Abstract:

This study was undertaken because of difficulties experienced in designing school buildings to be accessible by children and adolescents with physical disabilities. The young people included in the study were 288 children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years including 179 with physical disabilities. Each subject was tested at 30 test stationswhere 72 variables were measured relating to mobilitym reach, strength and size. The findings showed that the physical capabilities of disabled young people aged 3 to 18 years are significantly lower than the capabilities of disabled adults and able bodied young people of the same age. In this study, empirical data has been created for determining the design requirements for access to buildings for young people with physical disabilities.