Infrastructural Facilities for Differently Abled Students - A Comparative Study of Government and Non-Government Institutions

Abstract

The term “Barrier Free” indicates an environment where all users irrespective of their disabilities access the resources which they need. The students with disabilities have to face multiple challenges in the wake of unique barrier whether architectural, attitudinal or institutional which may include lack of understanding and co-operation from administration, faculty, staff and other students, inaccessibility of buildings, facilities and support barriers. The present study is conducted with an objective to identify the differences in infrastructural facilities and student’s level of satisfaction among government and non- government institutions. The study was conducted among eight universities offering higher education existing in Lucknow city to explore the infrastructural facilities for the differently abled students. From among, one university which is specially constructed for differently abled students was excluded from the study, so that exact differences among Government and non-Government institutions can be analyzed. To measure the level of satisfaction among students with regard to facilities for differently abled students, 30 students (15 Boys and 15 Girls) from each university were selected. A self-developed inventory to identify differences in infrastructural facilities was developed. Results revealed that non- government institutions were providing more facilities for differently abled students in comparison to government institutions. It was found that 74.28% the students belonging to Government institutions had low level of satisfaction comparised to 55.71% of students belonging to non-Government institutions. Results may be used to explain suitable and barrier free environment in academic institutions for the convenience of differently abled students.