The potential of street-level and 3D views: Making public participation in urban planning more accessible to people with cognitive disabilities

Abstract. Tools for public participation in urban planning processes often assume basic map literacy. People with cognitive disabilities are therefore usually excluded. This work examines whether street-level views and 3D views can make participation more inclusive, and identifies group-specific requirements for participation tools. We have developed and evaluated a demo tool in collaboration with a group of people with cognitive disabilities. The results show that many participants are able to recognize locations more easily in 3D views and street-level views than on the map. Combinations of different views have also shown to be beneficial. High resolution and broad availability of data are important, as are suitable conditions, such as assistance and support for alternative input devices. The study also highlights the need to further develop open-source map alternatives and open data.