Student Interview

Svetlana, a blind student at the University of Oregon, helped our group understand challenges that the blind encounter in public restrooms. Part of this interview was a more "traditional" interview, sitting down with Svetlana and asking questions about her personal experiences. In addition, Svetlana allowed our group to follow her into foreign public restrooms and observe how she navigated through the space and located different appliances.

Svetlana's ideal tactile surface...

• Closely spaced bumps are most effective. They create a greater frequency when run over with a cane, making them more noticeable.
• Patterns that are effective at all angles. Some patterns can be hard to recognize because a cane may be rubbing in the same direction that the bumps go rather than across the bumps.
• Use a material that reacts well with seeing canes. Some softer surfaces can seem to be stickier than harder surfaces, making it hard for canes to run across.
• If bumps are placed under raised appliances, they should extended slightly further than the actual object. This alerts the blind where an object is before they get to it.
• Bumps should not extend into bathroom pathways. Poor placement of a tactile surface can prevent others such as wheel chair users from accessing the restroom.