INTRODUCTION

A person’s self-image depends greatly on interaction with others and with the environment. We
have to shape the living environment, so that it becomes a series of tools rather than a collection
of obstacles. Persons with disabilities often are not
Able to perform as well as normal people because of physical, social, educational
Vocational, and attitudinal barriers.
The process of rehabilitation is not complete unless it also helps the patient
Live in an environment in which he or she can be independent. With the
Advancement of technology, this becomes more and more feasible.
“What is obstacle-free for one person could be a barrier for another”!
For example a person with visual impairment may be more comfortable in
Smaller spaces where most items are within reach, whereas a person in a wheelchair
Maneuvers better in open spaces.
The moderm team approach is to deal with these problems by normalization,
Which refers to an attitude whereby people with disability are treated as normal
Rather than special. Normalization includes promotion of barrier-free environment
Design. In many developed countries almost all public places are accessible to
The handicapped. The architect (refer Chapter 2) plays a very important role in
Designing a barrier-free environment.
Independenice within an environment is not the only requirement in the desg
Of an accessible environment. Energy expense and safety are also critical concerio
For the disabled person in his environment. The disabled nerson often does
Have optimum coordination, strength, flexibility or sensation, and may not respond
Vigorously or precisely to an emergency.
Finally, it should be remembered that each person wants
His environment
Homelike, stimulating, secure, and esthetically pleasing. The question I is how we
Can design an environment that meets all these requirements.
ECOLOGY OF HOUSING
This is a specialized field of sociology, in which the consumer takes part in his
Own environmental design. It is defined as the study of the spatial aspects of the
Symbiotic relation between man and institution. This includes not only the social,
Psychological or economic aspects of family living but also the world of designing,
Construction and industrial production.
The process for environmental modification involves the following steps:
1. Determining the persons needs and prioritizing them.
2. Designing the customized modifications.
3. Mobilizing the necessary funds.
4. Getting the job done.
Determining the Patient’s Needs
In order to identify and modify environmental barriers the patient has to be
Assessed in detail using a chart as follows:
• Diagnosis
Type and extent of disability, impairment, and handicapbaeo
Duration and severity of disability and prognosis
Requirements and tastes of individual patients
Strength and coordination
Mobility
• Balance
• Motivation
• Educational and vocational training
Mental ability and comprehension
• Home/school/office situation
• Home and office plans
• Orthoses or prosthesis hindering activity.
|Establishing Priorities
Because most people have limited financial resources, priorities usually have to
Be established.
This process must focus both on present and future needs and abilities.
The following should be considered before seting priorities:
• Is the disease that created the disability progressive?
• Will fatigue be an important future consideration?
• What are the activities of daily living that need environmental modification?
• What are the most important requirements of the patients?
Would provision of the environmental modifications hamper the persons
•
Medical rehabilitation?
• Are there any safety issues?
Priority determination should also be based on lifestyle values, interests and family
Demands.

