From the Disabled, To the Disabled

World Is One News (WION) is an international news entity with headquarters across South Asia. WION covered my relentless campaign of making places accessible for persons with disability in the capital of India.

Access Icon Project: Humanizing International Symbol of Access

The now familiar International Symbol of Access (ISA) was designed by Susanne Koefoed and is a copyrighted image of ICTA, Rehabilitation International. The symbol which is a milestone in disability advocacy is often criticized for being passive. The first modification came in 1994 when Brendan Murphy from Ireland updated the image by pushing the figure’s posture forward and putting the arm behind the body. Still, the symbol was not adopted as many feared that it will violate the American Disability Act.

Sara Hendren is an artist and researcher based in Cambridge, Mass. She runs the Abler web site and writes on adaptive technology. Sara began focusing her attention on issues of accessibility after giving birth to a son with Down syndrome. She started collaborating with Brian Glenney, a philosophy professor at Gordon College on the original wheelchair icon project in early 2009. Their joint effort lead to the Access Icon Project.

Their modified ISA is available on the website www.accessibleicon.org. The Access Icon Project website states:

“Accessible Icon Project provides supplies and services to transform the old International Symbol of Access into an active, engaged image. We think visual representation matters. People with disabilities have a long history of being spoken for, of being rendered passive in decisions about their lives. The old icon, while a milestone in ADA history, displays that passivity: its arms and legs are drawn like mechanical parts, its posture is unnaturally erect, and its entire look is one that make the chair, not the person, important and visible. As people with disabilities of all kinds—not just chair users—create greater rights and opportunities for social, political, and cultural participation, we think cities should evolve their images of accessibility too.”

The symbol is gradually finding acceptance. Recently, the Enabling Unit for persons with disabilities at University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), Delhi adopted the new symbol and using it in the accessible parking. The Coordinator of Enabling Unit has also written to Chief Commissioner for persons with disabilities in India to replace the static ISA with the new dynamic ISA. The letter is here. He has also requested to Vice Chancellor of University of Delhi to use the new icon if appropriate.

Based on the above little initiatives, the Accessible Icon Project included Enabling Unit, UCMS as medical partner in this great cause of humanizing ISA. We thank Dr Hendren and Dr Glenney for humanizing the symbol and the entire unit of Access Icon Project in their great effort.

Representation to include ‘active’ International Symbol of Access

University College of Medical Sciences (University of Delhi) & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital DElhi – 110 095

   

ENABLING UNIT, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CELL

http://EnablingUnit.yolasite.com/

EU/EOC/UCMS/101                                                                                  Dated: Mar 19, 2013

                                                                                                                           

Chief Commissioner for PwD

Sarojini House, 6 Bhagwan Dass Road

New Delhi-01

Sub:    Representation to include ‘active’ International Symbol of Access

Dear Sir,

            The International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) have become among the most widely recognised representations of disability. However visual representation matters. People with disabilities have a long history of being spoken for, of being rendered passive in decisions about their lives. The current ISA displays passivity: its arms and legs are drawn like mechanical parts, its posture is unnaturally erect, and its entire look is one that make the chair, not the person, important and visible. As people with disabilities of all kinds—not just chair users—create greater rights and opportunities for social, political, and cultural participation, we think DPO’s should evolve their images of accessibility too. 

The revised ISA by Harvard design researcher Sara Hendren focuses more on ‘person with disability’ and is an active image.  The graphic elements have following active features:

1.      Head is forward to indicate the forward motion of the person through space. Here the person is the "driver" or decision maker about her mobility.

2.      Arm is pointing backward to suggest the dynamic mobility of a chair user, regardless of whether or not she uses her arms. Depicting the body in motion represents the symbolically active status of navigating the world.

3.      By including white angled knockouts the symbol presents the wheel as being in motion.

4.      The human depiction in this icon is consistent with other body representations found in the ISO 7001 - DOT Pictograms.

5.      The leg has been moved forward to allow for more space between it and the wheel which allows for better readability and cleaner application of icon as a stencil. 

Please find below the pictorial representation of the revised ISA used by Enabling Unit at UCMS:

Sir, you have earlier taken steps to ban the expression ‘handicapped’ and avoiding the use of word ‘differently-abled’. These small steps are highly significant as how PwD’s are represented in society. The above revised ISA not only focuses on ‘activity’ but also stressed on the person involved. We should encourage ‘People First Language’ and steps taken by your office to use ‘Persons with Disabilities’ over ‘Disabled Persons’ are noteworthy.

In this connection, I represent before this office to consider revising the current ISA with the one depicted above. I would like to declare that I have no conflict of interest here. If your office considers the image appropriate, it may be directed to replace the static ISA with the one which portrays dynamism and focuses on person rather disability.

With regards

Yours sincerely
(Signed)

Dr Satendra Singh

Coordinator, Enabling Unit

Equal Opportunity Cell

University College of Medical Sciences

& GTB Hospital, Delhi

Founder ‘Infinite Ability’

Suggested reading:
Access Icon Project: Humanizing International Symbol of Access