Unless one has experienced a physical disability directly, it can be easy to go through life without paying attention to access. DFA students at Northwestern now put accessibility first, thanks to an intensive 6-week project working to understand the lives of people with disabilities and the experiences they face when it comes to air travel.

Powered wheelchairs allow millions of Americans to live independently, yet the freedom of airline travel is especially difficult and costly with the added risk of mishandeling property. 40 percent of powered wheelchairs stowed on airplanes become damaged, causing their owners tens of thousands of dollars, physical discomfort in a borrowed chair, and the inability to navigate a new environment.

A team of DFA Northwestern students made it their purpose to protect wheelchairs in-flight, and their solution is marvelously simple: an easy-to-apply set of stickers providing clear instructions aligned with standard symbols already used in the airline industry. Now, powered wheelchair users can communicate directly with baggage handlers on how to best stow their particular chair. In one survey, 80 percent of respondents expressed interest in using Ascend stickers and appreciated their simplicity. 

Thanks to a partnership with Open Doors Organization, nationally known for their expertise and advocacy for accessible travel, the Project Ascend team interviewed dozens of wheelchair users, observed baggage handlers on the tarmac at Midway International Airport in Chicago, and distributed stickers across the Chicagoland area. Project Ascend and Open Doors are continuing to increase access for all by making the stickers an easy to acquire industry standard. 

At the center of this sticker is the student teams’ growing understanding of what it means to design with accessibility in mind.