Designing Accessible School Facilities

While universal design varies from one place to another, here are some elements to consider:

Design factors:

• Use topography to an advantage. Steeper ground often makes it easier to provide access, not harder. Paths oriented parallel to the slope of land are easier to make accessible than those that run perpendicular to the slope.
• Avoid level changes inside the building. This removes the need for ramps entirely. If abrupt level changes are kept below 15 centimeters, railings are not needed on ramps.
• Eliminate raised thresholds and steps at doorways. Thresholds are often used to bridge the gap between different floor surface materials on each side of a wall. When needed, thresholds should be recessed or kept low with a gradual transition from exterior floor surface to interior floor surface. This will eliminate the need for ramps and separate accessible entrances to classrooms.
• Avoid the use of elevators and lifts. They are the most costly items to build and may be very hard to obtain, causing significant construction delays. They also create significant maintenance costs and may take a long time to repair.
• Where no site is available that is large enough for a one-story school building, plan the school using a split level design so that ramps can be used to connect levels. On steep sites, an accessible entry can be provided to each level connected by an accessible path of travel outside. In climates with extensive rainy seasons, it may be possible to shelter the paths with overhanging roofs or galleries.
• Provide increased space for wheelchair access without increasing the overall size of the building by careful design and efficient use of space everywhere.
• Run ramps in the direction of travel so that everyone will use them and stairs can be eliminated.

Construction factors:

• Avoid specialty products. Find locally available alternatives when costs are prohibitive. For example, make grab bars from steel bars, pipes or wood if it is cheaper.
• Be creative in the use of available materials and products. For example, if wide doors are not available, use double doors made from two narrow doors. Paved surfaces, although desirable, are not absolutely necessary for wheelchair access if walking materials are durable, even, stable and well drained.
• Educate builders about new practices before construction begins to avoid creating problems in the field and institute quality control procedures to ensure things are being built properly. Rebuilding projects that are already under construction increases the cost of accessibility significantly.

Social factors:

• Invest resources in education and outreach during design to engage local builders and product suppliers in identifying how to accomplish the goals of accessibility. This will reduce lack of cooperation and reduce the need for quality control when construction commences.
• Use culturally appropriate means to provide access. For example, trying to save money by building one unisex accessible latrine instead of making the regular boy’s and girl’s toilet facilities accessible may be unacceptable in a culture that maintains strict separation between the sexes.