IN-PERSON Barcelona. Section A

Abstract

To achieve universal accessibility, Government of India has launched a nationwide flagship program, “Accessible India Campaign” in the year 2015 which envisions for an inclusive society that enables persons with disabilities to gain access to equal opportunities, to live independently, and to participate fully in all aspects of life. India is a signatory to UNCRPD 2007, and is committed to it. Article 24 of the Therefore, adoption of inclusive approaches in education is imperative so that the goal of ‘Education for all’ can be achieved. India’s higher education system stands third largest in the world, in terms of students, next to China and the United States. In future, India’s Higher Education sector is anticipated to grow with increase in the number of Universities/University level Institutions & Colleges since independence. The methodology involves a case study of higher education institute in India, involving an access audit, to evaluate accessibility in its built environment including its documentation, problem identification and generation of solutions to improve accessibility for all types of users including persons with disabilities. An access audit gives a clear picture on the performance of any built environment for ease of access and its use by variety of users with different abilities, it helps to identify the issues faced by users in terms of access and indicate possible improvements which will eventually benefit all users.