Designing Barrier-free Environment

The architect and rehabilitation professional get together along with the PWD and
Caregivers to come up with customized solutions to reduce the dependence of the
Person on his caregivers, and lead a relatively independent life. Design should take
Care of local availatble material, appropriate technology and durability. Attention
Should also be given to the need for servicing the products and local skills to b
Trained for the purpose.
Once the needs have been defined, the patient should be encouraged to mobilize
Getting the Funds
Whatever finances are available to design the environment to suit him. With fey
Exceptions, today’s technology can provide viable (though sometimes expensive)
Solutions to almost any access problem. There are stair glides, elevators, and
Adjustable-height kitchen counters, vans with “zero-effort” steering and elaborate
Wheelchair systems with environmental controls that can literally be operated with
A blink of an eye or a puff of air. The solutions are usually limited by availability of
Finance and not by lack ofideas or technology. The internet is a wonderful source of
Information which the patient can access for making decisions for himself or herself.
|Getting the Job Done
The final step in this problem solving process involves decisions on specific design
And selecting contractors to do the work. The physiatrist should be able to refer
Patients to sources of information and make design recommendations. It is here
That the architect functions as a member of the rehabilitation team.
Accessible Design
The Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 under sections 44, 45, and 46 provides
For nondiscrimination in transport, on the road and nondiscrimination in built
Environment respectively. This is in line with the resolutions of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India
Is a signatory (refer Chapter 4). Every government should have a vision to have an
Inclusive society in which there are equal opportunities and access to PwDs to
Mainstream them into society and lead independent and dignified lives.
On December 3, 2015, which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
(PwDs), the Government of India launched the “Accessible India Campaign
(Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), which focusses on three aspects of accessibility:
Built Environment; Public Transportation and Information and Communication
Technology.
A tool kit has been designed to assess the Inclusiveness and Accessibility Indes
(1&A Index) of each organization, in terms of awareness, modifications to
Workplace, inclusive employment and organizational culture.
For all practical purposes, the persons with disability can be classified as:
1. Nonambulatory: Individuals confined to wheelchairs.
2. Semi-ambulatory: Individuals walk with difficulty or insecurity.
3. Sight: Total blindness or impairments affecting sight to the extent that the
individual in public areas is exposed to danger.
4. Hearing: Such individuals may not hear a signal and may be at risk.ivie
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FEATURES AND THEIR ACCESSIBILITY
Public Places
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990) has laid down some guidelines
for accessibility to public utilities.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) under the Ministry ofUrban Affairs
and Employment has brought out guidelines for "barrier-free built environment:
The guidelines envisage adequate accommodation for mobility devices like
axillary crutches, tricycles and wheelchairs, with consideration for range of reach
and obstruction.
| Classification of Buildings under the CPWD
1. Residential: Primary and mixed
2. Commercial: Includes retail, commercial malls, godowns, warehousing.
3. Manufacturing: Service, light medium and heavy engineering, hazardous
chemical industries.
4. Public and semipublic: Offices of the government quasi government, schools
and colleges, institutions doing research, hospitals, social cultural and religious
institutions like temples and churches.
5. Recreational: Playgrounds, stadia, parks, open spaces.
6. Transportation and communication: Roads, airports, stations, ports, transport
hubs.
7. Agriculture and water bodies: Farming, rural settlements, forest.
8. Special areas: Heritage sites, tourism destinations, monuments.
Design of all these sites should have the minimumn stipulated units reserved for
the persons with disability and aged population. Post offices and banks should have
at least one lower counter, with entrance and exit accessibility.
In the construction of any building, particularly public buildings, one must pay
attention to the entry and exits, the floors, the stairways and the general approach
like the driveway.
Parking
Parking for two cars shall be provided, each of minimum width of 3.6 meters near
the entrance of the building for physically handicapped persons within maximum
distance of 30 meters from the entrance. Signage should be prominent and mention
that the place is reserved for PwD.
Walkways
Walkways should be smooth, but firm to allow wheeling. There should be no
irregular surfaces such as concrete blocks, bricks or stones on the path. The minimum walkway
width should be 1200 mm and for moderate two way traff
it should be 1650-1800 mm. When walks exceed 60 meter in length it is desirable
to provide a bench or chair, with a texture change adjacent to seating will be
desirable for blind persons. Manholes and ditches are to be filled and fallen trees
to be removed. Attention to be paid to level differences and grooves to prevent
casters ofwheelchairs from getting caught. The walkways should not be in the way
of vehicular trafic.
Kerbs
Kerbs should be with ramps. The ramp should not protrude on to the street but
be constructed well into the kerb. Needless to say it should be nonslippery and
colored with a contrast color.
usstbes
Doors
Every building should have at least one entrance accessible to the handicapped
and this should be prominently displayed at the entrance.
• The entrance door to the dwelling should be at least 2 feet 10" wide if the door
opens 180 degrees, otherwise 3 feet width would be needed. There should be
no problem for a wheelchair user to get into the building.
• There should be no entrance step or riser; the ramp should merge seanlessly
with the ground floor surface.
Letter or numbers identifying the dwelling should be etched on the door and
be visible day and night. Raised numbers which can be felt are used for persons
with visual impairment.
• Horizontal sliding or folding doors are easiest to operate from a sitting position
and they eliminate the danger, especially to the persons with visual impairment,
of walking into the edge of a partially open door. The handles of such doors
should be reachable from the wheelchairs.
• Doors in many public buildings are fit with sensors that react to an approaching
person and open automatically without any effort from the person to reach out
and open them.
• Two way swinging doors are hazardous and should not be used.
. Round or oval polished and plated doorknobs are the most difficult for impaired
hands to operate. Instead handles with a good power nonslipping grip are
provided with ends looped back to the door surface to prevent catching of
clothes.
• The force needed to open the door is decided by attaching a spring scale to the
door handle and pulling on the spring from a seated position until the door
opens. The weight should ideally not exceed 8 pounds.
Safety glass vision panels are recommended on doors so that people can spota
disabled person approaching from the other side. The reverse is also true, as the
disabled person must also be able to see a person from the otther side.
Separate toilet facilities for PWD's are provided with doors that can be openea
from the outside in cases of emergency.

