Quick Actions (30-second read)
- Check that any new or changed room is genuinely accessible before confirming it.
- Offer sensory-friendly, low-stimulation spaces for breaks or exams.
- Reduce unnecessary noise and visual clutter in teaching spaces where possible.
- Keep classroom layouts and routines predictable, with advance notice of any change.
- Ask a student directly how, or whether, they’d like help — don’t assume.
Why this matters
Most environmental barriers — a step at a room entrance, an unpredictable schedule change, a noisy, crowded lecture hall — are avoidable with a simple checked process, not expensive infrastructure. The barrier usually isn’t the absence of a resource; it’s a room or schedule change that was never checked against accessibility needs before being confirmed.
Student Voice
“A wheelchair-using student, alerted to a room change by email the same morning, arrived to find a step at the entrance and no space to bring a wheelchair to a table.”
Practical Examples
- Before confirming any room change, a simple accessibility checklist is completed for the new room.
- A quiet, low-stimulation space is made available and clearly signposted for any student who needs a break.
Full Checklist
- Have I checked this room’s accessibility before confirming a change to it?
- Is a quiet space available and signposted for students who need one?
- Have I asked the student how they’d like to be supported, rather than assuming?
- Have I given advance notice of any change to today’s room or routine?