Accommodating those in Wheelchairs

Something that I feel is not covered very much in Special Education classes and learning is how to accommodate those in wheelchairs. When I was researching how to better assist these students I came across an article that discussed how to adjust the room to better fit their needs. The first way that was mentioned was to make sure that the doorway is 100% clear and that objects around the frame of the door are tucked away to ensure that the student can move freely in and out of the classroom without assistance. This feeling of independence will help the student grow in the classroom and will make them want to come to school and learn. Another big component to school is having a locker or cubby space. One way to ensure that those students in wheelchairs will have a full experience is to make it so that they can readily access their locker/cubby as well. For example, in my high school the students in the Special Education room would all have lockers and instead of their being a combination to lock it, they each had their own key to their own locker that would hang on the door. The keys were hung low enough so that those in wheelchairs could reach them and the key hole in their lockers were positioned low enough as well. This will also heighten the students' independence at school and make them feel like any other student. Finally, having assigned desks or places in the room for each student is a great help, not just for organization, but for that individual attention that each student needs. Those in wheelchairs should be placed at tables convenient to the height of their chair so that they feel that they have a place to feel comfortable in the classroom.

"Tips For Teachers: Simple Tips For Helping A Student In A Wheelchair." Essortment. N.p., 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://www.essortment.com/tips-teachers-simple-tips-helping-student-wheelchair-52338.html>.