Suchergebnisse

Background: There are varied and complex problems associated with the admission of students with disabilities into secondary (senior high) schools all over the world. This situation is further complicated by difficulties encountered in the built environment of these institutions and, in this, Ghana is no exception. Objectives: This exploratory study investigated the level of accessibility of the built environment in secondary schools in eight out of the ten regions of Ghana, in order to determine whether they conform to guidelines provided in international building standards and also assess the extent to which they have been designed and constructed to meet the provisions of the Persons with Disability Act 2006, which allows for equal access to public buildings in Ghana.Method: In total, 705 building elements in 264 facilities were surveyed using international standards, building codes, regulations and guidelines. These facilities included car parks, classrooms, dormitories, assembly halls, telephone booths and administration blocks.Results: Our findings revealed that most of the building elements were barring and not disability-friendly. Just to name a few: there were obstructions on access routes to and around buildings, absence of designated car parks, unfriendly vertical and horizontal means of circulation in buildings and lack of accessible sanitary accommodations. In addition, the general lighting and signage were poor. As a result, very few students with disabilities are admitted and retained in these schools.Conclusion: Mainstreaming of people with disabilities into the Ghanaian educational system remains impossible unless urgent action is taken to alter the facilities at secondary schools. Based on this research outcome, recommendations have been made to the Ghanaian government and the Ghana Education Service, as well as non-governmental organisations and relevant professional bodies for the amelioration of the present situation in our secondary schools.

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) represent the most marginalized, neglected and excluded persons in society hence the rise in the activities of various advocacy groups to ensure the inclusion of PWDs in society. One of the most sensitive areas of discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) is barriers in the built environment. This study is aimed at promoting and improving inclusive design education and disability equality in Ghana. It therefore assessed the training of the graduates at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) who later become professionals of the built environment in Ghana. To achieve the objective of the study, the Course Contents of various departments that taught courses relating to the built environment were evaluated through a survey of 259 respondents made up of 23 lecturers, 127 students, 52 design professionals of the built environment and 57 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The findings revealed that the curricula of most of the departments that taught built environment courses at KNUST were deficient in the principles of inclusive design. The PWDs on the other hand blamed the government and design professionals for the inaccessible built environment. The study recommends that the present curricula of all relevant departments should be revised to incorporate elements of inclusive design and design professionals who are already practicing in the field should be given refresher courses by their respective professional bodies to make them more responsive to the changing trends of universal design.

The rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to accessible built environments include the convenient and safe use of roads and pedestrian infrastructure. This is founded on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other related international and local legislation. These notwithstanding, this paper sought to ascertain whether the accessibility needs of PWDs were amply factored into decisions on pedestrian infrastructure. The study adopted a descriptive research design. It involved the use of a checklist developed from the Accessible Side-walks and Street Crossing information guide and the Ghana Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment to assess pedestrian infrastructure along five arterial roads leading to Kumasi, the second most populous city in Ghana. Interviews were also used to ascertain the opinions of 122 PWDs on the inclusiveness of the pedestrian infrastructure. The study found that the pedestrian infrastructure was not as inclusive as required. Maintenance was not given due attention and most PWDs had challenges with the pedestrian infrastructure. The study concludes that irrespective of the prevalence of both international and local standards in Ghana, the accessibility needs of PWDs are not amply factored into decisions on pedestrian infrastructure. Accordingly, policy should dwell on holistic enforcement of the accessibility standards in design, construction and maintenance. These will support the quest to enhance accessible transport systems and consequently efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11.