This past year, the Dept of Justice adopted revisions to the American With Disablities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. One of the changes involves playgrounds that are used by children ages two and over, in a variety of public settings, which includes schools.
The playground equipment will now be required to be handicap accessible. Previously only the route to the playground was required to be accessible. The new regulation states that a certain percentage of ground level equipment and above ground equipment be accessible.
The change became effective on March 15th of this year, and compliance will be required for all new construction and renovations beginning March 15th 2012.
Consider taking an inventory and review your existing play areas and plans for new playgrounds. Set out a priority list of those areas that may need to be updated. Develop a budget and a plan of action to assure that all play areas are accessible. A playground designer or manufacturer of playground equipment can be useful resources in your planning. Also you can contact the U.S. Dept of Justice/ADA at 800-514-0301 or www.ada.gov or www.access-board.gov for additional information.
Michael King AIA
This a change of progress. All children should have access to playground equipment. In the light of NCLB, the change was inevitable. Taking inventory and budgeting are great ideas. Anticipating student population patterns should also be considered.
ReplyDeleteIn 2000, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issued guidelines for playgrounds which are accessible to children of all abilities. Since that time playgrounds have become more than just swings and slides. Sections 240 and 1008 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design specifically address the revisions which King referred to in his post, ADA Compliant Playgrounds. According to the guidance provided by the Department of Justice regarding Sections 240 and 1008, play structures are to be designed to provide unique experiences and opportunities for children, including children who can or cannot transfer from their wheelchairs. The Department of Justice recognizes that crawling and climbing are essential elements of the play experiences for young children. The new requirements for play structures allow some flexibility for creative playground design.
ReplyDeleteSource: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/Guidance_2010ADAStandards_prt.pdf
J. Barron TSU
Making playgrounds ADA compliant is a great idea if the playgrounds are actually accessible and are kept up. I have seen many playgrounds that have the illusion of being compliant however, upon closer inspection you can tell that the accessible component have only been put there in order to make the playground compliant. Ramps that lead into the playground and have a large drop at the end of the ramp are one example. Another component would be transfer stations that are put in and are simply too small and won’t allow children to successfully get on playground equipment. All you would have to do to fix this is to make sure that material in the playground, wood mulch for example, was maintained enough so someone with a disability can make it into the playground. Transfer station can be built into the design and be actually functional enough for children to make it onto the playground equipment and eventually make it to all levels.
ReplyDeleteC. Palmore
I am very excited that the Department of Justice is beginning to take steps that will open many playgrounds to people with disabilities. I believe there are so many resources that will be able to help make the appropriate provisions, design plans, and implementation methods to truly make the alterations a success. However, I wonder who will oversee all the playgrounds? Who will decide if a park has fulfilled the ‘requirements’? Will that person or people be able to follow the same formula so a large percentage of parks across the country will genuinely be accessible? Who will enforce that the remodels barely meet code?
ReplyDeleteW. Dayberry
One thing that should be stressed is that even though the playground has to be a certain percent accessible, they should also think about the fact that they could be accessible to a point. For instance JC Park in Stephenville Tx is somewhat accesible. They have a ramp leading to the playground, but once you get to the playground its full of wood chips which would be hard for a person in a wheelchair to get to. Or the memorial where you sit down on the rocks and look at the plants, there is no way possible a person in a wheelchair could enjoy the scenery as others not in wheelchairs. The basketball court only has two goals and is only accessible on one side, but as time changes and the ground shifts it won't be as accessible. Its a great park but only for those without disabilities. This brings me to my question, what percent of playground wills have to be accessible?
ReplyDeleteB. Haley
Playground equipment should be easily accessible for all children regardless of any condition. Each piece of equipment should be designed in such a manner in which that no one is denied the experience of playing because of a disability. Not only does the equipment need to be accessible, but also the paths to each piece of equipment need to be accessible as well. There needs to be solid flooring from each piece of equipment and on the walkways leading to or from each piece of equipment in order to allow for wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, etc. Playgrounds should be one place where all children can come together and enjoy being a kid.
