Är Stockholm anpassad för synskadade?

Sammanfattning: There is a lot of talk about the necessity of creating accessibility within cities, but is it created for everyone? A multitude of different disabilities exists and this study focuses on the accessibility for the visually impaired in Stockholm. Persons with visually impairment have it more difficult to participate in the physical and social environment on the same terms as a person with full vision, and it is therefore important to create an environment where they can participate. The group of visually impaired is highly diverse with many kinds of impairments and their own needs, which makes it difficult to create only one solution. In Sweden there are laws and regulations regarding accessibility. The municipality of Stockholm uses the laws as a foundation for their guidelines and work with accessibility adjustments.  The purpose with this thesis is to give an insight to the problems in the urban environment that the visually impaired experience and how they can be solved, and to raise awareness of the deficiencies in the urban environment. To fulfil the purpose a literature study and a case study have been conducted. The case study is composed of observations of the urban environment and its adjustments in design and interviews with four persons with different kinds of visually impairments. The focus during the interviews has been on the everyday experiences and struggles created by the design and what kind of aids they use. An interview with the Traffic Administration Office (Trafikkontoret) regarding their work with accessibility, have been done to complement the case study. The results are showing that the probing cane, guide dog, an accompanying person, GPS and apps are the most commonly used aid tools. The tools are typically used in combination with each other, but are not sufficient enough to let the visually impaired independently move around in new environments. Digital aid which is not dependent on adjustments in the urban environment are being tested, however adjustments in the physical environment will still remain important. The biggest problems in the city are obstacles blocking the walking path and large open spaces. Open spaces can be improved by distinctive guide paths. Contrasts in colour and structure have been a huge aid to discover obstacles and elements such as crossovers and bus stops in the environment.