• Resource Guide Home
• Legislation and Policies
  • What Laws Might Apply?
  • Other Employment Laws
  • Roles & Responsibilities
  • Resources: Legislation
• Identification of Accommodations
  • Workplace Assessment
  • Types of Accommodations
  • Implementation
  • Resources: Programs
  • Resources: Funding
• Motor Impairments
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Vision Impairments
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Communication Difficulties
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Cognitive Impairment
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Using a Computer
• Resources: Technical Assistance
• Research Findings

Module 3: Accommodations for Motor Impairments

Getting In and Around the School and Classroom

An educator must be able to travel from the parking lot to school entrance, open and go through the door, travel to the classroom, maneuver around the classroom, and use other facilities such as the restroom and lunch room.

These tasks can pose some of the primary workplace barriers for people with motor impairments. People who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes may have difficulty traveling around a school. People with upper extremity issues may have difficulty maneuvering through doors and through security points.

Accommodation options may include:

Lower Extremity:

• Locate work areas to minimize travel distances.
  When possible, locate work areas close to accessible entrances, parking, and other areas / classrooms that need to be accessed.
• Use a powered wheelchair or scooter for long distances.
  On large campuses, educators who use a cane or manual wheelchair might benefit from using a powered mobility aid.
• Provide an area where mobility aids can be stored.
  Some educators who are somewhat ambulatory may use a mobility aid to get to the classroom but not within it. They may need an area where they can transfer to a chair and a place to store the device.
• Replace carpeting with linoleum or wood flooring that poses less resistance to wheeled mobility devices (e.g., wheelchairs).
• Install ramps or lifts as needed to compensate for level changes.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for vertical lifts.
• Widen doors as needed to allow for passage of a wheelchair.
  For example, door hinges can be changed so that there is more clearance within the door frame.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for door hardware.
• Make doorways easier to open.
  Adjust door closers so less strength is required to open the door. Use power door openers for entrances that are frequently used.
• Rearrange furniture so that there is enough clearance to allow passage of a wheelchair.
  Workstation areas should have sufficient manneuvering space for people using wheelchairs or scooters.
• Provide a workstation with sufficient clearance to get up close.
  People who work from a wheelchair will require knee space beneath the work surface and may need a higher work surface if their chair seat is higher than a regular classroom chair (frequently the case with power wheelchairs). Risers may be placed under desk legs to increase the height. Height-adjustable work surfaces could be considered if multiple users will be using the same workspace.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for furniture risers.
  Visit assistivetech.net entries for height adjustable workstations.
• Position work materials to minimize reach range and the need to reach up, reach behind, or bend down.
  Locate materials that are the most frequently used within closest reach. Make use of lateral storage techniques rather than vertical, such as replacing an upright 4-drawer file cabinet with a 2-drawer lateral file.
• Minimize the need to hold objects while using a mobility aid or device.
  Attach a lap tray, basket or carry bag to wheelchairs, walkers, etc. or use a backpack to help transport materials while keeping hands free to hold or operate the mobility device.
• Use carts to transport materials to avoid lifting and carrying.
  Carts can also provide walking support for people who normally use a mobility aid.

Upper Extremity:

• Make doorways easier to open.
  Adjust door closers so less strength is required to open the door. Lever door handles may be easier to turn. Use power door openers for entrances that are frequently used.
• Position work materials to minimize reach range and the need to reach up, reach behind, or bend down.
  Locate materials that are the most frequently used within closest reach. Make use of lateral storage techniques rather than vertical, such as replacing an upright 4-drawer file cabinet with a 2-drawer lateral file.
• Use carts to transport materials to avoid lifting and carrying.