ReplyDelete- C. Remini
Having certain ground level and above level percentages of the play ground accessible is great. What is the percentage of the play ground that needs to be accessible? Why not have a universal design so that all children or even adults can use the play ground. Sometimes it’s not the children that are disabled but their parents. I went to a park the other day and the park seemed as though it was trying to meet accessible standards by having a ramp entry way to the park, but there was no way to get to the park equipment. Instead of accessible for a certain percentage why not the entire park, also why not make it a universal design so that it accommodates everyone and won’t scream handicap use only. (V.Foreman)
ReplyDeletePlayground equipment should be easily accessible for all children regardless of any condition. Each piece of equipment should be designed in such a manner in which that no one is denied the experience of playing because of a disability. Not only does the equipment need to be accessible, but also the paths to each piece of equipment need to be accessible as well. There needs to be solid flooring from each piece of equipment and on the walkways leading to or from each piece of equipment in order to allow for wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, etc. Playgrounds should be one place where all children can come together and enjoy being a kid.
ReplyDelete- C. Remini
Playgrounds should be easily accessible to all individuals and to all those with disabilities. A playground may meet the handicap accessible requirements but that doesn’t always mean an individual in a wheelchair can actually enjoy playing on that particular playground. Why are the requirements restricted to a certain percentage? Playgrounds could easily be universally designed. Boundless Playground is a universally designed playground to adapt to every child whether they have a disability or not. These types of playgrounds have numerous characteristics that allow every child to benefit from play.
ReplyDeleteR. Howell
Access to the playground is vital for the person with disabilities to utilize the facilities. But, just as vital is maintenance of the access. When figuring an action plan for the accessible playground, include a maintenance plan. With regards to the legislation, are there also requirements for yearly inspection to confirm that the accessibility of the playground is still there and that the equipment is still functioning safely? J. Alford
ReplyDeleteWhen the act says that all play areas have to be accessible does that mean just to get to the area or the actual equipment. Many playgrounds are already accessible to the area, but once individual get to the sand or mulch they cannot continue because they will get stuck. This still leaves these individuals out just watching everyone else play. What part of the actual equipment is accessible, so everyone can participate and have the same opportunity for a good time? –A.King
ReplyDeleteBefore taking the class, I was never really aware of how accessible playgrounds were to children with disabilities. Although, I have seen children in wheelchairs at the playground for recess, they were never actually involved in the playing. After our class discussion, my thoughts and ideas have changed over the playground designs. Watching the short videos of the boundless playgrounds was an eye opener because not only were the children in wheelchairs playing, but children with no disabilities were playing on the same equipment because the equipment was discretely handicapped and looked fun for everyone. What percentage of the equipment must be accessible for these children? Why not make them universally designed so all children have an equal opportunity? Every child with and without disabilities should be able to climb to the top because we all the right to play.
ReplyDeleteWhile visiting the local park for our group public service video, we attempted to get to the playground in a wheelchair using the ramp provided. The ramp had such a huge drop off at the end, the front wheels of the wheelchair just dropped off and got stuck. Eventually, after getting into the play area by picking up the wheelchair, it was so hard to maneuver it in the mulch; it was more work than fun and play to get to the equipment. Also, getting onto the equipment was a challenge. Every child deserves the opportunity to grow and play with other children no matter where the location.
Instead of having a small percentage of playgrounds be accessible for children with disabilities, all future playgrounds should be easily accessible and welcoming for all children.
w.wade
Seeing a change in regulation for handicap accessible playground equipment is a forward step for those promoting accessibility. However, will the new regulation become just a check mark for those creating public playgrounds, rather than do the most possible to create a universal design for all? The previous requirement of the route to the playground being accessible did not make the playground accessible in any way to an individual in a wheelchair. Having a ramp leading to a play area would meet the requirements, but it did little for someone wanting to use the equipment. With the new standards asking that a certain percentage of ground level equipment and above ground equipment be accessible, individuals will be interact more on a playground than in past years. But will these new standards go far enough? Should not the regulations ask for universal design for all, rather than just accessibility? With universal design, anyone will enjoy using the equipment instead of it being specifically for those with disabilities. Making sure that equipment is built with individuals in wheelchairs in mind, yet making that equipment fun and inviting to all by artistic design will truly make a playground accessible to all.
ReplyDeleteC. Sirman
The Dept of Justice did a great thing by adopting this revision to the American with Disabilities Act. There are so many children and young adults that can’t enjoy most parks because it isn’t handicap accessible. Most parks get by on the requirements by doing the minimal. For example, one park has a ramp leading into the play area but the ramp has a big drop off. That child in the wheelchair really can’t use the ramp because he/she will tip out of the wheelchair when trying to go off the ramp. It would not take much to fix that problem but people that do not really think about things like that till they have to experience the problem. Playgrounds should be fun for ALL children.
