The ADA Mediation, Essay Example

Mr. Burton is a student who requires the use of a wheelchair; this considers him as disabled according to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Although, he was not born with the physical disability he has, he still requires a wheelchair in order to perform his daily tasks. According to Mr. Burton, access to all other parts of the school has been of no problem to him. However entering and exiting the music building is quite difficult for him, as there are high steps and no wheelchair accessible ramps at any of the ten entrances. This poses as a problem for Mr. Burton as he is a music student who would like equal access to the said building.

The school does everything in its power to well accommodate students with certain disabilities in order for them to receive an equal opportunity. Although, it would cost just too much to install ramps in all the entrances of the music building, not to mention it would mean ruining the aesthetics of the architectural structure. Mr. Burton has been the only student so far to have complained. It is not in favor of the school to cause inconvenience to the other students who need the building while construction is being made for the ramps, for this will take several months to complete.

It is good that Mr. Burton as well as the school has come to meet half-way in terms of the accessible ramps for students with disabilities. I did not see the need in installing all ten entrances with ramps; one would be enough to gain access to the building. Additionally, installing ramps in all entrances would pose as an inconvenience to other students who also use the building’s facilities. Maybe if Mr. Burton were not the only student who filed a complaint it would have sped up the action taken by the school in making the music building fully wheelchair accessible. The ADA did not require the school to place ramps in all entrances; they were just looking for a compromise for the better of the students as well as the school.

For Mr. Burton, to adjust his schedule would be a slight inconvenience for him. However if he were passionate about his degree and education, he would be willing to make a few sacrifices, which he did. For the school, it would be a good start in installing the one ramp in the music building for future students who may want equal access to the facilities the building has to offer. They may not have known that there were students with similar disabilities as Mr. Burton in the past who have considered their school for the music program. However learning that there were no accessible entrances made for students who need a wheelchair may have led them to deciding against enrolling in State College. Installing the ramps would provide better and equal opportunities for current and future students of the college.