Stairs
It has been noticed that
Handrail
2'8"
amputees, crutch or cane
walkers prefer steps to
Riser height
ramps. However, single-run
stairs between floors are
10"
Tread depth
not desirable. To conserve
energy, at least one landing
1/2" nosing
should be used between
2 flights of stairs with 90
Fig. 5.1: Staircase measurements.
degrees or 180 degrees
turns for resting.
The most desirable stair would have a 6" riser and 10" minimum tread which
places the ball of descending foot well inside the stair nosing. A safety nosing which
is distinct in color from rest of the tread should be used (Fig. 5.1). If the stair lip is
too big, the toes may catch on it, and the person may fall forward.
All risers should have uniform heights. Many people use the back of the step
as a guide for proprioception and foot placement. Others compensate for balance
deficits by wedging the crutches or cane tips against the back of step while
descending.
Handrails are placed on both sides approximately 30-34" height from the surface
and 1.5" from wall. Pictures and other objects on stairway walls are discouraged,
since they distract people going up or down. Lighting sources are provided both
at the top and bottom of stairways to minimize shadows.
Carpeting reduces the size of steps and may cause soles to slide or toes to catch
the edge and therefore, is to be avoided as far as possible. Gradual changes in
levels of lighting must be provided for people with visual impairments and for
senior citizens.
Ramps
Ramps come in all sizes
Handrail for wheelchair users
and can be made of wood,
Handrail for children
concrete or metal. ThereC
are portable ramps also, but
they are hazardous because
their ends are not fixed.
32"
24"
Most wheelchair userS can
1:20 (5%
negotiate a ramp sloped
Gradienttor famp
5-8.3° (1:20-1:12) (Fig. 5.2)
10"
or less without assistance.
Any ramp longer than 30
20'0"
feet should be divided into
Fig. 5.2: Design of a suitable ramp.
sections with a 5 feet x 5
feet platform for resting
between sections.

Platforms or landings should also be included at points where ramps change

directions, because it is hard to turna wheelchair on a slope. A flat: surface 1500 mm
or more in length at the top and bottom of the ramp should be provided for a
wheelchair to pause and prevent it from going out of control.
The recommended width for a one-way ramp is 3 feet between handrails. At
least 6 feet should be provided for two-way traffic. Handrails are placed on both
sides of the ramps and they should extend at least 12" or 24" beyond both ends of
ramp to assist persons with poor vision.
Self-service elevators should level automatically at landings So that there is n
Elevators
difficulty y for a wheelchair to access. They also should have automatic sliding doors
with delayed closing, with push buttons overriding the delay timing, one holding
doors open and the other to close the door. An emergency sound alarm system
and telephone should be installed. The control panel should be set at a heicht
convenient for a wheelchair user. Some lifts have two control panels for wheelchair
users and lighted buttons with raised figures and automatic flo0r announcement to
assist those with poor vision. Basic etiquette should be followed by normal persons
in allowing unfettered exit and entry for persons with disability.
SPACE ENCLOSURES
Persons with Impaired Walking
Those who cannot walk without a cane and those who have some trouble in their
upper or lower limbs although they can walk unassisted, including senior citizens
are included in this category.
Design requirements:
Width of passage for crutch users (minimum 900 mm)
Nonslip floor material
. Provision of handrail on staircases, or ramps
Extension of handrail on the flat landing at the top and bottom of the stairs by
300 mm
• To prevent slipping off the cane or crutch from the side of the stairs or rampS
there must be a 20 mm high lip on the exposed edge.
Floors
The floor should l be nonslippery. For those who find walking on smooth surfaces
difficult or dangerous, it has been calculated that a coefficient of static friction
greater than 0.4 will produce safe walking surfaces. Locomotion on wheelchairs
always consumes more energy and places stresses on the heart, which are higher
than for walking.
Uneven joints or bumps in the floor can pose problems not only for the
wheelchair user but also for those using canes and crutches. Heavily patterned
designs may make it difficultto judge distances and delineate the edge ofa surface.
A simple floor design with demarcation for steps or changes in contour is better than
a complicated design. For bathrooms, unglazed ceramic floors are recommended.
Smaller sized tiles provide some friction at the joints of the tiles and are safer to use.
Carpets may increase the friction with the wheelchair, cause a drag and thus
decrease the propelling force. If at all there is one provided, its thickness should not
exceed 0.5". Care should be taken that the carpets do not crumple and cause a fall.
Windows
Windows that project outside or inside beyond the wall line should be avoided.
Window sills should not be too low. The recommended window sill height is
28-32". The handle of the window should be at convenient reach, from sitting (on
a wheelchair) or standing position and be of the type easily grasped by arthritic
e
or weak hands.
| Controls
Opening and closing/locking controls for windows and doors should not be more
than 1400 mm from the finished floor. Electric switches for power should be
between 900 mm and 1200 mm from finished floor. Power point for general purpOse
should be fixed between 400 mm and 500 mm from the finished floor.
All light fixtures should be controlled by wall switches. The switches should be
uniformly located 2 feet l0" to 3 feet above the floor. Tap-type or rocker switches
are best for persons with hand impairment. Switches are placed near the entrance
door. Adequate light should be provided outside entrance doors so that residents
can easily locate their door locks at night. Brighter lights are needed for visually
impaired persons especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Switches controlling
electrical outlets in the bathrooms should be located outside for safety purposes.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Restaurants
They should havea ramp and elevators. The door should be wide enough to allow
a wheelchair user without any difficulty. The aisle should provide a path at least
3" wide for passage. Movable seating must be provided. At least one table without
stools in the food courts must be provided.
Movie Theaters
The seating is arranged in such a way that there is always a slot near the entrance
vacant for the wheelchair user. The aisle should be 3 feet wide to accommodate a
wheelchair. Access to the theater should be easy as ramps must be provided.
Public Telephones
The standard public telephone booth is not used by most physically impaired
people. To assist persons with hearing disabilities, telephone receivers should have
adjustable amplifiers. The push button dial is more desirable than the rotating dial.

