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Online Help for the Disabled

April 2, 2012

The internet is helping disabled people become increasingly mobile. Online map service "wheelmap.org" shows wheelchair friendly spots all over the world, from cafés to train stations.

https://p.dw.com/p/14WiM

Wheelmap.org was developed by Paul Krauthausen with help from his charitable organization, "Sozialhelden". A wheelchair user himself, he appreciated having an overview of wheelchair friendly venues. Everyone is free to edit the site, and so far 2,000 users have rated and added 150,000 locations. Blind people are being increasingly catered to on the Internet, and can now e.g. download free audio guides. Meanwhile parcel deliverer DHL offers a videophone service for deaf customers, so that they may communicate via sign language.