AbleRoad is a community effort assembling comments, reviews and ratings to connect people with accessible places. The app allows users to rate establishments based on the accessibility features. This app development presented a challenge and a unique opportunity to emerse myself in the accessibility features of iOS.  iOS devices are well suited for the visually impaired, under the assumption that the app developers pay attention to a few key points.

1. Use built in apple UIViews and UIViewControllers – they automatically hook up to the accessibility features and deliver the best experience.
2. Don’t change views without announcing –  Visually impaired users keep a mental map of their position in the app while it is running. Changing views without using the standard view controller push pop paradigm, can cause the user to loose orientation.
3. Pagination – To much information in a table takes too much time to read. Focus on the important data that you need to share with the user.
4. Don’t use fancy touch gestures – The gestures will be used for navigation between the different controls.

It is truly insparational to develop this essential app, and it is certainly important to provide solutions to such a large segment of the population. This project is a unique one, go ahead and download the AbleRoad app and rate places for their accessibility!