We believe in the power of virtual tours to offer individuals unparalleled location information and allow them to make decisions on which thresholds to cross in person. For individuals with disabilities or alternative modes of transportation, that type of information goes even further--- providing details and context on which locations have optimal accessible features will make their visit more comfortable and enjoyable. This peace of mind can be invaluable and often taken for granted by most, which is why we seek to make our virtual tours as inclusive and informational as possible.

Accessibility Capturing Requirements

You can play an integral part in communicating accessibility of locations within the virtual tours you create.  Here are some actionable steps to take on site:

1. Choose the widest and most obvious path through a location wherever possible.

Most locations have clear pathways already established. We want to ensure our capture paths follow the natural means of egress and don't zigzag wildly or have obstructions that fall in the path of travel. This will ensure viewers can imagine themselves moving seamlessly throughout a location with ease. Certain locations (like restaurants or retail stores) may have more complex pathways, so do you best to decide which pathway provides enough space and line of sight throughout.

2. Capture accessible spaces as their own tour and title appropriately.

  1. Capture accessible bathrooms and other designated accessible spaces:
    1. Most of the accessible spaces you will be capturing will be found in hotels. Scheduled hotels are directed to include accessible spaces or guest rooms in their shot list and will provide access for you. In these spaces, one of the more important features are the bathrooms. We don't typically ask Creators to capture bathrooms (unless they are really cool) but in this case, we want to provide this additional context to viewers. Therefore when capturing a designated ADA Accessible guest room, you should ideally capture two tours: one of the door entrance and main bedroom, and one of the bathroom. Please see example tours below.
  2. Proper naming of an accessible tour:
    1. Please use "Accessible" + the room/location/feature you're capturing. Some examples: "Accessible Bathroom," "Accessible Entrance," or "Accessible Parking." We want to avoid using outdated language, keep it consistent, and ensure it's easily understandable by all viewers.

3. Ask the Location about accessible features.

Some locations might not recognize the importance of capturing accessible entrances, spaces or features in their virtual tour. We recommend prompting the POC when discussing the shot list: "Are there any accessible entrances or features at this location?" Or if you're capturing a hotel and they didn't include an accessible room, feel free to ask: "Are there any ADA Accessible rooms you would like me to capture?"

4. Use accessible features as Strikepoints when possible.

Most places will have accessibility features throughout their location such as accessible parking spaces, handrails, signage, pool lifts, elevators, or ramps. A lot of these features will already be visible in your tours when you capture, but feel free to highlight them further by setting up your camera nearby the feature and using it as a Strikepoint in your tour. This could mean capturing a pano next to the pool lift in the pool area, or next to the elevator in a lobby.  Check out this example: Playhouse on the Square. You can see in the tours several important accessible features such as entrance ramps and elevators. While the features are present throughout the location, the Creator did a great job ensuring their visibility so a person who is immobile can reasonably imagine themselves navigating themselves throughout the building.

Example Accessible Tours

<aside> 🌿  Home2 Suites Vicksburg, Courtyard Mesa Phoenix, Hyatt Place Grand Rapids. Here's an example of accessible tours in an event venue: National Aviary.

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