Transportation
In India, people travel by two wheeleror car. A car may not be affordable for many, but a two
wheeler may not be preferable for most of the people with disability,
Where there is traffic congestion and poor roads.
Those who can afford a car can modify it as follows:
• The car seat should be of the height of the wheelchair seat with a proper foot
Rest to get into it. Doors should be removable. There should be a ample space for
Storing crutches or folding wheelchairs in the rear of the car.
Some high roof vans have a ramp in the back side so that the person with
Wheelchair can drive it up the ramp while remaining seated in the wheelchair.
The person in the wheelchair would sit in the rear while another driver would
Drive the van. For this, modifications to the van such as lowering the floor
Swiveling seat, restraints for the wheelchair and space for storing wheelchair
Accessories and prosthesis or orthosis have to be given.
• Wheelchairs may be motorized for traveling a long distance. A special elevated
Platform, or mechanical lifts attached to vehicles must be provided to facilitate
Boarding and disembarkation by wheelchair bound people from mass transit
Vehicles.
SPECIAL ROOMS RELATING TO VARIOUS ACTIVITIES
The situation of access at home is no different from public places, with the only
Difference being that the person is free to design the home according to his or her
Physical condition. Unfortunately in India this awareness is quite poor and the
PWD remains apathetic to his condition.
Kitchen
The three basic work centers in a kitchen are: the cooking area, the refrigerator
And freezer, and the sink. Work centers are best aligned following a right to left
Progression for right-handed people. The three work centers are most efficiently
Arranged in a U-shaped configuration, with the stove or oven in the center.
A minimum of 5 feet width should be provided for the wheelchair to turn
Within the kitchen. Counter tops should be set at a workable height from both tne
Wheelchair and standing positions.
D should be at the rear of the kitchen sink and provide maximum clearance
Thedrain
For knees. A single lever handle, water mixing faucet for hand infirmnities should be
Provided. Shelves should be “pull out” and adjustable in height at 2” intervals from
About 2 feet above the floor to the undercounter position (Figs. 5.3 and 5.4).
Wall storage cabinets when mounted 1.2” above the counter provide the
Maximum convenient storage, accessible from sitting position. Cabinets should
Never be installed above Counter top as such placement creates a fire hazard to the
Lady reaching for stored articles. To assist the persons with visual l impairment, the
Control diaals, in addition to visual markings, should be provided with click stops
So that the fingers can feel such clicks representing the various intensities at the
Burner. Whenever possible, natural light and ventilation in kitchens should be
Provided through windows.

