Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai: A Fair Sheikh for Travelers with Disabilities
Dubai's project has the critical mass necessary to catalyze a paradigm shift in the tourism industry. That is why, sitting somewhat in awe of the looming potential, I want to point to a flaw in conceptualization that threatens to derail the good intention and diligent work going into this work.
Government officials report a desire to adhere to the best international standards of inclusion in Dubai's existing infrastructure and massive tourism development project, Dubailand. Lamentably, while using the language of Universal Design, the underlying approach is a quota system--a percentage of accessible units or features rather than the ubiquity envisioned by Universal Design. Inevitably, this approach leads to a "minimal-compliance-equals-success" mentality that is sterile and avoided by all travelers--disabled and temporarily able-bodied alike. Minimum standards are necessary. They are just not sufficient.
By definition mandated minimal compliance schemes assign people with disabilities to the "Other," "Special Needs," or similarly stigmatized category and miss the core insight of Universal Design. UD can allow full social participation through seamless good design starting with the recognition of disability and variability in human capacity as normal.
Anything less than inclusion of people with disabilities in the core "normalized" demographic of desired consumers establishes them as an accountant's category triaged for amputation at the first cost over run or deadline crunch. Capturing the variability of physical and cognitive characteristics of one's market at the design level, and transcribing that into product, built environment, information and service, will protect Dubailand and future projects from the oft-repeated error of cost/benefit compromises that exclude entire classes of consumers.
There is every reason for hope that this is the path that Dubai will follow.
One can already see the visionary leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum setting the agenda ; careful study of the market of travelers with disabilities; the existence of resources like "Challenge Magazine;" selection of world-class architects and other professionals of demonstrated achievement in this field; as well as project employees at all levels expressing a desire to achieve the goal of Inclusive Destination Development in Dubai.
If a Christian may ask for a gift this Eed ('Id al-Fitr), then, after the soul-searching immersion into the core values of Islam during Ramadan, may those building Dubai be moved to the unique "zakat al-fitr" that is solidarity with people having disabilities through radical implementation of Universal Design.
Sources:
Dubai Makes a Move Toward Inclusion
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/000...
Why Dubai?
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/000...
DubaiLand: But
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