VIEWS & OPINION
Designing classrooms for inclusion and disability
Comment by GERRY BOYLE, Senior Architect at architectural practice Gray Design
Designing for inclusion and disability in classrooms is perhaps one of the most rewarding ways architects can help give back to society. Students with disabilities have just as much right to a quality educational experience as any other and when students are provided with inclusive classroom spaces this teaches them about the fundamental importance of inclusion and equality.
Now more than ever schools need classrooms to be inclusive for all students and this is evident in a recent report published in June 2022 by the UK Government titled ‘Special educational needs and disability: an analysis and summary of data source’, which states the number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) increased to 1.49 million pupils in 2022, representing 16.5% of all pupils. Furthermore, the Department for Work and Pensions Family Resources Survey reported that in 2020-21, 9% of children in the UK had a disability.
Here are some ways architects can make schools more inclusive for students with disabilities and learning difficulties.
Accessibility
Seating a student with a disability by the door or placing them at a separate desk may appear to be the obvious solution. However, it separates them from their classmates and essential learning materials and may also send a harmful message to the students that they are an inconvenience and create animosity in the classroom. Architects should design classrooms so that fixed items & furnishings such as whiteboards, desks, stationery, books, and other essential classroom tools are at appropriate heights so all students can access them and also consider how easily students in wheelchairs can manoeuvre to reach these tools. Locating shelving and whiteboards at the appropriate height, providing individual whiteboards, and advising the school to provide flexible and agile furniture are essential ways of designing for accessibility.
Students with physical disabilities may find it difficult to travel between spaces in the classroom. To minimize travel distances for students with disabilities, ensure there is plenty of open space between workstations and desks that allow ease of access to all areas of the classroom. This, inevitably, has the impact of either reducing pupil numbers in a classroom or increasing the size of the room as set out in the Department of Education’s Building Handbook. Architects could design classrooms to suit the horseshoe-shaped layout. This will eliminate long detours around the classroom for students with a disability and the teacher has greater access to all students’ desks via the open space in the middle.
Mobility Designing walking routes and paths for students with disabilities to 22
www.education-today.co.uk November 2022
reach their classrooms is crucial to achieving inclusion for all. Ramps are an obvious choice as they work for everyone however, the angle of the ramp is key. Architects must be aware of ramps that are too steep and that may be unusable for some students so it’s important to have the proper space available when designing ramps. One solution would be to create paths that work with the grades to design steps and ramps that allow both able and non-able students to experience the site similarly. This may mean that the paths are not the shortest or offer the most direct route but it’s a small price to pay for inclusiveness.
Installing elevators is also an option but of course, not every institution will need these, and it will be expensive which not every institution will be able to afford. However, elevators quickly become essential for making every classroom accessible if the building is multi- level. Architects should endeavour not to remove essential space or compromise the design in the process and maintain the required maximum travel distance.
Acoustics
For special educational needs settings, classroom acoustics are extremely important. High-quality classroom acoustics are essential for students with hearing loss, learning disabilities, auditory processing disorders, speech or language delays, and attention issues. Classrooms with strong acoustics improve academic performance, student productivity, and improve the sense of well-being for teachers and students alike.
Architects should consider how they can implement acoustic treatment into classroom designs using the Department for Education’s Building Bulletin 93 which outlines the standard for school noise levels and what can be done through acoustic design solutions.
Advice would suggest the smaller the room the better the acoustics. This principle works against the aims of ‘Inclusivity’ and to counter this Architects should aim to address the increase in reverberation by working closely with an Acoustician during design. This would entail using ‘Class A’ absorptive finishes as these are proven to be the most efficient. As the SEN standard also controls low-frequency reverberation time, classrooms will also need some bass absorption which can be achieved using dry-lined walls. A conventional ‘Class A’ suspended ceiling tile is quite efficient and will provide some bass absorption, especially if you use proprietary ‘Bass pads’ on top of the tiles. If for some reason a suspended ceiling is out of the question, consider suspended horizontal baffles or rafts as these are very efficient because both sides are absorptive.
Conclusion
Designing classrooms for inclusion and disability shows students with disabilities that they are valued and normalises inclusive attitudes for all students to emulate and carry with them outside the classroom. Designing and creating spaces that enhance learning for those with disabilities requires a deep understanding not only of the specific needs of the school and community but also of the most effective ways to address those needs through architectural practice. The needs of each school will vary from project to project but if architects take time to listen to students and teachers and approach each project with all of the above in mind then creating a classroom for inclusion and disability should be a seamless process.
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