Publication details
Prostorová orientace a specifika prostorových rozhodnutí osob s pohybovým omezením
| Title in English | Spatial orientation and wayfinding behavior of people with physical impairments |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The paper deals with issue faced by people with locomotor impairments and specific conditions of their spatial perception and use of space. The paper describes specific experience of people aged 32 to 34 selected according to common experience based on their locomotor disability. The experience comprises, first, a transition to an electric wheelchair at the age ranging between 16 and 18, and, second, at least partial dependence on institutional care for the disabled. This group has the unique experience of shaping its independent learning space dating to the period of puberty and adolescence only (until then their ability to move had been completely dependent on others). With this experience, the group is fully aware of the acquisition of new spatial competence and is able to reflect it back and talk about it. In the course of the study several interlinked methods were used. Namely, (1) in-depth semi-structured interviews with five communication partners, (2) formation of mental maps and (3) participant observation during a four-day visit to Karlovy Vary film festival as a personal assistant of one of the communication partners. Primarily different spatial experience of this group of people has been studied. The contribution of this study lies in identifying the main space-time constraints and the resulting limits and possibilities. The paper tackles different strategies of spatial behavior, varied ways of thinking, decision making, wayfinding and orientation in urban space. It represents the alternative concept of space-time based on qualitatively different experience of this distinct group. |
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