Thesis (M. S.)--Industrial Design, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Mullick, Abir; Committee Member: Milchus, Karen; Committee Member: Sanford, Jon

This project is part of CATEA's RERC workplace accommodations grant, and it d research, develop, test and evaluate a retail checkout workstation that maximizes independence and participation of employees and increases their employment possibilities. Preliminary research shows that current designs of retail checkout workstations do not accommodate the intended employees including the seated and standing users. According to the research, factors like task design and ease of use have contributed to job loss and reduced employment. Through participatory research techniques and ergonomic studies, this project identified accessibility and usability needs and outline design guidelines of a retail workstation that would address these needs. Based on these guidelines and examining possible future retail checkout scenarios influenced by new trends and emerging technologies, future grocery retail checkout concepts were developed. These concepts try to address the need for wider accessibility and better interactions, while adding value through design that aims to increase job opportunities for people with disabilities provide a better experience for the end users and maximize store investment efficiency of front-end equipment.

The purpose of the study was to determine how historic organizations in Virginia have responded to the issue of handicapped accessibility at their properties. The study sought to determine which historic sites are accessible to the mobility impaired, what handicapped accessible features exist in the sites' buildings and what adaptations have been made to programs and activities taking place at the sites. The study also involved exploring reasons why some historic organizations have not made their buildings and programs accessible to the disabled and determining what future plans the historic organizations have for making their sites accessible to all people. Questionnaires were sent to 228 historic sites in Virginia; 147 of the returned surveys met the research criteria. Even though most sites had at least one handicapped accessible feature, only 40 sites were reported to be accessible to everyone. Video-tours, slides and large photographs are made available to visitors who cannot participate in the entire tour at some of the historic sites. The main reasons historic organizations have not made their sites more accessible are that alterations are too expensive and structurally difficult. Forty-eight historic organizations plan to make their properties more accessible in the future. A directory, containing a table of accessible features found at the sites, general tourist information and a description of programs available at the sites for the disabled, was compiled from the findings of this study. / Master of Science