The Americans with Disabilities Act turns 30 — and there’s still a long way to go.

 At 25, Jason DaSilva was a rising star in the documentary world until suddenly he was diagnosed with a debilitating form of multiple sclerosis. Inspired by his diagnosis, DaSilva started AXS Map: a crowdsourcing platform backed by app users who rate the accessibility of locations like train stations, grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops.

It’s a problem many face, but for the more than 1.3 billion people worldwide with mobility or vision related disabilities*, the challenges are often compounded. Case in point: DaSilva found 9 out of 10 businesses on a city block were inaccessible. AXS Map’s goal is to map the accessibility of these places to help people with disabilities navigate the world with ease, but the tech alone wasn’t cutting it so Jason brought on PwC to help design a better digital experience for users.

Hand in hand with AXS, we mindfully interviewed people with disabilities to better understand their frustrations, and reassessed how AXS Map could also impact how businesses operate since many organizations may not know their accessibility shortfalls.

Working with the AXS team and volunteers with disabilities, we recreated what can happen when a person with mobility challenges enters a typical venue. Our findings: the rating system needed to be uncomplicated, objective and uniform. Ratings should be helpful and inclusive for all users, from parents with strollers to people with visual impairments. 

Ready to help more people find more accessible places? Rate spots in your community, read more in the AXS case study, and watch this video from Jason DaSilva about the problem AXS intends to solve.

*Source: Inclusive City Maker, Disabled People in the World in 2019: facts and figures

John Jones