ReplyDeleteMichael, – What is the percentage of ground level equipment that has to be accessible?
T. Lisle
There is definitely a need to improve playgrounds to make them accessible to handicap individuals. Recently, I went to a local playground with two other graduate students to work on a project for class. We took a wheelchair with us and used it to try to gain access to the playground equipment. We found that the facilities were severely lacking in accessibility. While there was a ramp at the playground entrance, there was not a paved path leading up to the playground. In addition, the ramp dropped off at the end and made entrance to the play area impossible for someone in a wheelchair. As we looked around, we found that the equipment in general was not set up to accommodate individuals with physical disabilities.
ReplyDeleteWhile compliance will be required for all new constructions and renovations, what about existing equipment? As school districts are tightening their budgets, new playground construction and even renovations will be on the bottom of the priority list. I do not think we will see too many renovations to existing playgrounds or new facilities built in the near future. Also, what percentage of the equipment is required to be accessible?
In my opinion, I think we should move more toward a universal design playground which will allow all children to enjoy everything offered at playground facilities, not just selected features. If we require only a portion of a playground to be accessible, we are not promoting the inclusion of students with disabilities but instead excluding them from activities that nondisabled peers enjoy.
j nash
To see that the American Disability Act is taking the next step to develop inclusion not only in the classroom but also on the playground is a huge step for our society. Children socialize on the playground more than any other childhood setting. An all inclusion/universal playground is a much needed step to develop better understanding and relationships between those with and without disabilities.
ReplyDeleteIf i was in charge of a project like this, i would not try and do everything at once. The way the economy is going, budgeting will be very tight, so my mind set would be slowly but surely developing a little at a time until the entire project is done. A two year project broken down into six months with a total of 4 installments of the park. This would turn a regular park into an all inclusion/universal playground for all ages.
E. Sauls
It good that the Department of Justice is taking action to make public playgrounds more handicap accessible. When you go look at most public playgrounds, they really aren’t handicap accessible. I feel like every public playground should be accessible to all disabilities. The public playgrounds may have rumps and path ways for people who are handicap to get around, but the playing area itself needs to be wheelchair accessible. In the past playground routes were only required to be handicap accessible, so it good to see that American with Disabilities Act took steps to make equipment accessible too. There still a few minor adjustments that can be implemented to public playgrounds. Playgrounds should be universally design so all children with or without a disability will be able to enjoy their playing time. I know it’s going to take time and money to renovate or construct new public playground, but anything is possible.
ReplyDeleteJ. Gardner
What constitutes renovation? What if a school is just replacing worn out equipment? Would this be considered renovations? Who makes these decisions?
ReplyDeleteWhat I would like to know is the cost difference in a completely accessible playground vs. a mildly accessible one. Yes I believe some of playgrounds not being accessible is because people have not been exposed to the importance of accessibility, but with all the requirements from the state that excuse is starting to run out. A.King
ReplyDeleteWho would be the governing body overseeing the implementation of these changes? Who will be held accountable if the revisions are not completed? Will there be incentives or funding available from the government to implement these revisions? J. Alford
ReplyDeleteMost comments that I read from other blogs posted specifically on issues with playground maintenance. There are playgrounds filled with mulch, which I guess that’s better than rocks, but who maintains the mulch from erosion? Also mulch is not very accessible for people with wheel chairs of even mothers with strollers. Making a playground accessible is a great thing but who is responsible for maintaining it. Also there are guidelines for transfer stations and heights for slides, what are those exactly? What all can you get with an accessible playground verses a non accessible playground?
ReplyDeleteVForeman
After reading the article, A Longitudinal Study of Playground Surfaces to Evaluate Accessibility: Year One Findings,” I discovered that there will be certain requirements that builders and maintainers of playground must follow. Playgrounds will now be required to have accessibility to all areas of the playground and the paths must fall within a certain percentage of acceptable grade. This could mean that builders will simply comply with minimum requirements and not bother trying to expand their accessibility construction. Another thing the article stated was that playgrounds will now be regularly inspected to insure that they are remaining compliant year after year. The article did not state who would be doing the inspections and what regularly inspections would be considered. This is a step in the right direction however, if you leave room for people to get away with the minimum then that is what they will do. We need to focus on making playgrounds universal for all people with disabilities.
