Designing For Physical Accessibility in Model Vocational Technical School for the Visually Impaired
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Date
2008-07-18
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Abstract
Discrimination against persons with physical disabilities dates back many centuries. The physically challenged includes the visually impaired, sensory impaired (visual/speech impaired), mentally impaired, emotionally/behaviorally impaired etc. The discrimination cuts across all areas of daily living including education, health, employment, recreation and others. In modern times, there have been improvements in the human rights of disabled persons. Issues concerning the physical accessibility of visually impaired persons as well as those physically challenged (e.g. wheelchair users) have come to the fore. This has been the case in Ghana which culminated in the passing of the disability bill (2007) which is aimed at among others encouraging the provision of increased physical accessibility in the built environment to facilitate easy use by such persons. This thesis sought to come up with a physically accessible model vocational school for the visually impaired student and to document architectural barriers to physical accessibility for visually impaired students in some selected schools in Ghana. These objectives would be arrived at through literature reviews, case studies, development of design concept and a presentation of the proposed school. In the end, important recommendations and conclusions would be drawn which is hoped will serve as literature to enhance physical accessibility for such persons in existing and yet to be built schools in the country and elsewhere.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Architecture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE.