Getting to the Airport on Time: Research and Development of a ConsumerDriven Quick Reference Tool fo

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Getting to the Airport on Time Research and
Development of a Consumer-Driven Quick Reference
Tool for Passengers With Physical Disabilities

• Anna Long, Ph.D. ,Dean Westwood, M.S.W. and
• Michael McCarthy, M.S.W.
• Oregon Health Science University
• TRANSED 2007, Montreal, Canada

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Presentation Goals

• Background
• Focus group methods recruitment, procedures,
  data analysis
• Results
• Applying results A quick reference tool for
  Project ACTION

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Focus Groups

• provider input oncurrent training, needs, and
  organizational commitment
• consumer experiences about air travel and staff
  preparedness to provide safe, dignified
  assistance.

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Why examine getting to and from the airport?
 Pre-link 1 Trip Pre-link 2 Link 1
Origin to Link 2 Boarding Link 3
Intermodal Planning, Info Point of Origin
Point of Access Transportation Mode
Transfer

• Weak link and potential barrier to accessibility
  in the travel chain

 
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Why examine getting to and from the airport?

• Airports not always accessible by public ground
  transportation
• Airports may be far from individuals homes.
• Luggage
• Travel to airport less frequently than other
  transport maybe more stressful travel
  experience.

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Focus Group Recruitment People with Physical
Disabilities

• Collaboration air carriers, subcontractors,
  community-based organizations
• People with physical disabilities who have
  traveled within the past 12 months
• Local, regional, and national events
• Distribution of recruitment flyer at
  community-based organizations

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Focus Groups Procedure

• Structured, Co-facilitated focus groups (N22)
• 4 focus groups of passengers AZ, OR, MN
• 2 hours in duration
• 5 to 8 participants per group
• Audio-only recording
• 30.00 honorarium to participants

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Focus Groups Procedure

• Outline barriers and strategies
• 1) Are there barriers you experience in getting
  to and from the airport?
• 2) Are there strategies you use to overcome these
  barriers?
• 3) If you had to fly next week, how would you go
  to the airport?
• 4) What practical advice would you give to others?

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Focus Groups Data Analysis

• Audio to text transcription
• Constant-comparison procedures to develop coding
  system
• Multiple barriers and solutions emerged from this
  qualitative research
• One primary coder, one reliability coder

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Focus Groups Results

• Responses were grouped into four broad
  categories
• - transportation resources
• planning
• luggage/personal effects
• Other

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Response Frequencies
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Focus Groups Results

• Transportation resources (60 of coded
  responses).
• Negative comments included reservations for
  accessible transport and not available upon
  arrival, expense of accessible transport.
• Positive comments included availability of
  accessible and affordable public transport, and
  positive experiences with helpful hotel staff,
  relatives, or friends.

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Planning Results (30 of coded responses).

• Negative comments included problems of plans
  falling through, not planning far enough in
  advance, or not having a back-up plan.
• Positive comments were rare, but one participant
  shared that planning was easier when he was
  familiar with resources.

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Luggage or other advice (10 of comments)

• Luggage comments were mixed, 50 of participants
  recommending traveling to the airport with
  carry-on only, and others feeling comfortable
  checking luggage.
• Other advice included comments such as keep
  essentials on your person, fly into larger
  airports when possible, arrive during the day
  rather than evening.

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Focus Groups Overall Results

• More barriers reported at destination than at
  point of origin (23 vs. 4)
• familiarity with resources at origin, ease of
  planning, and possibly more availability of
  resources.
• Preference for public transport due to
  reliability, reduced planning burden.
• Overwhelming agreement that advance planning is
  necessary at most destinations.
• Mixed advice regarding luggage, etc.

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Applying Results

• Possible content for quick reference tool
• Advice about options at the destination
• Importance of advance planning
• Public transportation reliable option
• Consider earlier in the day arrival time
• Have phone numbers
• Keep essential travel items on your person.

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Quick Reference Tool

• All possible content was reviewed and rated by
  passengers with disabilities via an online
  survey.
• Highest rated content was chosen.
• Final product is in the form of a small flyer.
• Final product has checklist and spaces for the
  addition of contact information for local
  resources.
• Is available through Easter Seals website.

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Lessons Learned, Future Directions

• Analysis of focus group data provides useful
  consumer-driven information.
• rated by consumers, and adapted into a consumers
  tool

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Lessons Learned

• Airport Transportation presents a significant
  barrier for passengers with disabilities.
• The primary barriers
• availability and knowledge of accessible
  transportation at destinations,
• anticipating amount of planning to ensure a
  smooth trip.

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Acknowledgments

• AUCD Project ACTION -sponsored student research
  award given to Anna Long
• Psychology Intern Leadership Education in
  Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program Oregon
  Health Science University

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Center on Self-Determination

• www.ohsu.edu/oidd/CSD/
• Phone [phone]
• E-mail westwood_at_ohsu.edu
• Oregon Health and Science University CDRC
• P.O. Box 574
• Portland, OR 97207-0574

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The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center
for Accessible Public Transportation is funded
under grant H133E030009 from the National
Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDRR) in the US Department of
Educations Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services. The content of this
presentation does not necessarily represent the
policy of the US Department of Education, and you
should not assume endorsement by the Federal
Government.
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CONTACT US

• National Center for Accessible Transportation
• 220 Owen Hall
• Oregon State University
• Corvallis, OR , 97331-3212
• Tel [phone]
• ncat_at_oregonstate.edu
• http//ncat.oregonstate.edu