ReplyDeleteC. Palmore
After reading over the other comments in this blog, a few very good points were brought to my attention. I think this move to improve the accessibility of playgrounds is very important but there are still some things that are unclear to me. When the word accessible is used, does that mean just the routes getting to the playground will be accessible or does that mean the routes and all equipment on the playground will be accessible? Playgrounds should be a place that everyone can enjoy and not “scream” accessibility. Are these regulations that are being made just going to be another check mark to make that park accessible? Who will maintain the facility? A recent study on the surfaces of playgrounds states that the ground surfaces will be inspected and maintained “regularly and frequently”, how often is regularly and frequently? After visiting a park recently, I noticed that the wood chipped surface under the swings was dug out maybe 1-1 ½ feet; this would make it very difficult for a small child or someone with a disability to enjoy the swings. It was clear that this park had not been maintained properly. I still find myself asking why these changes have to be limited to a percentage. Why not just strive for a universal design with all playgrounds?
ReplyDeleteR. Howell
Playgrounds should be universally designed for all, but also they should be kept up. Who inspects the playgrounds at the parks and schools to make sure they meet these new requirements? If we require only this small portion of the playgrounds to be accessible, we are not promoting the inclusion of all students with disabilities. What will happen if these playgrounds do not meet the new requirements? Will they be fined or will there not be a punishment? Maintenance plans should be mandated yearly to make sure equipment is safe and kept up to date. People in charge of the playgrounds should become educated on minimum safety requirements and accessibility standards to provide the children that use the playgrounds the best opportunity to play. After reading the article, A Longitudinal Study of Playground Surfaces to Evaluate Accessibility: Year One Findings, found there is not one best solution for the surface, from my previous experience, the wood fiber or chips seems hard for people in wheelchairs to maneuver around in and feel welcomed. The playground as a whole should be fun and inviting to all with and without disabilities.
ReplyDeletew. wade
Having playgrounds follow regulation is a great start to making change on most new playgrounds. I think people are starting to become aware of the way things are built and no one intently wants to build a playground that only includes able body people. With these regulations I am afraid parks are going to be built only to meet the new requirements. I would like to see all new playgrounds to required to be boundless playgrounds.
ReplyDeleteC.Stein
In addition to ensuring that playground equipment is handicapped accessible, thought should be give to the type of surface that is used at playgrounds. The ability of the surface to absorb shock and the maintenance required to keep the surface in good working order are important factors to consider when choosing a playground surface. In regards to disabled individuals, the surface chosen should be one that is easy for a wheelchair to maneuver through. I am not a big fan of wood chips. While they are economical, they require more regular maintenance than other surface types and are probably the most difficult to maneuver a wheelchair through. Poured in rubber, rubber tiles,or a hybrid surface would be better alternatives for students with physical disabilities.
ReplyDeleteWhile many cities use park employees to install new park surfaces, in the long run this is not always a good idea. Sometimes it is better to hire professionals for installation because if a surface is improperly installed, the amount of money needed to maintain the surface is going to increase. In the long run city might end up spending more money on the upkeep of the surface than they would have if they had chosen professional installers.
j nash
The revision to the American with Disability Act is good for our society and has all the means of great intentions. The question i ask is who will enforce these changes? What will or who will be the person going from park to park analyizing and judging the accessibility of all parks. Will there be penalties if you are not within ADA guidelines? Will there be fines against the town or city? What will give this ACT Teeth to make people obey the law and put forth the effort to follow ADA requirements?
ReplyDeleteE.Sauls
Upon reading these comments that have been posted, it seems that there is still some uncertainty left to be answered. The fact that only a percentage of the playground has to be accessible does not make much sense. The entire playground should be easily accessible by anyone who may or may not have a disability. Children or parents that have a disability should be able to get to any part of the park, off the ground, below ground, etc. The playground equipment should not be a factor in not letting people enjoy the playground. The fact that most playgrounds are not easily accessible by people with a disability makes it difficult for kids to play on certain pieces of equipment and it makes it hard for parents who have a disability to enjoy playing with their kids on the playground. People should not be restricted from an environment which is supposed to be open to everyone. Another concern is brought up by a separate article, however it deals with the same topic. It states that, “the technical provisions further state that ground surfaces shall be inspected and maintained regularly and frequently to ensure continued compliance with ASTM F1951-99.” What exactly does “regularly and frequently” mean? Once a day, one a month, once a year? This regulation needs to be more clearly defined. An accessible playground needs to be well maintained on a strict schedule in order to provide the best possible play environment for those in attendance at the playground. If certain areas become inaccessible, then this would defeat the whole purpose of the park.
