Wednesday, September 24, 1975
daily nebraskan
page 9
'Conscious attempt'
studies handicapped
students' problems
By Theresa Forsman
This fall, for the first time, UNL is making a "conscious
attempt" to study the problems of the handicapped stu
dent, said Ely Meyerson, dean of student development.
Jan Kunasek, a blind graduate student studying
vocational rehabilitation, is working with UNL's student
development office to determine the needs of handicapped
students, develop programs to satisfy those needs and in
crease faculty and student awareness of the handicapped
student's special problems.
The lack of accessibility to some campus resources is a
problem for many handicapped students, Kunasek said.
She cited revolving doors, turnstiles and the benches in
the Nebraska Union mall as menaces to blind or wheelchair
confined students.
Using the sky walk
Nancy Erickson, who has been confined to a wheelchair
since she developed polio at age 6, said that to attend class
on the second floor of Burnett Hall she must take the
elevator in Oldfather Hall to the second floor and use the
skywalk which connects the two buildings.
'This wasn't bad," Erickson said, "But getting a key to
operate the 2nd floor buttom of the elevator posed a
problem."
Her wheelchair made it difficult for the 29-year-old
graduate student to collect the key, which was issued from
an office located under Memorial Stadium.
Erickson said that when she did her undergraduate work
at UNL, she could not go to Love Library alone because
there were steps to contend with.
Making Progress
The university is making progress in renovating many
buildings so that they are accessible to the handicapped
student, said Harley Schrader, physical plant director.
State law sets minimum accessibility standards for all
public buildings receiving state funds; The law states that
ramps, elevators and special toilets must be available to the
handicapped;
Schrader said UNL is trying to abide by this law when
constructing new buildings or remodeling existing ones.
Ramps built
Ramps have been built at Andrews Hall, the College of
Business . Administration (CBA), and the Administration
Bldg., Schrader said.
A ramp now is being built at Sheldon Art Gallery, he
added.
Falshing fire alarm signals to alert the deaf to dangerwill
be installed in new buildings, Schrader said. New elevators
have been installed in Ferguson Hall and will be put in at
Andrews Hall soon, he said.
Buildings which are inaccessible to students confined in
wheelchairs include Teachers College, the second and third
floors of the CBA, Architectural Hall and the old Law
College, Schrader said. He added that plans for making
some of these buildings attainable are being held back until
the buildings can be remodeled completely.
Barrier-free design
Funds for meeting accessibility standards come out of
the physical plant's Special Maintenance Fund, Schrader
said.
While most buildings have to be renovated to be
compatible to the disabled student, the Home Economics
Bldg. on the East Campus was constructed with the handi
capped in mind.
Lois Schwab, associate professor in the human develop
ment and family resources sequences of home economics,
said she is concerned about the handicapped.
Schwab said she wanted the building, completed in
1973, to serve as a model for barrier-free design. The build
ing which is equipped with electronically controlled doors,
raised numbers on office doors and lowered water fountains
and telephones.
The building features an auditorium and stage which are
accessible to the student in a wheelchair.
One of the laboratories in the new home economics
building features kitchens designed for the handicapped.
Special features include lowered counters, adjustable cup
board shelves and counter-top ranges.
Marilyn Merchant, human development instructor at the
Home Economics College, said the lab is available to handi
capped persons who may need help in determining ways to
overcome problems in a traditional kitchen.
"Obstacles mastered"
Universities which are almost entirely barrier-free in
clude the University of Missouri and the University of
Southern Illinois.
w John Coyle, a blind 22-year-old junior at UNL, said that
if may have been easier to go to one of these schools, but
said that he attends UNI because the State Department of
Rehabilitation Services pays his tuition and fees here.
Besides being less expensive, UNL is closer to Coyle's
home and friends, he said.
"Most of what I considered to be major physical
obstacles on the campus when I first came here are
mastered now," Coyle said. I'm familiar with landmarks
now so I usually know where I'm going. Coyle lives by
himself in an East Lincoln apartment.
In addition to architectural berriers, handicapped
students face special classroom problems.
Coyle said it is usually necessary for the instructor to
read tests to him.
Kunasek said handouts and other material which must
be read in a short time pose problems for the blind student.
Continued on pg. 12
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