Identifying the needs and preferences of potential users of a digital platform to facilitate outdoor leisure physical activities for people with physical or sensory disabilities

Participation in outdoor leisure physical activities (OLPAs) benefits people with disabilities (PWDs). However, PWDs face multiple challenges to participation in OLPAs. Thus, an online platform is being developed to facilitate PWDs’ access to adapted OLPAs. The aim of this study was to explore the needs and preferences of PWDs and the volunteers who support them during OLPAs regarding such an online platform. A qualitative study was conducted with a descriptive interpretive approach. PWDs and volunteers who support them during OLPAs participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed following Braun and Clarke’s five steps for thematic analysis. Sixteen PWDs and 15 volunteers participated in the study. Analysis of the interviews revealed five major themes the participants found important for the development of the platform: (1) Having several functionalities; (2) Offering the desired training; (3) Including information; (4) Pairing volunteers with PWDs; and (5) Displaying the information. The study highlights the key features future platforms should include to meet the needs of PWDs and volunteers and facilitate access to OLPAs. Online platforms using multiple delivery methods to communicate information have the potential to address the insufficient information and poor access to facilities people with disabilities face when trying to practice outdoor leisure physical activities.Providing information about places where outdoor leisure physical activities can be practiced, and their accessibility can alleviate a barrier people with disabilities experience in accessing outdoor leisure physical activities.Since the need for assistance poses a barrier to the participation of people with disabilities in many outdoor leisure physical activities, and volunteers expressed their willingness to support them, future platforms should offer a pairing procedure for people with disabilities and volunteers to facilitate the access for people with disabilities to outdoor leisure physical activities.Analyzing the needs and preferences of people with disabilities in light of existing platforms to support access to outdoor leisure physical activities and adapted sport suggests that existing platforms do not fully address users’ needs. Online platforms using multiple delivery methods to communicate information have the potential to address the insufficient information and poor access to facilities people with disabilities face when trying to practice outdoor leisure physical activities. Providing information about places where outdoor leisure physical activities can be practiced, and their accessibility can alleviate a barrier people with disabilities experience in accessing outdoor leisure physical activities. Since the need for assistance poses a barrier to the participation of people with disabilities in many outdoor leisure physical activities, and volunteers expressed their willingness to support them, future platforms should offer a pairing procedure for people with disabilities and volunteers to facilitate the access for people with disabilities to outdoor leisure physical activities. Analyzing the needs and preferences of people with disabilities in light of existing platforms to support access to outdoor leisure physical activities and adapted sport suggests that existing platforms do not fully address users’ needs.

户外休闲体育活动（Outdoor Leisure Physical Activities, OLPA）对残疾人（People With Disabilities, PWDs）具有积极意义。然而，残疾人在参与此类活动时面临多重阻碍。为此，研究团队正开发一款在线平台，以助力残疾人获取适配的户外休闲体育活动资源。

本研究旨在探索残疾人及其户外休闲体育活动支持志愿者对于该类在线平台的需求与偏好。研究采用描述性解释性定性研究方法开展，招募残疾人及活动支持志愿者参与半结构化访谈，数据采用Braun与Clarke提出的五步主题分析法进行处理分析。本次研究共纳入16名残疾人与15名志愿者。访谈分析结果显示，参与者认为平台开发需重点关注五大核心主题：1. 具备多元功能；2. 提供定制化培训；3. 涵盖实用信息；4. 实现志愿者与残疾人的配对；5. 规范信息展示。

本研究明确了未来在线平台需具备的关键特性，以满足残疾人与志愿者的需求，助力其参与户外休闲体育活动。采用多渠道传播信息的在线平台，有望解决残疾人参与户外休闲体育活动时面临的信息匮乏与设施可达性不足的问题。提供可开展户外休闲体育活动的场所及其可达性相关信息，可缓解残疾人参与此类活动时遭遇的阻碍。由于协助需求成为残疾人参与多数户外休闲体育活动的阻碍之一，且志愿者已表达支持意愿，因此未来平台应设置残疾人与志愿者的配对流程，以助力残疾人参与户外休闲体育活动。

结合现有支持户外休闲体育活动与适配体育活动参与的平台分析残疾人的需求与偏好可知，现有平台未能充分满足用户需求。采用多渠道传播信息的在线平台，有望解决残疾人参与户外休闲体育活动时面临的信息匮乏与设施可达性不足的问题。提供可开展户外休闲体育活动的场所及其可达性相关信息，可缓解残疾人参与此类活动时遭遇的阻碍。由于协助需求成为残疾人参与多数户外休闲体育活动的阻碍之一，且志愿者已表达支持意愿，因此未来平台应设置残疾人与志愿者的配对流程，以助力残疾人参与户外休闲体育活动。结合现有支持户外休闲体育活动与适配体育活动参与的平台分析残疾人的需求与偏好可知，现有平台未能充分满足用户需求。