Why ADA-Compliant Signs for Colleges Are Important
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A college campus is a melting pot of diversity. Certain college students have different types of physical and mental health issues. They may be using wheelchairs, be impaired visually, or have a neurological condition.
In creating ADA accommodations for college students and connecting university and college campus wayfinding with ADA-compliant design, it is important to understand that with some creative input, ADA-compliant signs for colleges can only help to improve, and not restrain, the experience for students, visitors, and faculty.
Helping with Wayfinding
ADA-compliant signs for colleges must have consistency to ensure that students and visitors can find adequate wayfinding signs at various relevant points. The objective of wayfinding signs is to assist people in reaching their desired venue. Therefore, from the time an individual arrives at the campus, they require signage to direct them.
Wayfinding signage systems that offer ADA accommodations to college students are generally useful for all persons who use a particular campus. People need to decide which way to go at specific points. There should be proper signage at such junctures to enable them to make the decision about where to turn. Nevertheless, it is important to have a balance in the number of signs. A campus with excessive use of signs may cause confusion for students and visitors alike.
Cohesive Look to All Campus Signage
Standardization and flexibility are essential attributes of ADA-compliant signs for colleges. Standardization provides campus signs with cohesive appearance and feel, which will enable students, faculty, and visitors to recognize such signs as landmarks that assist in wayfinding.
However, flexibility is also important because a standard size or style ADA signage solution may not cover all the factors that comprise ADA-compliant wayfinding. For instance, signs that signify entry and exit points to buildings will need different designing and integration into the campus wayfinding system than signs that tell students, faculty, and visitors about parking areas.
Reinforcing the Values of Inclusiveness
Creating effective ADA signs for a campus depends on the detailed knowledge and understanding of ADA regulation. Wayfinding signage can be designed by keeping these regulations in mind while allowing for the unique appearance and feel of a specific college or university.
The objective of ADA-compliant signs for colleges should be to ensure that people coming to the campus can find their way around it through well-designed and accessible signage and landmarks, without feeling anxiety or stress, even on their initial visit to the campus. In this manner, ADA accommodations for college students developed for wayfinding perform their intended role and are accessible to the largest possible number of individuals.
ADA-compliant signs for wayfinding on campus are also about inclusiveness. The educational institution demonstrates that it places a high value on every individual and intends to assist them in every possible way through ensuring that all people can comfortably find their way around the campus.
This is a critically important social message that institutions can convey through signs and wayfinding systems. It is a means through which education establishments can make all individuals at the campus feel welcome and comfortable.
Enabling Thorough College Experience for All
An institution of higher learning that has not incorporated ADA-compliant signage systems adversely impacts the ability of many students to appreciate and enjoy their college experience thoroughly. All kinds of college campuses, regardless of size and accessibility, must follow the guidelines stipulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Higher education institutions have a responsibility to the entire community to be accessible to every person. A majority of campuses have wholeheartedly met the most basic criteria set forth by the law to provide ADA accommodations for college students.
Fortunately, features such as automatic door openers and Braille signs have become commonplace in many modern college and university campuses. However, if such basic modifications are absent, then the proper authorities must ensure that these deficiencies are addressed for the betterment of everyone.
Fulfilling Responsibility as a Public Institution
Public domains need to be more accessible. The Americans with Disabilities Act is aimed at removing barriers to create equal opportunities for all.
Universities must improve campus access for all students, faculty, and visitors. The law says that the accessibility attributes must be maintained consistently. This ensures that they’re up to date and able to be used by those who need them.
Educational institutions must undertake proactive measures to inform the public of the accessible features and routes. Also, services that are universally needed must be shifted to conveniently accessible locations.
Choosing the Right Type of Signs for All
ADA-compliant signs for colleges may be developed from photopolymer. This makes them more durable, effective, and easy to maintain.
Directory Signs
Directory signs are an integral feature in any public building, but especially on a college campus. All visitors, not just staff and students, can benefit from such signage. Those in charge should ensure that their directory signage is big enough to be read from afar with little difficulty. Also, directory signs should be relatively simple in design and not contain images that could prove distracting.
Wayfinding Signs
If directory signs are vital, then wayfinding signs may be even more so. They are also a crucial part of the signage system at a campus. There should be sufficient dark-to-light contrast on such signs so they can be read from a distance.
Selecting Colors for Signage
Color is an essential part of any sign. However, it’s important to strike a balance between colors that are eye-catching and those that may be distracting to visitors. Many colleges and universities opt to use their school colors in signage; this way, there is another level of consistency. However, some colors (such as yellow or green) may be difficult to see from a distance. Those who are designing ADA-compliant signs for colleges should incorporate shades with greater contrast to increase readability.
