ACCESS TO HIGHER-EDUCATION FOR THE DISABLED STUDENT - A BUILDING SURVEY AT THE UNIVERSITY-OF-LIVERPOOL

The problems associated with disabled students gaining access to highe r education are complex and can be complicated further by difficulties encountered in the built environment of universities themselves. A su rvey of the built environment at the University of Liverpool was carri ed out using a group of occupational therapy undergraduate students. S tudents were able to learn about access audits and understand more ful ly the problems associated with access as pan of their own studies. Re sults were recorded using a computer database, which enabled dissemina tion of information via the university's managed PC network and Home p ages on the internet. Discussion and debate centre on the dilemma betw een a freely accessible environment for all students and the constrain ts imposed by the present day built environment and economic climate. The need for effective strategies in collaboration with disabled stude nts is also considered.