Wheelchair Assessment

For an assignment in my class, my partner and I would travel around a part of the campus in a wheelchair and experience what it was like for people in wheelchairs. First of all I would like to say that while this assignment was a good experience and really allowed me to view the world from a paraplegic point of view, I feel bad for making people think I was really in a wheelchair. Everyone was so nice to me and I felt like I was lying. I did have fun though using my arms to wander around, especially in the library; I felt like a kid again. Secondly, it is so hard to roll around campus; there are many stairs and hills that a person in a wheelchair would have too much of a burden trying to get up a hill. A lot of people I see though that are in wheelchairs on campus have an electric wheelchair, which is better but scary to maneuver around the hills. It is difficult also to roll on carpet, there is a lot of friction. Bathrooms were also difficult to get into because of how heavy the doors were and also how little space I could maneuver in. When I did get to a spot where I could park my chair onto the side of the toilet, Ariel told me to get on the seat of the toilet but it seemed impossible! You really have to have strong arms to pull yourself around! Washington State University is not meant for people with physical limitations, it is more of an endurance exercise to get to class! I feel like I learned a lot on this assignment and I also strive to make places more accessible. My grandfather was in a wheelchair at one point and I never understood how demanding it is. I really hope to make people’s lives better and hope that I can weave this universal design and accessibility factor within all the designs I will be working on. I really understand now how important that is and how much easier it will make everyone’s lives.