Are retrofitted wheelchair entries separate and unequal?: Fid-Bau Portal

Are retrofitted wheelchair entries separate and unequal?

Nasar, Jack L.

AbstractTo comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA (1990), many buildings were retrofitted to make at least one entry accessible to people in wheelchairs. ADA called for “full and equal enjoyment;” and as a civil rights act, it follows the precedent from Brown vs. The Board of Education that “separate is not equal.” Do the retrofitted separate entries offer full and equal enjoyment to the older front entries? In answer to this question, this paper reports two studies. The first had a diverse sample of thirty adults evaluate the pleasantness of 29 entry routes (twelve main, twelve retrofitted, and, as deflectors, five accessible entries for new buildings). The second obtained responses to the same routes from a sample of 24 individuals who use a wheel chair or other aid to walking. The results showed that each group judged the retrofitted routes as less appealing than the main routes. However, route complexity (or length), when added to the model replaced the effect of route type. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the retrofitted entries do not provide equal enjoyment to the main entry routes. Better design might improve the appeal of the retrofitted entry experience.