As the hot summer passed and the leaves fell down lay on the ground. This made the yellow braill e blocks even more unrecognizable. Barrier-free facilities for disabled students are often represented by braille blocks. Despite the vivid yellow blocks scattered all over the school, only few people pay attention. We must continue to develop barrier-free facilities for disabled students by sweeping gingko leaves out of the yellow blocks. In this Bulletin Comment, we will find out barriers in our school, and consider the actual situation and ways to supplement them.
1. On-campus system
1-1. Entrance examination system
This year, 20 students entered the Konkuk University (KU) through the comprehensive student record screening for special education target. This type is for those who are registered as disabled or designated as people with different grades according to domestic laws. Applicants can apply for each department, but the recruiting limit is assigned by the college. Last year, KU recruited eight students from the College of Liberal Arts, eight from the College of Social Sciences, and four from the College of Business and the Department of Real Estate.
Rather than assigning a large number of recruiting limits to one screening, KU is distributing the number of applicants to various screenings that make an equal opportunity. However, among several screenings, the special education target has the fewest option. Following last year, the College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Art and Design, and some colleges were excluded from this screening this year as well. Including this screening, the targets of screenings to make equal opportunities can be entered through different screenings. However, since these screenings promote fairness in education, we must continue to accomplish it. KU should make efforts desperately and open the way for them.
1-2. The Center of Service for Disabled
The Center of Service for Disabled at our school claims to be the happiest university for disabled students, and is operated with the purpose of forming a social bond of sympathy between students with and without disabilities. And most importantly, they establish a support system for disabled students to help with their on-campus activities. Specifically, they support learning activities through a scholarship system, course registration priority, write-instead of lecture content and exams, and support mobility/convenience facilities and employment. They also have devices such as Sense Reader the Next, a screen reading program for the visually impaired, and Soboro Tap Business, a real-time text interpreter, and continue to purchase new devices through demand surveys.
The Center of Service for Disabled recruits helpers every semester to support disabled students’ on-campus activities. The disabled student helpers are selected twice as disabled students support them through activities such as course registration, write-instead, class assistance, and textbook typing. They are recognized as national public laborer , so volunteer hours or minimum wages are given. They can also increase their knowledge through activities to support disabled students. They are recruited one month before the start of the semester. However this semester, the application rate was so low that additional recruitment was conducted after the start of the semester.
1-3. Barrier-free activities at the student council level
In 2022, REBOOT, the General Student Association (GSA) supported a barrier-free zone during the festival so that disabled students could enjoy the festival more excitingly. On this day, disabled students who applied in advance were able to enter early with a guardian to prepare. Furthermore, they held a campaign to increase etiquette with guide dogs through lectures and talk shows with Ganaljigi, a disabled rights club on campus. In addition, alternative text for postings on the GSA social media and braille menus were introduced in the campus cafeteria.
Sejong University (SJU) and Hanyang University (HYU), which are close to our school, presented pledges for disabled students in this election. The election campaign headquarters of SJU proposed improvements to passageways that are difficult for the disabled and the elderly. The election campaign headquarters of HYU also promised to purchase mobility support vehicles for disabled and injured students. As much as the GSA conveys students' complaints to the school and presents improvement plans, they should pay much attention to the convenience of disabled students.
2. On-campus facilities
2-1. Dormitory
The center for supporting disabled students at our school operates rooms for disabled students to provide convenience facilities. Special rooms for disabled students are designed with low switches and shelves to accommodate students in wheelchairs, and assistance dogs can also live there. In addition, braille blocks are installed in the dormitory to make it easier for them to find the elevator and laundry room.
However, there is a problem that students taking wheelchairs have to go through the manager to enter. For students from out of town, the dormitory is a space like home and provides a rest from their busy daily life. Our school should provide a comfortable place for students living in the dormitory so that they can rest fully and resume their studies.
2-2. Shared electric scooter parking problem
Shared electric scooters are convenient and inexpensive transportation. However, there is a problem that shared electric scooters are parked here and there, blocking pedestrians. This problem is especially fatal for students in wheelchairs. Students who do not use wheelchairs can avoid it, but students in wheelchairs may have to go a long way back because of one electric scooter. In addition, when an electric scooter is parked on a braille block, it violates the mobility right of students with visual disabilities. Currently, there is a parking lot for electric scooters between the New Millennium Hall and Hae-Bong Real Estate Building on campus, but many students do not know about it.
Shared electric scooters are a new issue starting in 2019. With emerging new technologies and cultures rapidly, we must solve the following problems. Instead of fixing it after someone gets hurt, we should think about the problem in advance and take an action.
2-3. Buildings that are difficult to access
Most of the buildings on campus, including the library and dormitory, have ramps and lifts, so immobile students can use them. However, old buildings such as the Language Institute and the Administration building do not have ramps or elevators, which made difficult for immobile students to go up . In particular, the Education Science building has no elevator, so students using wheelchairs cannot choose the majors of the College of Education or the lectures held in the building. In addition, the presence of ramps and elevators does not mean freedom of movement. In the case of Sanghuh Hall, it is inconvenient that students in wheelchairs have to go uphill to use the ramp or go through the underground parking lot to take an elevator. Also, visually disabled students who have been trained to walk using a cane can use the stairs of the Sanghuh Hall along the braille block, but banners and projecting signs on the stairs disturb this.
For disabled students, free access to buildings must be guaranteed. Liberal Arts building, established in 1956, had the experience of changing the driveway next to the entrance into a ramp. Just as the Liberal Arts building has changed, other buildings must be modified to make it easier for every student to use.
2-4. Facilities lacking in management
There is a building guide map in front of each building. This guide map has audio guide buttons and braille to help visually disabled students understand the interior of the building. However, the guide map in front of the College of Art and Design is unplugged and dusty. Poor management of disabled restrooms is also a problem. There have possibilities for hygiene problems due to improper cleaning, or an embarrassing situation could occur because gender is not separated.
The registered disabled population in Korea is 5 percent of the total population, and 90 percent of them are acquired. These statistics means that anytime, anywhere, anyone can get disabilities. This explains why underutilized assistive facilities should continue to be managed.
Conclusion
Currently, about 90 disabled students, with visual, hearing, brain lesions, and physical disabilities, are studying in our school. In our school, where more than 3,000 students enter each year, the number of 90 may seem small. However, it should never be overlooked. The KU’s supports for disabled students and the activities of the GSA help them to continue learning at school more comfortably. Nevertheless, there are still many things to be supplemented, such as outdated buildings and neglected facilities. It is necessary to continuously pay attention to the updated problems in the changing world.