Research
The Great Plains ADA Center, in addition to providing information, training, and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act, conducts research to better understand accessibility barriers and develop practical solutions that support full participation in community life.
Our current research (2026–2029) focuses on improving accessibility in healthcare facilities, with particular attention to the experiences of people with disabilities that impacts mobility. Building on findings from previous research, we are examining how physical design, facility maintenance, available information, and operational practices influence accessibility, even when facilities meet technical ADA requirements.
The research also explores how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) can help healthcare facilities identify accessibility barriers, improve accessibility assessments, and develop more effective approaches to accessible design and facility management.
Our goal is to bridge the gap between technical accessibility requirements and the real-world experience of accessing healthcare.
Research Initiative: Improving Accessibility in Hospitals
Identifying Barriers to Physical Accessibility in Hospitals and Exploring Computational Solutions
The Great Plains ADA Center, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Missouri, is conducting research to identify accessibility barriers in hospitals and explore new technologies that can help healthcare facilities improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Our previous research found that accessibility involves more than meeting the technical requirements of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The experiences and perceptions of people with disabilities are also influenced by how hospital buildings and accessible features are maintained, how easily visitors can find accessible entrances and routes, and how hospital staff respond to accessibility needs.
For example, a hospital may have accessible parking, entrances, and pedestrian routes, but inadequate signage, poorly maintained sidewalks, or lack of information about accessible routes can make visiting the facility difficult. These conditions can negatively affect visitors’ overall experience and perception of accessibility, even when certain physical features meet ADA requirements.
Building on these findings, the new research will examine accessibility throughout the hospital visit experience, from parking areas and transportation drop-off locations to building entrances and indoor public spaces.
The research will focus on three areas:
- Understanding accessibility barriers and experiences: Examining how physical design, facility maintenance, available information, and operational practices affect accessibility. Researchers will collect information from healthcare professionals, ADA Coordinators, accessibility consultants, and facility designers.
- Exploring technology solutions: Investigating how artificial intelligence (AI), digital building models, reality capture, mixed reality, and other emerging technologies can help identify accessibility barriers and support more efficient and accurate ADA accessibility assessments.
- Improving accessibility knowledge and training: Exploring new tools and training approaches that help healthcare professionals recognize accessibility barriers, respond to the needs of patients with disabilities, and improve the overall accessibility of healthcare facilities.
The research will include surveys, interviews, hospital site assessments, and evaluations of emerging technologies. Researchers will also gather feedback from healthcare and accessibility professionals to evaluate potential applications of the tools being developed.
The goal is to help hospitals meet technical compliance obligations and to better understand and address the barriers that affect the actual experience of accessing healthcare.
Research findings will be shared through publications, educational resources, training, and technical assistance. Although the research focuses on hospitals, the findings and technologies may also have applications for other public and private facilities covered by the ADA.