CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — In collaboration with Community Choices and the University of Illinois College of Education, Experience Champaign-Urbana launched Accessible CU, a new section on their website that helps users find local businesses that meet their accessibility needs, outlining the physical, sensory, cognitive, and accommodation-ready characteristics of local businesses.
“As part of our mission of promoting a welcoming destination, it is important that we provide resources for those with various accessibility needs to connect with local businesses that offer those accommodations,” explains Terri Reifsteck, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement for Experience Champaign-Urbana. “This collaboration allowed us to work with community members with these needs in order to provide an authentic and accurate representation of the experiences at businesses within this community.”
The page, found at experiencecu.org/accessible-cu, , is an ongoing project that began over a year ago through discussions with Community Choices and a committee of the individuals and families that they serve. Through their guidance, alongside the assistance of students in the Special Education Department at the University of Illinois, a rubric was created to evaluate businesses among many attributes. Areas evaluated include the physical exterior and interior, the bathroom, and stimuli with over 30 individual attributes looking at everything from maneuverable pathways and accessible counters to Braille signage, potential barriers to access in bathrooms, stimulating environments and low noise area availability.
The searchable directory at experiencecu.org/accessible-cu
“We were thrilled to partner with Experience Champaign-Urbana and UIUC's College of Education on this project. One of our missions as a disability service provider is to build a more welcoming and inclusive community for all people. Nothing makes us more excited than when other organizations are also pushing for this same goal,” shares Becca Obuchowski, Executive Director of Community Choices. “Working with Experience CU was a perfect collaboration because we were both focused on inclusion and accessibility with its broadest definition - as something bigger than only physical accessibility.”
Users can review businesses within a variety of categories, including food & drink, shopping, attractions, hotels, and more and utilize the advanced search to select specific accessibility accommodations needed.
“We are hopeful that the tool we've created will allow people with all different abilities and environmental needs to feel empowered to be part of and participate in the community. We want people to be able to choose places where they feel comfortable, welcomed, and prepared. Our tool will hopefully provide the information that will allow everyone to have that opportunity. We're also hopeful that it can be a tool for businesses who want to create an inclusive and disability-welcoming environment can have resources to do so and an outlet to share their efforts,” states Obuchowski.
The resource is continually being updated as local businesses are evaluated. Those using the website should check back often. Any business wishing to be evaluated can contact Tim Oravec, Community Development Manager at Experience Champaign-Urbana by email at timo@experiencecu.org or by phone at 217-351-4133.
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