Reflecting further on this blog task, I have been questioning barriers to learning that could exist within the context of our course which I have highlighted below;
- Visually impairment: our course is based on the production of visual outputs, hand / computer drawings and renders, physical models and physical structures. At present we could not accommodate someone with visual impairment without significantly changing our briefs or buying equipment, such as an embossing printer for creating embossed plans.
- Hearing impairment: We do not currently accommodate visual audio aids such as closed captioning, and all our teaching is delivered vocally.
- Physical disabilities: We run a live unit which involved students physically constructing structures at 1:1 in our maker space in our studio. This space does not accommodate someone with access requirements, such as a wheelchair as the workbenches are all 1m high.
- Neurodivergence:
- Sound, our studio is an open plan space in which sound is an ongoing issue.
- Multisensory controls (temperature, lighting, air quality) are automated which prevent users from adapting the space to their needs.
- Acoustics, our space is open plan and acoustics is an ongoing issue, especially when we have more than one year using the space.
- Smells, we have a shared kitchen which students use for heating lunches, and there are sometimes smells produced in the maker space by student processes which may cause some discomfort.