What is a barrier in older buildings affecting physically disabled students?

• A. Carpeted floors with basic thresholds
• B. Narrow doorways
• C. Modern ramps at entrances
• D. Wide doorway options

Answer: (B)

Access for physically disabled students in older buildings hinges on doorway width. Narrow doorways create a direct obstacle: a wheelchair or other mobility device may not fit through the opening, blocking entry or exit and requiring assistance or redesign. This kind of architectural barrier is common in older structures where door frames were built for people walking upright without wheels, making the space unusable for many students who rely on mobility devices.

Modern ramps at entrances and wide doorway options are solutions that reduce barriers by improving the path into the building. While carpeted floors with basic thresholds can add friction or snag wheels, they don’t block access as fundamentally as an entryway that’s too narrow. So the primary barrier in this context is the narrow doorways.