Here at Magee, we are all about technology designed to improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities. This kind of tech can be found in so many places – including right on your smart phone. While there are tons of great websites out there, we recently came across one we just had to share: AXS Map.
AXS Map is a crowdsourcing platform available on your computer, tablet or smartphone that allows people around the world to rate businesses for accessibility and share that information with others. It was created by Jason DaSilva, a filmmaker living with multiple sclerosis. For the first 25 years of his life in NYC, he was able to move around freely – meeting up with friends was as simple as showing up. But when he began using a wheelchair, he was very frustrated that he couldn’t move as freely as he wanted to. While the ADA mandates buildings are accessible, anyone who uses an assistive device knows that the actual accessibility of buildings varies – a lot. AXS Map allows people with disabilities to find out what businesses in their community are accessible not by the businesses’ definitions, but by what their peers have to say.
The site allows users to rate businesses on several factors of accessibility, including getting into the building and the bathrooms. All reviews are combined to form an overall accessibility rating. AXS Maps is powered by Google Maps, users can scope out nearby accessible locations from their tablet or smartphone. Best part? It’s free for anyone to use! But here’s the thing: to make it better, more people across the globe need to contribute.
Want to learn more about AXS Map and how you can contribute? Check out the video below! Try out the site and let us know what you think.
