Anna Long, Ph.D. ,Dean Westwood, M.S.W. and Michael McCarthy, M.S.W.

1. 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

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

3. Focus Groups: • provider input on:current training, needs, and organizational commitment • consumer experiences about air travel and staff preparedness to provide safe, dignified assistance.

4. Why examine getting to and from the airport? • Weak link and potential barrier to accessibility in the travel chain 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. Focus Groups: Procedure • Structured, Co-facilitated focus groups (N=22) • 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

8. 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?

9. 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

10. Focus Groups: Results • Responses were grouped into four broad categories: - transportation resources • planning • luggage/personal effects • Other

11. Response Frequencies:

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

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

19. 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.

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

21. Center on Self-Determination www.ohsu.edu/oidd/CSD/ Phone: 1-800-452-3563 E-mail: westwood@ohsu.edu Oregon Health and Science University – CDRC P.O. Box 574 Portland, OR 97207-0574

22. 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 Education’s 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.

23. CONTACT US National Center for Accessible Transportation 220 Owen Hall Oregon State University Corvallis, OR , 97331-3212 Tel: 800-916-0099 ncat@oregonstate.edu http://ncat.oregonstate.edu