Communication access on trains: a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of passengers with communication disabilities.

For transport to be accessible to people with communication disabilities many different types of adjustment are required. Using multiple modes of communication with attention to understandability and consistent responses from public contact staff skilled to interact in multiple ways, may be the most flexible and effective means of responding to difficulties posed by the complex and unpredictable nature of train services. Implications for Rehabilitation People with communication disabilities are a diverse group which includes people with physical, sensory, speech, language, and cognitive impairments. Public transport services need to provide a range of communication adjustments to enable people with communication disabilities to travel successfully. Transport services must retain and refine accessible alternatives to online information and booking systems for people with cognitive impairments to avoid widening the digital divide. Frequent and unavoidable changes to train services mean that skilled public contact staff, access to information and a culture of help seeking and giving are particularly important in facilitating access for people with communication disabilities.