1. National Center for Accessible Transportation Intercity Transportation Provider Views: Are We Ready to Provide Safe and Dignified Services to All? Michael McCarthy, MSW Dean Westwood, MSW Anna Long, PhD Oregon Institute on Disability and Development Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR, USA

2. National Center for Accessible Transportation National Center for Accessible Transportation: The National Center for Accessible Transportation conducts basic research on accessibility issues and develops practical, cost-effective improvements in transportation technologies, with the goal of making transportation more accessible for everyone.

3. National Center for Accessible Transportation Center on Self-Determination: The Center on Self-Determination (CSD) identifies, develops, and shares approaches that promote the self- determination of all people. The Center on Self-Determination (CSD) identifies, develops, and shares approaches that promote the self- determination of all people. The CSD serves as a bridge between researchers and the community. The CSD serves as a bridge between researchers and the community.

4. National Center for Accessible Transportation Presentation Objective One Describe a study that explored the self- perceived readiness of intercity airline personnel to meet the needs of travelers with disabilities.

5. National Center for Accessible Transportation Presentation Objective Two Provide an update on an intervention to increase the readiness of personnel in this area: the On Our Way program.

6. National Center for Accessible Transportation Purpose of the Study Importance of the issue - intercity air travelers - transportation providers Secondary Importance - Allied health Professionals

7. National Center for Accessible Transportation Sample Recruitment Collaboration with 6 U.S. carriers and ‘vendors’ in Portland (OR), Phoenix, Minneapolis, and Miami Collaboration with 6 U.S. carriers and ‘vendors’ in Portland (OR), Phoenix, Minneapolis, and Miami

8. National Center for Accessible Transportation Participants 44 participants in total 44 participants in total Age: 17 to 72 (Mean = 44.4 years) Age: 17 to 72 (Mean = 44.4 years) Gender: 46% (20) female, 54% (24) male Gender: 46% (20) female, 54% (24) male Ethnicity: 77% (34) ‘Caucasian, non-Hispanic,’ 11% (5) ‘African-American,’ 3% Ethnicity: 77% (34) ‘Caucasian, non-Hispanic,’ 11% (5) ‘African-American,’ 3% Education: 21% (9) HS grad., 34% (15) some college but no degree, 32% (14) college grad., 9% (4) graduate degree Education: 21% (9) HS grad., 34% (15) some college but no degree, 32% (14) college grad., 9% (4) graduate degree

9. National Center for Accessible Transportation Participants – experience Months in position < 12= 12% (5) 12 – 47= 43% (18) 48 – 83= 20% (8) 84 – 119= 10% (4) 120 += 15% (6)

10. National Center for Accessible Transportation Procedure 9 structured focus groups between July 2005 and April 2006 9 structured focus groups between July 2005 and April 2006 $30.00 compensation $30.00 compensation Moderator Guide Moderator Guide Position Information Questionnaire Position Information Questionnaire

11. National Center for Accessible Transportation Analysis Audio to text transcription Audio to text transcription Constant-comparison procedures to develop coding system Constant-comparison procedures to develop coding system 365 pages of transcripts, 1098 coded comments 365 pages of transcripts, 1098 coded comments Predominant themes Predominant themes

12. National Center for Accessible Transportation Results 1) Job or system (37%) 2) Current training (36%) 3) Service providers (15%) 4) Travelers (12%) Four principal themes. Factors related to:

13. National Center for Accessible Transportation Results – Job or System Positive factors – stimulating work environment stimulating work environment interaction with travelers interaction with travelers Negative factors – information about traveler’s needs information about traveler’s needs  equipment and time to perform duties safely  lack of respect, professional status, pay

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15. Results – Training Positive factors – general disabilities, transfers, communication general disabilities, transfers, communication skills and knowledge of individual trainers skills and knowledge of individual trainers Negative factors – reference materials reference materials needs to be standardized, recurrent needs to be standardized, recurrent content content

16. National Center for Accessible Transportation Results – Providers Positive factors – previous experience or training previous experience or training empathy, enjoy helping others empathy, enjoy helping others Negative factors – communication difficulties communication difficulties low confidence low confidence

17. National Center for Accessible Transportation ‘YOU GET ON THE PLANE AND IT’S RUSH, RUSH, RUSH AND YOU’RE CONTORTED. YOU HAVE TO BEND OVER SIDEWAYS OR ANY WAY YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET THE PERSON OUT, BUT YOU’RE FODDER, YOU’RE GOING TO GET HURT.’ – Wheelchair Services Employee

18. National Center for Accessible Transportation Results – Travelers Positive factors – politeness, expressing gratitude politeness, expressing gratitude human connection human connection Negative factors – failure to communicate needs failure to communicate needs  impatient or rude  individual challenges

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20. Overall Impression Dedication, warmth, empathy Dedication, warmth, empathy Impact of traveler characteristics Impact of traveler characteristics Systemic devaluing of personnel Systemic devaluing of personnel Inconsistent training systems Inconsistent training systems

21. National Center for Accessible Transportation Limitations Sample Sample Design Design

22. National Center for Accessible Transportation Intervention: Traveler Assistance Training Development of On Our Way informed by: Focus groups: Focus groups: - airline and vendor personnel - travelers with disabilities Current industry practices Current industry practices Biomechanics research Biomechanics research

23. National Center for Accessible Transportation On Our Way: Update Instructor Guide Instructor Guide Participant Guide Participant Guide Quick reference tools Quick reference tools Instructional video Instructional video Evaluation measures Evaluation measures

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25. On Our Way: Next Steps Complete Participant Guide Complete Participant Guide Video post-production Video post-production Piloting and refinement Piloting and refinement Field testing and traveler feedback Field testing and traveler feedback Implementation and evaluation Implementation and evaluation Explore development of consumer program Explore development of consumer program

26. National Center for Accessible Transportation Acknowledgements Industry partners Industry partners Regulatory partners Regulatory partners Personnel Personnel Travelers Travelers

27. National Center for Accessible Transportation 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.

28. National Center for Accessible Transportation Questions or Comments? Thank you.

29. National Center for Accessible Transportation 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