ReplyDeleteC. Remini
Creating an accessible playground for all children is the goal of play areas; however, the play area needs to be maintained in order to continue serving its purpose.
ReplyDeleteThe ADA Advisory 410.1 General states that “The ADA and other Federal civil rights laws require that accessible features be maintained in working order so that they are accessible to and usable by those people they are intended to benefit.” But it does not state how often or when a check-up should take place. The ground under transfer stations, slides, and swings are the most common areas that erode over time and would quickly become inaccessible to an individual with a handicap.
If the playground is not maintained properly, it will not matter that “accessible routes” were designed in the first place.
C. Sirman
C. Sirman had an excellent point which stated why not make the new standards require a universal design instead of just accessibility? I realize that the efforts being made are at least something, some step in the right direction, but it is still not quite far enough. If this bill expects the overseers to at least meet these standards, I would hope they would see the benefit in taking one extra step to ensure a truly universal design. In Jennifer Skulski’s (2011) article entitled “A Longitudinal Study of Playground Surfaces to Evaluate Accessibility,” she states that “choosing play surfaces that are accessible upon installation and can be maintained as accessible becomes one of the most critical decisions during the playground planning and design phases.” If the leaders of the playgrounds will take the initiative in exploring the many options dealing with universal designs instead of fulfilling the minimum requirements, it will more than likely save them time and money long-term.
ReplyDeleteW. Dayberry
At most public ground the only thing that was required to be handicap accessible was the route to the playground. The Department of Justice adopted revisions to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standard for Accessible Design. Now the public playgrounds equipment has to be accessible. It is good that the Department of Justice decided to take action to make some changes to the way that playgrounds were being built. When you look at playground today, they really are not handicap accessible. Hopefully the American with Disabilities Act would definitely enforce that public playground will be design to meet the needs for those with a disability and without a disability.
ReplyDeleteJ. Gardner
This has been long overdue. It really doesn't make sense to have access to a playground and then your not able to play on any of the equipment.
ReplyDeleteBecause of my limited experience I have a logistics question regarding developing ADA accessible playgrounds. In our relatively rural area most public playgrounds, whether city or public school, have a gravel base around it. Pea gravel is difficult if not impossible for a student in a wheel chair to maneuver through therefor restricting the accessibility to the playground equipment. Would playgrounds need to be resurfaced using a more rubberized version of a track in order to still absorb shock while allowing for a hard enough surface for access for things like wheelchairs, or are there other options?
ReplyDeleteAlso generally speaking renovation is considered anything above an beyond general maintenance. So simply replacing one piece of equipment would mean the entire playground area would have to come into compliance under the new rules. I would be wise to have a good annual or bi-annual maintenance plan to ensure your existing equipment remains up to par while investing the means to make additions or renovate the playground area into compliance anyways.
This subject peaked my interest since I am in the process of purchasing a new playground for one of my campuses. I thought it would be interesting to get an industry perspective on this issue. I interviewed Bart Stevenson, a Parks and Wildlife guru from the company GAMETIME regarding the issue on 6-21-11. Here is what he had to say.....
ReplyDelete"I cannot speak for other companies, but GameTime incorporated the new regulations into all playground designs several years ago when it was “recommended” and not a requirement. All playgrounds have a transfer platform to allow children with physical disabilities to move from a mobility device to the playground unit. This is a large step in allowing these children access to the upper elements of the playground but GameTime has gone a step further in creating an extra wide ramp system that is a standard component in our inventory to allow even greater access to the elevated structure while allowing two mobility devices to pass on the ramp. In addition, GameTime has long since incorporated the new requirement of accessible ground elements into the design of our playgrounds."
