Promoting Health through Accessible Public Playgrounds.

Every child, irrespective of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or ability, deserves the fundamental right to experience play, which is a powerful and enriching activity that fosters their physical and mental health. Regrettably, most public play spaces hinder the complete inclusion of children with disabilities, with the main reason being a lack of universal accessibility. This study identified existing international and Canadian policies and community best practices related to inclusive playgrounds, and gathered stakeholders' opinions on the present condition of playgrounds, including challenges faced by children with disabilities and recommendations to make playgrounds inclusive.

Rehabilitation in the real-life environment of a shopping mall.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore how shopping malls could be used during rehabilitation and to identify the facilitators and barriers to their use.

Method: Two focus groups, conducted with 15 rehabilitation professionals from various disciplines and working with people with disabilities of all ages were structured around two topics: (i) The usage of malls for rehabilitation and (ii) Factors that facilitate or limit rehabilitation professionals' use of the mall as an environment for clinical assessment and/or intervention.

Results: The thematic analysis revealed that shopping malls were used to achieve several rehabilitation goals targeting physical and cognitive skills, psychological health and socialization.

Creating an inclusive mall environment with the PRECEDE-PROCEED model: a living lab case study.

Purpose: Although public environments provide opportunities for participation and social inclusion, they are not always inclusive spaces and may not accommodate the wide diversity of people. The Rehabilitation Living Lab in the Mall is a unique, interdisciplinary, and multi-sectoral research project with an aim to transform a shopping complex in Montreal, Canada, into an inclusive environment optimizing the participation and social inclusion of all people.

Methods: The PRECEDE-PROCEDE Model (PPM), a community-oriented and participatory planning model, was applied as a framework.

Exploration des cadres de construction des rampes d'accessibilité.

Accessibility to buildings promotes social participation through the application of inclusive design. However, architectural frameworks for constructing accessibility ramps are based on scant scientific evidence. This article presents a statement of established standards for construction criteria for accessibility ramps and makes recommendations from the perspective of inclusive design.