Barriers are obstacles — things that stand in the way of people with disabilities doing many of the day-to-day activities that most of us take for granted. Barriers make shopping, working, going to a movie or taking public transit difficult, sometimes impossible, for people with disabilities.
There are many kinds of barriers:
Architectural and physical barriers are features of buildings or spaces that cause problems for people with disabilities. Examples are:
- hallways and doorways that are too narrow for a person using a wheelchair, electric scooter or walker
- counters that are too high for a person of short stature
- poor lighting for people with low vision
- doorknobs that are difficult for people with arthritis to grasp
- parking spaces that are too narrow for a driver who uses a wheelchair
- telephones that are not equipped with telecommunications devices for people who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing
Information or communications barriers happen when a person can’t easily understand information. Examples are:
- print is too small to read
- websites that don’t support screen-reading software
- signs that are not clear or easily understood
Attitudinal barriers are those that discriminate against people with disabilities. Examples are:
- thinking that people with disabilities are inferior
- assuming that a person who has a speech impairment can’t understand you
Technology barriers occur when a technology can’t be modified to support various assistive devices. An example is:
- a website that doesn’t support screen-reading software
Systemic barriers are an organization’s policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities. An example is:
- a hiring process that is not open to people with disabilities
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