"While these regulations are not an issue for playgrounds purchased in the last few years, it is highly likely that there are many more playgrounds in use that do not meet these standards. I recommend that every municipality and school district do a survey of their equipment and create a master plan for the replacement of aging and non-compliant playgrounds. Reality is that the cost of such a plan can be a daunting task for any entity, especially in this economic climate. However, by creating a plan now, once funding does become available, you will be able to move quickly and efficiently in bringing your playground up to standard."
"From an industry perspective, there is no question that this regulation could bring additional business by nudging those entities that have playgrounds that are long since past their prime to replace them with playgrounds that meet these standards. In addition to ADA requirements, it is most likely that these old playgrounds also do not meet current safety regulations as well. Replacing these playgrounds will not only assist children with disabilities but will also help protect the safety of all children."
PHarper TSU
Since The Department of Justice recognizes that crawling and climbing are essential elements of the play experience for young children, what surfaces are acceptable under ADA?
ReplyDeleteThese are all great comments, hopefully I can answer a few of the questions that some of you have asked.
ReplyDeleteAs to who governs the compliance of accessibility, you must understand that the ADA is a civil rights law, which means it falls under the jurisdiction of the US Dept of Justice. As with any violation of the ADA in a facility or an outdoor area, it is up to the individual to file a lawsuit if they feel their rights have been violated. Some lawsuits have been filed by groups representing the handicap community in efforts to make the necessary changes to facilities to be accessible. The ADA has been in effect since 1991, the intent is to eliminate architectural barriers, so the courts at this point are not going to be very forgiving seeing that you have had 20 years to incorporate the guidelines to make the facility accessible. This of course does not take into account the recent changes that will take effect next year for playgrounds, I am referring to existing buildings.
As to the specific playground requirements, the new law requires at least one of each type of ground level play component be on an accessible route. There is a chart that outlines the number of ground level components on the accessible route in comparison to the number of elevated play components provided. For example, if the playground has 8 to 10 elevated components, you must have 3 ground level components on the accessible route.
There is an excellent guide published by the US Access Board called 'Accessible Play Areas, A Summary of Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas' dated Oct 2005, it spells out the criteria necessary for accessible play areas.
See www.access-board.gov
While I agree with the idea of making playgrounds accessible to students with disabilities, why make the changes right now. While most schools are going to be making upgrades and mandated changes to their playgrounds, the funds they will have to use are being cut. While I agree with the physical activity that all children need, I think that within our buildings that money could be used to keep jobs or for educational purposes.
ReplyDeleteThe ADA is a Federal Law, you don't have the luxury of saying 'I don't think I will comply". I believe that what most districts will do is budget the funds needed to make the changes in their playgrounds and make those changes in a systematic order. You can most likely avoid a lawsuit if you can show that you are making the necessary changes as your budget allows. This goes for the accessibility of your building as well.
ReplyDeleteYou have to wonder, why is this act just now surfacing? Most of the city or public playgrounds I have visited over the last 20 years were designed with children with disabilities in mind. Have our schools not considered these needs as well, or to the point that a mandate had to be established as a Federal Law?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the guidelines and requirements for renovations?
ReplyDeleteto RH,
ReplyDeleteI should have been a little more clear in my original blog concerning the ADA playground requirement. The law states this about new playgrounds and 'alterations';
New Playgrounds for ages 2 and older and applies to parks, schools, childcare facilities, shopping centers and public gathering areas. It does NOT apply to Family childcare facilities where the proprietor resides, amusement attractions, or religious entities.
Regarding Alterations-"The play area guidelines apply to alterations made to existing play areas that affect, or could affect, the usability of the play area. Examples include removing a climbing play component and replacing it with a spring rocker, or changing the ground surfacing.
Alterations provide an opportunity to improve access to existing play areas. Where play components are altered and the ground surface is not, the ground surface does not have to comply with the ASTM F 1951-99 standard for accessible surfaces unless the cost of providing an accessible surface is less than 20% of the cost of the alterations to the play components.
If the entire ground surface of an existing play area is replaced, the new ground surface must provide an accessible route to connect the required number and types of play components."
All that said- The law will not require you to modify an existing playground to meet the new requirements, however, if you do change out play components then it may kick in the requirement to be accessible depending on the cost of the ground surface modifications. At least that is how I am interpreting the information.
My campus is new (two years old) and has two playground areas for our students. We do have ramps for wheel chair access, but the playground itself is covered in a thick layer bark chips. I think we sometimes meet the requirements, but fail to consider ease of use.
