Abstract:

Identifying and removing architectural barriers to access for people with disabilities follows community recognition that people with disabilities share the same rights as others. Recognition of these rights is reflected in Commonwealth legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act(DDA-1992). Recent complaints indicate that access to premises represents the greatest area of increased litigation. The fear of litigation by building owners and operators across Australia means that disability action plans based on building evaluation have become essential. The evaluation of the built environment required the capture of substantial amounts of data. In this paper we present a methodology for computer-assisted evaluation of the degree of access to the built environment. We illustrate what data is relevant and what are the relations between data elements and disability requirements. We also demonstrate how we can use this data for access audit evaluation and management. We conclude by suggesting how understanding and applying computer-assisted access evaluation may increase efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the evaluation process and thus lay foundations for improvements in facilities management decision making.