THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN...Is known for being one of the most accessible universities in the United States for students with disabilities. However, the issue of accessibility on college campuses is far from solved, including at UIUC. Students in wheelchairs at UIUC have often complained about uneven sidewalk pavements, a lack of curb cuts, and the inaccessible nature of many private establishments in Champaign-Urbana, such as the campus bars. At a tumultuous historical time in our nation, in the state of Illinois and even within the University of Illinois administration, the issue of accessibility is, unfortunately, often overlooked. We decided to examine the accessibility of UIUC, and we present The Accessible Experience- a look at accessibility on college campuses from the past, present, and future.
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MEET AMELIA
Amelia O'Hare is a 23 year old junior majoring in urban planning
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Originally from Alabama, O'Hare chose to attend UIUC for the
increased accessibility and independence
it afforded her, which was not available
to her back home. O'Hare suffers from
Type III Spinal Muscular Atrophy,
or SMA, which leaves her unable to
walk, and gives her limited mobility
in her upper body. Though O'Hare
is grateful for the experience she
has had with accessibility at
UIUC, she still believes we
have a ways to go.
To hear the rest of
her story, click
the link below.
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Originally from Alabama, O'Hare chose to attend UIUC for the
increased accessibility and independence
it afforded her, which was not available
to her back home. O'Hare suffers from
Type III Spinal Muscular Atrophy,
or SMA, which leaves her unable to
walk, and gives her limited mobility
in her upper body. Though O'Hare
is grateful for the experience she
has had with accessibility at
UIUC, she still believes we
have a ways to go.
To hear the rest of
her story, click
the link below.
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Men's Wheelchair Basketball team was founded in 1948 at the University of Illinois at Galesburg, and was the first collegiate wheelchair basketball team in the United States. The team, originally named the Gizz Kids, first competed against able-bodied students who played games in wheelchairs. The team won the first of their 15 National Wheelchair Basketball tournaments in 1949, under coach Dr. Timothy Nugent.
Since then, the program has only grown. The team's current coach, Matt Buchi, played for the team when he atteneded UIUC from 2003-2007. The team practices and trains five days a week, and their regular season starts October 1st, and lasts through March, with about 35 games per season. We decided to catch up with the men's wheelchair basketball team during one of their early Wednesday morning practices. Below are some of the photos, and you can check out the rest of what we saw and heard here.
Since then, the program has only grown. The team's current coach, Matt Buchi, played for the team when he atteneded UIUC from 2003-2007. The team practices and trains five days a week, and their regular season starts October 1st, and lasts through March, with about 35 games per season. We decided to catch up with the men's wheelchair basketball team during one of their early Wednesday morning practices. Below are some of the photos, and you can check out the rest of what we saw and heard here.