Universal Design Of Selected Secondary Schools In Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: Students' Perception Of Accessibility Provisions In Meeting Their Needs

A building or environment is usually expected to be designed to meet the accessibility and usability needs of its potential user, which include both able-bodied persons and physically challenged. Universal design (UD) is a development strategy for planning and developing buildings and environments to be easily comprehended, accessible and usable to the highest degree possible by all individuals regardless of their age, size, ability or inability. It is however observed that the physically challenged are often sidelined with inadequate or inappropriate accessibility provisions in public environments, including schools in Nigeria. To this end, the study examined the effectiveness of accessibility provisions in meeting users' needs in selected secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, with a view to making contributions on how to improve access to use such environments for users, irrespective of their mobility status in conformity with the ambition of UD ideology. The study was conducted in other to identify areas for further improvements based on users' perception, towards enhancing social inclusion in academic environments in Nigeria. The study was designed as a cross sectional survey research that spans across three selected secondary schools in the study area. The study employed quantitative research methods, using structured questionnaire to gather data from a sample size of 136 students across the three secondary schools. The data was analysed with the 2016 version of Microsoft Excel software. Descriptive approach with the use of tables was used to present the findings. The result indicates that the only accessibility provisions considered not effective in meeting users' needs are ramps. Among the key recommendations of the study is for locations where ramps are necessary, but not provided for in the schools, to be retrofitted with accessible ramps for the benefit of physically challenged users, towards improving social inclusion in the schools. The outcome of the study will be useful for providing direction to building professionals and policy makers towards making adequate and appropriate provisions for accessibility components that are effective for encouraging social inclusion in the development of educational environments.