ReplyDeleteThis action of playgrounds should have been done along with making our school buildings accessible to people with disabilities.
ReplyDeleteJ. King TSU
An area that is often not considered is the possibility of more than one or two handicapped people using the facility at the same time. Often times these codes and ADA requirements are met at a minimum level that does not really facilitate the disabled students' use.
ReplyDeleteJ. Purser TSU
Having ADA accessible playgrounds will be of great benefit to all children. As children grow, they will have more opportunities to develop appropriate social skills. Through playground interactions the children will accept each other in a more meaningful way. This will help prevent isolation of students with disabilities. With the increased importance of addressing sensory integration needs, these playgrounds may also become a vital part of a child’s educational program.
ReplyDeleteJ. Barron TSU
I like the point that J. Barron makes about the importance of sensory integration needs and how playgrounds could become an important part of a disabled child's educational program. Disabled children should not be left out or ignored at recess because they cannot access the playground or its equipment, as this hinders their social development, as well.
ReplyDeleteConsidering that my school recently tore down the old playground and built a new one, I am confident that the new playground is in compliance with the new guidelines. Not to mention, I have seen the special needs and handicapped children out playing on this playground.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, we have a gated play area consisting of two play sets. (One for pre-k through 1rst grade, and the other for 1rst grade through 5th grade). There are not to be more than 2 classes at a time on the playground. The playground is matted with fake grass in astroturf. Therefore, if a child were to fall down, the astroturf would cushion the fall. Again, I feel very confident in our new playground.
B.Hassell (TSU)
I think requiring playgrounds to be appropriate for handicapped or disabled children is essential. From the financial stand point just putting in new equipment is a major financial undertaking. If all playground equipment had to meet these standards a rural school would have difficulties without major outside funding. Our current equipment is very outdated, but I feel that is necessary that we begin the process of providing the change necessary to update and make it all compliant to ADA standards. Grant writing 101 here I come.
ReplyDeleteMobility challenged users only represent about 1% of disabled users. Hearing and sight impaired users need consideration as do cognitive challenged users. Design is more than just climbers, slides and ramps.
ReplyDeleteI work at a high school, so I have given very little thought to playground equipment. All of the posts on this have been very informative. I am a little concerned about my own districts progress in this area...I am fairly certain that our elementary playground does not have very handicap accessible equipment, nor does the pea gravel filler make it very easy to navigate for anyone.
ReplyDeleteMistie Dakroub (TSU)
I believe children of all abilities need to be included, when creating recreational apparatuses. Incorporating multi-sensory activities into recreational apparatuses on various levels will address students at different levels physically and mentally.
ReplyDeletePlayground equipment is very expensive! Last year we attempted to purchase new playground equipment with the money we had budgeted only to find we didn't have the money. I am glad that there are ADA guidelines for playgrounds. Who enforces them? I am certain we do not meet the guidelines for any of the equipment we currently have. A major funding campaign would need to be held for the district to even put in one piece of equipment that would hold 5-10 students at a time. It is very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteB. Irick (TSU)
Since my last posting we have enrolled a severely handicapped student who would benefit from playground equipment that is accessible. Does anyone know of a source for grants for instances like this?
ReplyDeleteB. Irick (TSU)
I feel making playgrounds accessible to all is essential. There should never be a question to whether or not a child or adult can use a piece of playground equipment. However, such materials are extremely expensive. I would like to know about grant opportunities for schools that are unable to provide the funds to make this happen.
ReplyDeleteIm a parent of a special needs child living in southern California. I applied twice for the MediCal Grant, (deadline in early January). I was successful in obtaining both grants. The first was for a shade structure, ($10,000). The second was for accessible playground equipment, ($15,000), of which we had none at my daughter's public elementary school. (FYI: The purpose for the MediCal grant needs to be health related. (ie: Shade and exercise)). Ask your school admin about who to contact.
ReplyDeleteThis site may serve useful, tho I have not researched it- http://www.schoolfundingcenter.info/(5xkoos45lav0jx55e0rpf355)/faxoffer/index.aspx
If you'd like a few ideas and what I put into the grant apps, you may email me at kturner@medipal.com. I will try to help. Also, there is typically someone at the city level assigned the ADA job, making sure that public areas, to include schools, are compliant with access regulations. Good luck!
Kathryn