Applying the ADA: Designing for The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design in Multiple Building Types

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Secondary and PostSecondary Education

by Wally Tirado, ICC RAS

INTRODUCTION

In Chapter 3, we covered schools handling students through age 12. Depending on jurisdiction or geographic location, the grades or ages covered by secondary education can vary greatly. Students will move to secondary schools between the ages 10 to 14 and finish between the ages of 16 to 19. For the purposes of this chapter, consider the starting age to be after age 12; at that point, accessibility standards no longer specify alternate specifications for heights and clearances, and the standard adult specifications are used.

Postsecondary education is also included in this chapter, because, in terms of accessibility, the types of buildings used for secondary and postsecondary education are difficult to distinguish. Any differences between secondary and postsecondary schools will be identified. Postsecondary schools are considered a third level of education, which typically follows the completion of a secondary education and often occurs at universities, colleges, and vocational schools.

Secondary and postsecondary education contains a variety of multiple buildings and types, which include: classrooms, gymnasiums, libraries, theaters, and dormitories. It is more common now for students with disabilities to further their education by attending institutions of higher learning. Higher educational institutions may have fewer responsibilities in terms of services provided to these students and, in turn, these ...