Research and Evaluation | Noteworthy Practices | Additional Links

Adult students with physical disabilities seeking adult education may require accommodations and adaptations to fully benefit from instruction. Mobility impairments can be caused by a wide range of common illnesses, and accidents, such as arthritis, stroke, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, among others. There are many technological advances that can assist students in learning, such as computer-assisted instruction and assistive devices that can provide access to learning materials. Certain physical modifications may need to be done to make the building and classrooms accessible to students with various mobility needs.

Agencies are responsible under the Adults with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations and modifications to enable these individuals with physical disabilities to become effective learners and to have access to the best education services.

Research and Evaluation

• The Access Board's Research. The Board sponsors and coordinates research for use in developing accessibility guidelines and providing technical assistance to the public. Research focuses on the study of accessibility relating to architecture and design, communication, and transportation.

Noteworthy Practices

• Accommodating Students with Mobility Impairments. Information from Disability Support Services at the University of Baltimore.

• Alliance for Technology Access provides information and support services to adults and children with disabilities to increase their use of standard, assisstive and information technologies. The interactive information service helps to rapidly locate information on assistive technology.

Additional Links

• The Access Board. Independent federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Website includes information on federal guidelines and standards; technical assistance, training and research; and enforcement.

• Accessibility Guidelines and Standards (Access Board). Accessibility guidelines and standards for facilities, transportation, and communication.

• Americans with Disabilities Act. The official site for the legislation offers various resources and technical assistance about the implementation of the ADA.

• Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal. Helps people with disabilities or their advocates determine how to make existing facilities more usable.

• The Faculty Room: Mobility Impairments. Different types of mobility impairments postsecondary students may be subject to, and the types of accommodations they may need or request.

• Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone. Paper on how to make distance learning courses accessible for people with various disabilities, including blindness, learning disabilities, mobility impairments, hearing impairments, and speech impairments.