The Google Maps of accessible businesses : AbleVu is opening up local businesses to people of all abilities
For someone with different accessibility needs , going out to dinner or grabbing drinks is anything but a simple process . While there are many businesses across the country that have accessible facilities in place , not all of them are designed to make their experience comfortable .
This is also true for people with neurodiversities , such as autism or social anxiety . In these cases and more , a patron may want to know specific accessibility features of a business before visiting , all to avoid a wasted trip . Meegan Winters , the woman behind a new app called AbleVu , has embarked on a mission to make the world of local businesses more accessible to people of all abilities : “ I ’ ve been in the accessibility industry for years , and the one
68 Accessibilty for All thing that I ’ ve seen it ’ s missing is a way for people of all abilities to enjoy local businesses as much as the next person . Whether it ’ s wondering how high the tables are in a restaurant or whether there ’ s an accessible stall in the bathroom . For a person with a physical or invisible disability , having decision-critical information about a business before you visit increases the chances that you ’ ll go instead of staying at home .”
AbleVu is a free map-based app that lets you search through a database of businesses across the United States who have completed their AbleVu profile and added their accessibility features . It also allows users to submit accessibility-related questions to the business , in case they are not answered through
To Table of Contents the profile alone . AbleVu supports virtual walkthroughs , photo walkthroughs , text information , as well as a section to show off accessibility features and / or programs .
Meegan and the AbleVu team are on a mission to help more people enjoy local businesses , no matter what their accessibility challenges may be . AbleVu has also begun certifying AbleVu Accessible Cities , which are cities throughout the country which have a high concentration of businesses with a high level of accessibility features .
AbleVu ’ s website has just launched and is available for free to browse local businesses at www . ablevu . com .