“It's about going beyond compliance in terms of what the ADA really means and what it means in terms of disability and inclusivity,” one expert said.
Kyle Cox was on his way to class during an ice storm in January 2019 when an outdoor wheelchair elevator at Texas A&M University malfunctioned.
The school said in a statement that it strives to be welcoming to people with disabilities, saying it works to be “proactive in addressing accessibility needs as well as to respond as quickly as possible when individuals report problems.” Story continuesUnder the ADA, public and private colleges and universities must provide equal access to postsecondary education for students with disabilities, but there is room for interpretation. If an institution can prove that making the accommodations and modifications would constitute an undue financial or administrative burden, the alterations aren’t required.
Students with disabilities at several institutions across the country, including Princeton, the University of Maryland, the University of Georgia and the University of Minnesota, have reported a wide array of challenges. “Am I expected to memorize every single room number and who is in them on the entire campus while my sighted peers can simply look at the sign and know where they are going?” Hermes said. “I’m very grateful that I live in a time period where ADA is a thing. But there's still so much advocacy that needs to be done for students with disabilities, and schools really should be going above and beyond the basic minimum.
If you can’t get to your classroom or you don't have an environment that is conducive to learning when you have a disability, it is a huge challenge, according to Beth Myers, a professor of inclusive education at Syracuse University. Landre, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair, said she has repeatedly dealt with broken elevators, inaccessible push plates and dilapidated ramps that would take her through dark alleys.
Any barriers, physical or otherwise, can bring up feelings of exclusion, said Christa Bialka, a professor of special education at Villanova University.
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