A virtual reality methodology for eliciting knowledge about public transport accessibility for people with acquired brain injury

Purpose. To evaluate a methodology based on virtual reality (VR) technology for eliciting knowledge about public transport accessibility for people with acquired brain injury (ABI).
Method. Four subjects with ABI and four occupational therapists each made a complete bus trip in a virtual environment. Think-aloud protocols were used to elicit their knowledge about public transport accessibility issues for people with ABI.
Results. All participants managed to handle the VR methodology and contributed knowledge about public transport accessibility for people with ABI. The most relevant knowledge from the ABI participants concerned concrete accessibility problems, emotional aspects and strategies. The direct observations of the ABI subjects led to the identification of some problems but revealed very little about what caused them. Instead, the causes of the problems came to light through the verbalisations of the ABI subjects. The most relevant knowledge from the occupational therapists concerned concrete accessibility problems and suggested solutions.
Conclusions. The concept of first carrying out actions in a virtual environment and then reflecting over these actions seems to be a very good way of eliciting knowledge about public transport accessibility for people with ABI. The knowledge elicited from people with ABI and from occupational therapists illuminates, in part, different aspects of public transport accessibility and hence is complementary.