies involved in the inclusion and disability areas - to support the implementation of AUDARA and its further development.
The project was designed and implemented by a team of professionals in disciplines such as: project management, accessibility and accessible tourism, legal counsel and software development that combined technical, creative, and problem-solving skills.
The project management covered the overall design process, including working with the team, meeting deadlines, and effective communication.
The market and user research covered the understanding of the needs and behaviors of the target audience and involved specific expertise of accessibility and accessible tourism experts and legal counsel.
The problem-solving skills were covered by specific expertise of accessibility and accessible tourism experts, legal counsel and software development team.
The software development, interaction design, user experience (UX) design, user interface (UI) design and prototyping and wireframing skills were covered by the software development team.
The testing of intermediate versions was performed by accessible tourism experts.
The adaptability is an ongoing process.
The result of AUDARA is the accessibility audit report that supports the general objective of the project: to ensure adequate conditions for access and participation of persons with disabilities in cultural activities carried out within Romanian museums.
AUDARA delivers to Accessible Romania by Sano Touring complete information on the accessibility of the museum, thus underpinning the decision to include it in customized accessible tourist products complying with the specific special access needs of the tourists.
Using the support of the Romania-accesibila.ro project of CED Romania Association and connected social media, persons with disabilities will be provided with accurate accessibility information, helping them to decide if the accessibility degree is compliant with their specific access needs so they can participate in cultural activities of the respective museum.
AUDARA is an example of good practice for accessible tourism, accessible culture and inclusion of persons with disabilities that will be promoted and used by SANO TOURING EXPERIENCE and CED Romania Association in EU projects that address the respective topics, but also as a tool for delivering non-formal training on accessibility to museum staff.
The accessibility audit report offers museums a comprehensive tool to support the adoption of measures for improving the accessibility. However, the actual implementation will depend on each museum.
On the occasions of the accessibility audits and the accessibility non-formal training carried out during the last 7 years, Accessible Romania by Sano Touring accessibility experts observed the interest of the museums on the subject. Current circumstances, where financing opportunities are available for improving access and participation of persons with disabilities, make the audit report provided by AUDARA a valuable tool that can contribute directly to decision on investment in such measures.
AUDARA represents an absolute innovation for the Romanian market:
- it is the first initiative that address accessibility evaluation;
- is grounded in local accessibility regulations; and
- uses digital technologies in the process.
At EU level we identified two initiatives in the field of the project, both representing accessibility management platforms that use parameters derived from international standards and certification systems of the audited locations: Access4you.io project in Hungary and Handiscover’s Accessibility Management Program in Sweden.
By analyzing the accessibility of routes between points of interest (zones), AUDARA brings an innovative approach compared to the accessibility evaluation components of both projects mentioned above.
Data provided in the legislation in force in Romania was transformed into more than 300 parameters that AUDARA processes in order to deliver accessibility audit reports showing museums an accurate picture on the accessibility of the built environment and the facilities available in Romanian museums for persons with motor, visual, auditory and cognitive disabilities at the time of the visit by reference to the requirements mentioned in the regulatory framework.
The assessment methods comprise:
- on-site verification by the accessibility expert accompanied by a person with motor disabilities;
- assessment of the built spaces’ accessibility parameters;
- interviews with the museum staff;
- analysis of the museum’s website;
- photography of the relevant elements.
All this information is introduced in AUDARA on the spot.
A limited number of photos for each zone/ route/ component must be selected to be included in the accessibility audit report, which is delivered by the application in .pdf format.
To exemplify, we enclose the Accessibility Audit Report (in Romanian and the English translation, .pdf format), print screens of the main app sections with the translations into English (.pdf format) and print screens of the app sections (.jpg format) for the National History Museum.
While addressing the same group of end-beneficiaries, AUDARA can be transferred to other public areas in Romania: cultural spaces (such as libraries, theatres, concert halls, expositional areas, etc.), sports arenas, open-air public places (such as parks, zoos, botanical gardens, cultural spaces).
Depending on the available financing, the plans for AUDARA’s further technical development include:
- making accessible the .pdf audit report generated by the app;
- adding upload of video files;
- adding new types of locations to be audited, as mentioned above;
- creating Android and iOS accessible mobile apps available for free download.
Accessibility testing will be integrated into the development process by recruiting testers with disabilities, in order to ensure accessibility and usability for all users. Additionally, involving individuals with disabilities in testing can lead to a better understanding of their needs and can help identify areas for improvement in the design and functionality of the app.
The aim of these developments is to make AUDARA available to volunteers nationwide trained by Accessible Romania by Sano Touring or CED Romania Association teams, who will visit the locations and collect data. Persons with disabilities will be the first ones targeted to be attracted in this action.
AUDARA will facilitate the free access to the information on the accessibility of public spaces via Romania-accesibila.ro accessible website, and will play a relevant role in the social inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Designed and implemented by a for-profit organization, AUDARA will thus become a social, open project.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 15% of the world's population, or over 1 billion people, live with some form of disability. This number is expected to increase as the population ages. The United Nations estimates that the world's population aged 60 years and older will reach 2 billion by 2050, representing 22% of the global population.
Accessibility is a global challenge that affects people with disabilities and an ageing population around the world.
Physical barriers such as inaccessible buildings, transportation systems, and public spaces limit the mobility and independence. In addition, digital and technological barriers, such as inaccessible websites and software, can prevent accessing information and services online. Accessible environments are therefore crucial for ensuring that people with disabilities and an ageing population can participate fully in society as they promote inclusiveness and equal opportunities, help reducing social exclusion and improve their quality of life by maintaining their independence and mobility.
Attitudinal barriers, such as negative attitudes and stigma towards people with disabilities, can also contribute to a lack of accessibility and social inclusion.
To address these challenges, it is important for governments, organizations, and communities to prioritize accessibility and to work together to create more inclusive and accessible environments. This can include implementing accessibility standards and guidelines, conducting accessibility audits, and promoting positive attitudes towards people with disabilities.
SANO TOURING EXPERIENCE through Accessible Romania by Sano Touring accessible tourism tour operator and through the AUDARA project address these challenges in Romania, and contribute to creating a more accessible and inclusive environment for people with disabilities, and to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate fully in society.
