What is it?
When looking for solutions to this problem which they became aware as a result of their efforts, the team focused on efficacy and applicability. As they wanted to put forth a realistic solution that can be used by every member of their target group, however small that group may be, the team decided to focus at first on minibusses and collective taxis, which they regarded as most problematic. Their project aims to develop solutions for the problem using three different methods which are: teaching collective taxi and minibus drivers basic words determined by hearing-impaired instructors, such as crossroads, traffic lights, shopping mall and hospital in sign language at the trade union they belong to, putting up posters in collective taxis and minibusses displaying districts and neighborhoods that are on the route, and informing the hearing-impaired and the deaf on how to utilize these systems at institutions carrying out hearing disability-related work. With these in place, a hearing-impaired individual who gets on a minibus could show the driver the place they want to go on the poster, then describe the exact location using sign language, and thus comfortably reach their destination. The team thinks the system proposed by the project is practical and easy to apply and proliferate. As they hope to encourage the use of public transportation by the hearing-impaired and the deaf with this project, the team aims to develop similar projects for taxis and municipal buses as well.
Why?
The fieldwork and research conducted by the team has indicated that one of the most neglected groups in inclusive mobility work is the hearing-impaired. The hearing-impaired individuals, numbering approximately 340,000 in Turkey, are having difficulties using means of transportation such as buses, minibusses, collective taxis, and taxis. While the partially and fully hearing-impaired can’t understand written Turkish unless they have received special education, most of the people without hearing impairments do not know sign language. For this reason, hearing-impaired individuals have a hard time communicating where they want to go to public transport. In many cases, the drivers don’t drop them off where they want, and for fear of getting lost, hearing-impaired individuals often avoid using public transportation. When the screen displaying the names of the stops is not working, if they are going somewhere for the first time, they often miss the correct stop.