Posts and trees that cross on sidewalks, sections covered in stones or lawn, missing or poorly designed ramps, broken sidewalks, poorly placed guiding tiles, non-existent or poorly designed signs are some of the obstacles that dozens of university students with disability and study or work on the central campus of the University of Costa Rica face daily.
Weeks ago, a complaint made by Alex Vasquez, Literature student, drew criticism about the university infrastructure and the protocols that must be implemented to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in the University. Other stories pointed to obstacles to ensuring sign language interpretation, poor experiences in transit on campus or with the services the institution provides.
April marks the 24th anniversary of the passage of the Equal Opportunity Act for Persons with Disabilities (Law 7600) and, according to technical offices, investment in university infrastructure is made in accordance with legislation.
However, a tour of sections 1, 2 and 3 identified at least 30 physically inaccessible spots for wheelchair users, with some difficulty for mobility or people who are blind.
Following the university guidebook for students with disabilities, the campus was surveyed and points documented where no measures have been taken for physical accessibility; or it’s been done wrong.
