Designing Inclusive Playgrounds - Views of Architects - Civil Engineers, General and Special Education Teachers

Abstract

Play and its benefits are recognised not only by the scientific literature, but also by international conventions as a right of all children, without discrimination, to which all UN member countries are signatories. The 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities explicitly protects the participation and equal access of children with disabilities, together with their peers, in recreational, leisure and sporting activities. An inclusive play space is one that does not impede accessibility (physical, sensory, communicative and cognitive), providing a stimulating environment for all children and play experiences based on their preferences and motivations. In the context of the above, the purpose of this research is to explore the views of outdoor playground designers (civil engineers-architects) and general and special education teachers on the design of inclusive playgrounds. A questionnaire was used as a research tool, which included questions about the participants' biographical information, the investigation of the suitability and accessibility of existing playgrounds for people with disabilities, the investigation of the need to design inclusive playgrounds and the basic criteria they must meet. The sample consisted of 110 civil engineers-architects and general and special education teachers working in an urban area. The results of the survey can be used in the design of outdoor inclusive play areas in order to remove the barriers that make it impossible for all children to participate in play without discrimination.