As part of our advocacy, #OneAccessibility, we will share information about differently able and profile one location with accessible trails. Look out every week for this enlightening post.
Hello everybody! How are we doing? July is Disability Pride Month, so let’s show some love to our brothers and sisters. These next series of our articles will focus on accessible signs and symbols and their history. We cannot do justice to the opener if we are not talking about the International Symbol of Access (which some also refer to as the handicap sign). The sign is hard to miss and one you cannot forget, so let us dive into the history of this sign as well concept behind the design.
The International Symbol of Access (ISA) is illustrated as a blue square with a white outline of a person in a wheel chair. ISA was designed in 1968 by Susanne Koefoed, a Danish design student. Her design was chosen during a competition when Rehabilitation International held deliberations on the symbol. The concept behind needed a globally-recognized symbol for access was to illustrate an aim for barrier-free accommodations. The colours selected were meant to drawn attention and the shade of blue is called “United Nations Blue”. Although a new handicapped symbol was designed by Sara Hendren and Brian Glenney, the icon is yet to have a widespread adoption. At the moment, the United Nation recognizes the first sign as the standard accessibility sign while most disability groups, view the second sign as a more inclusive and active sign for sports or movement.
Even though the ISA remains the international standard image of the International Commission on Technology and Accessibility (ICTA), the symbol can be also used in the following ways:
— Marking a reserved parking space for vehicles with the blue badge
— Indicating a button to activate the automatic door
— Designating a public toilet designed for wheelchair users
— Showing an accessible transit route or station that has accessible features
— Signifying an accessible vehicle
Where else have you seen this symbol around and/or what are some other uses of the International Symbol of Access? Comment and share pictures below!
If you have a question, suggestion, or contribution, feel free to comment below. You can read last week’s roundup article here and check the list of our other articles under "Accessibility Uncovered".
Accessible Signs for