Bathroom
The bathroom presents more hazards than any other room; therefore, planning for safety is of
utmost importance. More than a third of the injuries happen while bathing or showering. The
bathroom must be broader than normal, with a minimal floor area around 40-45 sq. feet (Fig.
5.5). Grab bars capable of
supporting 100-150 kg should be provided at the water closet, shower and elsewhere in the
bathroom. They should be devoid of sharp corners, no jutting
ends and with ends returning to the walls. Bathtubs or showers are also made
accessible for a disabled person, with a hand-held shower. Bathtubs should Ibe at
the samne level as the wheelchair. A back drain and slight floor slope to the drain
will prevent water from running over the bathroom floor. Water controls should
be placed on the wall adjoining the spray and within reach of the occupant. The
design of public rest-rooms: should also include the above features.
Toilet
The Western style lavatory should
be set 2 feet-10" above the floor.
The minimum depth is 4". Single
lever water control-aerator
spout is provided. Grab bars are
attached wherever accessible
(Fig. 5.6). A western type closet
is always preferred; otherwise
a "commode" is used. Some
wheelchairs have adaptations,
which will permit them to be
wheeled back over the toilet. The
Fig. 5.6: Grabrails in the bathroom and at the
opening in the seat can then be
opened for the patient to relieve
water closet.
himself or herself. The Indian
toilet is too low for people with
neurological or orthopedic disorders to squat. A bathtub seat facilitates transfer
from a wheelchair or crutches. It is also of utility in enabling people to sit while
removing orthotic orprosthetic devices. Shower spouts offer the possibility to wash
independently.
|Living Room
The front door should be easily and if possible electronically operated. The room
should be spacious for the wheelchair to negotiate turns. The chairs may be
designed at the level of the wheelchair and with removable armrest to facilitate
transfer. The television should have a remote control system (Fig. 5.7). Carpets
need to be avoided all over the house. Burglar alarms or closed circuit cameras
may be installed for safety.
|Study or Office
The table should be 2" higher than the wheelchair height. Books are arranged at
reachable heights. The cupboards should be adjustable in height. Lighting facility
should be adequate to ensure good visibility. Computers or laptops can be installeu
keeping in mind the office ergonomic norms.
FURNITURE MODIFICATIONS FOR THE DISABLED
We use furniture daily, at home and in the office. Sometimes the various furniture
That we use can increase the disability or deformity. Hence, there is a need to
Modify furniture to suit the specific needs of the individual. The carpenters must
Be specially commissioned to make the chairs customized to the child based on:
The diagnosis
Prognosis and future possibility of improvement or deformity
• Age of child/adult
.
Maintenance
. Deformities to be prevented
Adaptability to growth of user
Interfacing with educational and vocational needs
Presence of deformities
Skin contact and allergy
• Prevention of secondary problems like pressure sores
Cost
Size of room.
Furniture has to be designed keeping in mind the ADL (for example, potty
Modifications), the prognosis of condition (e.g. for a progressive condition like
Muscular dystrophy), the handedness (hemiplegia) and the need for incorporating
Environmental control units.
Some examples of modifications are “cushioning to prevent pressure sores,
Providing a back support to prevent spinal deformities, or a pommel for adductor
Tightness, and a foot rest to prevent equinus”. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis
Or low back pain prefer a firm seat while those with rheumatoid arthritis favor soft
Upholstery.
All chairs should be of the height of the wheelchair, with an armrest, backrest
(with lumbar pads), neck rest and foot rest. The seats should be adequately
Cushioned. The table corners should not be sharp. Chairs should be stable, light,
And have slight slant to the rear to transfer body weight to back of chair (Fig:
5.8 and 5.9).

VISUAL DISABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Design Guidelines
• Providing sufficient walking space for safe walking
• Use of guiding blocks
Information and name boards in braille
Public announcements
•
Removal of any protruding objects
•
In public places information is displayed on a large screen. The kiosk screen
Use of contrasting color arrangements.
•
Inside telephone booths is made large and visible. Sign boards with Braille output
And sometimes speech output are seen in public buildings, city halls, community

