Recognising barriers: Mobility, dexterity and chronic pain
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The many barriers to learning faced by students who have mobility or dexterity difficulties differ from student to student and often from day to day. Not all students experience all the barriers described here, but knowledge of their existence and disabling impact will help you to appreciate their implications for learning.
They can be divided into aspects related to
- the physical setting
- teaching and learning
- personal and social well-being.
Physical setting
- Inaccessible surroundings and the problems this causes may mean that students cannot concentrate on their course.
- A lack of space or allowances for wheelchairs, crutches, sticks and bags cause attention to be drawn to difficulties.
- Teaching rooms, laboratories, libraries and research areas may be poorly designed and the height of tables, shelves, photocopiers and other equipment may pose access issues.
- Insufficient use of non-slip surfaces both inside and out can lead to safety concerns.
- A lack of awareness of the importance of keeping internal floor surfaces dry and clear of spills may lead to an increased hazard for those on crutches or whose balance is unsteady.
Teaching and learning
- Inflexible teaching styles affect all learners. For instance, not being willing to provide handouts electronically prevents students using text to speech software to aid reading, or from scrolling through the document when they are unable to turn pages.
- Curriculum materials that are difficult to access may make it impossible for those using assistive technologies to work successfully.
- A lack of awareness of individual needs, such as not pausing to allow a student using a communication aid to ask a question, or not recognising that a student may need to stand or change position, to take medication, or to leave the room to use the toilet during teaching times, can all lead to failure.
- A lack of understanding concerning the pacing of the workload may cause undue fatigue and concern for those with mobility and dexterity difficulties.
- A strict adherence to prescribed timescales, such as cut-off dates for coursework, can cause great concern for students who need to work at a slower pace.
Personal and social well-being
- A lack of awareness of a student’s expectations can present barriers to learning by undermining the determination that a student may have to successfully cope with a chosen course, despite what may be considered severe difficulties. A student's over-ambitious expectations should be handled with care.
- Constant accumulation of barriers, both social and physical, may affect the mental health of students with mobility and dexterity difficulties.
- A lack of discussion of hidden difficulties, such as poor memory or a short concentration span, the affects of medication, sleep problems, tiredness and fatigue may have an impact on skills and abilities.