Accommodations versus Accessibility

Accommodations versus Accessibility

 

Accommodations are only necessary when accessibility fails.

Consider the two portable stages in the images below. The stage on the left was built with accessibility in mind. Before the stage was constructed, its design included a wheelchair-accessible ramp and railings in addition to the stairs up to the elevated platform.

In contrast, the stage on the right was not designed with accessibility in mind. A ramp with railings had to be retrofitted after the stage was built in order to accommodate folks who can't utilize the stairs up to the elevated platform.

 

Photo credit: Stage Solutions Links to an external site. and Roll-A-Ramp Links to an external site.

 

More examples from teaching

Lab example

 

 

Did you know?

 

The updated accessibility symbol depicts the wheelchair user as "a dynamic character leaning forward with a sense of movement."

 

 

 


Module 1 Contents