Houses, banks, libraries, train stations, bus stations, airports, hotels in many
Western countries. Alternating black and white steps are provided in stairways for
Easy discrimination. Changes in floor covering, such as from tile to carpet, help
Persons with visual impairment distinguish different areas in the room. The sound
Of footsteps announces an arrival, so carpeting is avoided in buildings where many
Visually impaired persons stay or work. Carpeting dampens the sound of footsteps.
Announcements in elevators have to be made regarding the floors reached and the
Curved rather than sharp margins on furniture and recesses for guide sticks
Offices to be accessed.
Along walls are other commonly used design elements for people with visual
Recent technology enables design of an adjustable length, lightweight, battery-
Disability.
Operated electronic cane which couples a laser detection unit to auditory and
Tactile signaling devices which warns a visually impaired user of nearby hazards
While walking. Three laser beams emanate from the handle of device, in three
Different directions upward, parallel to the surface, and downward respectively.
Vibratory signals in the region of the index finger register obstacles in the path
Letters and numerals on signs and clocks may be designed with enlarged
Of the beams.
Dimensions and placed on sharply contrasting backgrounds for maximum legibility.
Abbreviated rather than fully spelled words are easier to read for people with visual
Impairment. Braille is used below visual signs. Color is commonly used as a means
For attracting attention to key elements of the environment, and furniture in the
Room is colorful and contrasting.
AUDITORY DISABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
|Assistive Devices
The SMS (short messaging service) and vibratory mnode in the ubiquitous cell phone
Has enabled many hearing impaired persons communicate to each other and also
In an emergency to the airport or hospital.
For those who cannot hear the telephone ringing a light flickers when a call
Comes in. In our country there is a separate time slot on television when the news
Is delivered in sign language.
|Accessibility for Disabled Children
Household furnishings are a hazard to children. During the learning process,
Youngsters stumble frequently and often attempt to stabilize themselves on nearby
Objects. Failure to adequately grasp the table results in some injury and usually,
Children’s heads are the first casualty.
Placement of padding at pointed edges on furniture, use of safety glass in
Furniture, is recommended in homes housing children with motor or learning
Defects. The expression of personal tastes within spaces allotted to individuals
Is encouraged, in developing character, and personal style. So, if a child likes his
Toys to be arranged in a particular way, or his room to be furnished to his taste, it
Is better to accede to his wishes.

Environment of Disabled Senior Citizens

Slowed eaction time in the aged is an important consideration in
Arranging a
Well-conceived environment. A simple environmental setting in a circular pattern
With familiar surroundings is of benefit to elderly persons, because orientation is
Easier. Ln designing facilities for elderly people, rooms are best arranged in groups
Open spaces that afford a good view of adjacent functional areas like the toilet
To simulate a family atmosphere in an old age home.
Or bedroom make location of the pathway to them much simpler. Some designs
Provide opportunities for interaction of residents, like a common leisure rOom
Or breakfast lounge. Accommodations range from housing for elderly people, to
Specialized care for the senile and critically ill.
Emergency Escape
The following appliances may be used in case of emergency:
• Flashing lights to alert those with visual impairments
• Vibrating pagers for hearing impaired individuals
Two-way radios to persons confined to wheelchairs
Tactile maps for visually impaired persons.
In case ofa fire people are instructed to follow the exit signs placednear the floor
Below the smoke level, directing them toward the nearest stairway. Each lobby or
Corridor must be serviced by at least one fire escape.
| Technological Innovations to Improve Accessibility
Technological advances are providing great benefits to people with physical
Disabilities. Voice synthesizers use microprocessor technology to provide
Instructions to elevator users in special circumstances, as well as routine floor
Announcement to benefit those with visual disabilities. Electronic sensors meter
Toilet andurinal flushing, soap dispensers and shower operation. Bathroom fixtures
Designed for the convenience of the people using wheelchair include hand held
Showers or bathtubs and tilt down mirrors. Electronic window controls open and
Close windows. Innovative design has produced amodule located outside the house
That prompts to close the window when it rains. Devices which sense the approach
Of a wheelchair hold the door open for a preset time, allowing it to pass unassisted.
There is a recent kerb-climbing aid for standard manual wheelchairs. Intended
For use by paraplegics, it consists of bilateral ramps that are placed in a ba8
Hung behind the wheelchair backrest. The user retrieves these from the sea
Using attached telescopic rods. Environment control systems are given to avo
Unnecessary and unsafe ambulation (refer Chapter 6).
CONCLUSION
Rehabilitation falls short of its goals if it provides independence for the individual
Only while at the treatment center and then sends him home a prisoner to
Environmental barriers.
The rehabilitation team helps the disabled individual to access s his environment
So that he is made as independent as possible in it.