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BackgroundThere are varied and complex problems associated with the admission of students with disabilities into secondary (senior high) schools all over the world. This situation is further complicated by difficulties encountered in the built environment of these institutions and, in this, Ghana is no exception.ObjectivesThis exploratory study investigated the level of accessibility of the built environment in secondary schools in eight out of the ten regions of Ghana, in order to determine whether they conform to guidelines provided in international building standards and also assess the extent to which they have been designed and constructed to meet the provisions of the Persons with Disability Act 2006, which allows for equal access to public buildings in Ghana.MethodIn total, 705 building elements in 264 facilities were surveyed using international standards, building codes, regulations and guidelines. These facilities included car parks, classrooms, dormitories, assembly halls, telephone booths and administration blocks.ResultsOur findings revealed that most of the building elements were barring and not disability-friendly. Just to name a few: there were obstructions on access routes to and around buildings, absence of designated car parks, unfriendly vertical and horizontal means of circulation in buildings and lack of accessible sanitary accommodations. In addition, the general lighting and signage were poor. As a result, very few students with disabilities are admitted and retained in these schools.ConclusionMainstreaming of people with disabilities into the Ghanaian educational system remains impossible unless urgent action is taken to alter the facilities at secondary schools. Based on this research outcome, recommendations have been made to the Ghanaian government and the Ghana Education Service, as well as non-governmental organisations and relevant professional bodies for the amelioration of the present situation in our secondary schools.

Purpose: The study aimed to objectively assess the level of inclusiveness of buildings in selected Universities on the basis of international protocols and local legislation that require that buildings should be made accessible to persons with disabilities.Method: A building inclusiveness model, the Composite Disability Design Inclusiveness Score (CDDIS), was used to assess the levels of inclusiveness of 110 buildings in 6 purposively selected Universities in Ghana, using maximal variation sampling.Results: It was found that the buildings of the sampled Universities were not inclusive to a large extent. With one exception, there were variations in the levels of inclusiveness of the buildings in each institution.Conclusions: Irrespective of international protocols and local legislation, the built environments in Universities are not as accessible as they ought to be.Limitation: The CDDIS is a simple quantitative means of assessing the inclusiveness of buildings and allows for objective comparisons. However, it is expected that for purposes of comparison, identical buildings should be used. Any intended use of the CDDIS will require the use of a checklist that is appropriately designed to meet the peculiarities of the particular study.Implications: There is the need for expedited effort to ensure inclusiveness in University built environments. This will help greatly towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

All throughout the world, millions of end-of-service life automobile tires and Palm Kernel Shells (PKS) are generated as waste that require proper disposal. The reuse of these wastes in concrete is regarded as a novel approach that has environmental, health and performance related benefits. On this basis, the current study was designed to investigate the coupled effect of using both PKS and tire chips as aggregates in concrete mixes on the compressive strength and other properties of concrete. A total of twenty-one (21) concrete mixes containing different volumes of PKS and tire chips as a partial to full replacement of the conventional crushed granite aggregates were prepared to evaluate their impact on the fresh (i.e. slump) and hardened (i.e. density and compressive strength) properties of the concrete at 7, 14, 21, 28, 56 and 90days of curing. The results showed that there is a systematic decrease in compressive strength, workability and density of concrete with increase in tire (T) and PKS (P) content. However, up to 50% total aggregate replacement (TAR) level, adequate compressive strength can be achieved for structural purposes. At this optimum point, the mix with P75T25 recorded a compressive strength of 13.27 N/mm2 which represents about 44% of the strength of the control mix. Generally, the inclusion of PKS aggregates improves compressive strength and decrease the rate of strength reduction.

Using the intrinsic case study approach, this study sought to find out the experiences of a female student with rare mobility challenges and how her specific needs were being met in a university in Ghana. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stipulates that lack of the provision of reasonable accommodation is discriminatory. However, not much is known on this issue in the higher education setting in Africa regarding accessibility in the built environment. The study aimed to help fill this gap. It involved the use of semi-structured interviews in 2015 and 2016. Content analysis was used for the data. The study concluded that where there were unique accessibility challenges, it was inappropriate to leave the specific needs of a student with disability to the discretion of individuals. It recommends attitudinal change and institutionalising reasonable accommodation in the university.