Hello, elementary school students around the world! I teach barrier-free design classes to elementary and middle school students in Japan. I’m writing this article to share information about barrier-free design in Japan with all of you overseas. Let’s use this information about barrier-free design in Japan as a starting point to think about barrier-free design in your own country!
Today, we’re going to explore something really interesting about barrier-free design. It’s about stairs, especially the landings (the flat parts between sets of stairs). Did you know that stair landings have blind spots where you can’t see around the corner? And there’s a secret helper hidden on some of these landings. Can you guess what it is?
Barrier-Free Quiz
There’s something installed on stair landings to help people with hearing disabilities. But we have to be careful that it doesn’t become an obstacle for people with visual impairments. What do you think it is?
Think about it for a moment…
The answer is… a mirror!
Why a Mirror?
You might be thinking, “A mirror? Really?” Well, there’s a very important reason for this!
For people who can’t hear well, it’s hard to know if someone is coming around the corner on stairs. They can’t hear footsteps or voices. The blind spots on landings can be especially dangerous. Someone might suddenly appear, and they could bump into each other.
With a mirror, you can see around the blind spots. This helps everyone know if someone is coming, making the stairs safer for all. But we have to be careful! For people who can’t see well, a mirror could be something they might bump into. So, we need to think carefully about where to put the mirror and how big it should be.
Why Barrier-Free Design is Important
This mirror idea shows us something really important: sometimes, what helps one person might be a problem for someone else. That’s why we need to think about everyone when we design things.
Barrier-free design isn’t just for people with disabilities. It helps older people, little kids, people with injuries, and really, everyone! It’s all about making a world where everyone can move around safely and easily.
What We Can Do
You can help create a barrier-free world too! Here are some ideas:
- Look around: Try to spot barrier-free designs in your everyday life.
- Be kind: If you see someone having trouble, ask if they need help.
- Think of new ideas: Can you think of ways to make things easier for everyone to use?
- Talk about it: Discuss barrier-free design with your family and teachers.
Barrier-Free Explorer
Now that you know about the mirror on stair landings, can you find one in your town? Look in your school, at train stations, or in shopping centers. If you find a mirror, think about how it’s placed and who it might help.
Don’t worry if you can’t find a mirror. You can look for other barrier-free designs too! For example, can you find:
- Textured paths on sidewalks for people with visual impairments?
- Traffic lights that make sounds?
- Ramps for wheelchairs?
Your “Barrier-Free Explorer” mission might lead to some cool discoveries!
Lastly, I have an important request for all of you.
This article is based on experiences and ideas from Japan. Barrier-free efforts and concepts might be different in other countries and cultures. Please talk with your family and teachers about how things are in your country. Let’s think about creating a world that’s easy for everyone to live in while respecting our differences. I’m not trying to force Japanese ideas on you. Also, always prioritize safety and make sure to act with trusted adults. Please keep this in mind.
Also, this article aims to get you interested in barrier-free design rather than being perfectly accurate, so some details are simplified. For accurate information, please check the websites of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or relevant agencies in your country.
For inquiries → https://lahainars.com/contact/
As I’m not very good at English, please send your inquiries in simple and short English.
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