TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PROBLEM STATEMENT
1.1. Importance of Research
1.2. Research Questions and Objectives
1.3. Experimental Hypotheses
1.4. Structure of Dissertation
1.5. Experiment Design
1.6. Subjects
2. BACKGROUND
2.1. Self–Reported Transit Task Difficulty
2.2. Navigation and Wayfinding Without Sight
2.3. Measuring Accessibility
2.4. Remote Infrared Auditory Signage (RIAS)
2.5. Previous Research on Auditory Signage
2.6. Previous UCSB Experiments With Auditory Signage
2.7. Chapter 2 Summary
3. SPECIFIC TRANSIT TASKS AND LOCATIONS THAT RESTRICT TRAVEL
3.1. Caltrain Field Test
Field Test Summary
3.2. User Rated Difficulty of Transit Tasks
3.3. Qualitative Analysis of User Opinion Data
3.4. Subject Observations on the Benefits of RIAS
3.5. Modeling Impedance of Different Transit Tasks
3.6. Chapter 3 Summary
4. THE EFFECT OF DIFFICULT TRANSIT TASKS ON TRAVEL BEHAVIOR AND ACTIVITY
CHOICE
4.1. Travel Confidence and Frequency of Visiting
New Environments
4.2. Perceived Travel Behavior while Making Transfers
4.3. Activity Participation, Trip Behavior, and
Travel Times
4.4. User Opinion of the Affect of RIAS on Travel
Behavior
4.5. Reported and Perceived Transfer-Making Behavior
4.6. Spatial Knowledge Acquisition and Cognitive
Maps
4.7. Chapter 4 Summary
5. EFFECTS OF VISION LOSS AND RIAS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND TRAVELER’S
ATTITUDES
5.1. Summary of Previous Quality of Life Statements
5.2. Subject’s Opinion and Evaluation of Talking
Signs(R)
5.3. User Response to Talking Signs®
5.4. Subject’s Employment Characteristics
5.5. Lost Earnings and Additional Expenses Due
to Inaccessible Transit
5.6. Monetary Benefit of Independent Travel
5.7. Summary of Benefits from Increased Access
and Independent Travel
6. BENEFITS SUMMARY AND COST COMPARISON
6.1. Summary of Benefits from Field Tests and Questions
6.2. Monetary Valuations from Subjects
6.3. Benefit Analysis
6.4. Chapter 6 Summary
7. MAKING ENVIRONMENTS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE BLIND: WHAT HAS
BEEN LEARNED?
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Missing Spatial Cues Provided by RIAS
7.3. Measuring Accessibility for Special Populations
7.4. Applied Disability Geography
7.5. Survey Design and Methodology
7.6. Summary of Results and Hypotheses Testing
7.7. Possible Methodological Confounds
7.8. Future Research
7.9. Conclusion
