ADA Wheelchair Accessible Computer Desks

All colleges must face the challenges of ADA compliance in their classrooms. When most of us think of wheelchair compliance issues, we only notice the obvious, such as wheelchair ramps, electronic doorways and modified drinking fountains. Unfortunately, being compliant is a little more complicated and sometimes mysterious because of the many interpretations of the guidelines.

Computer Comforts believes that all students/faculty should have easy access to all necessary tools required in the learning environment. As a furniture manufacturer, our job is to make sure the student tables and lecterns improve the learning experience. I feel we have done our job the best when our products go virtually unnoticed in the classroom. When we can seamlessly blend our table solutions into a classroom, the phone will stop ringing in the DSS office (disabled student services). With the help of Computer Comforts, maybe the ADA compliance officer will become like the Maytag man. Does anyone remember the Maytag man?

To remove some of the mystery of ADA compliance, please review the following guidelines related to classroom tables. This is really simple stuff, taken directly from the Federal Government's ADA Guidelines (section 4.3). I have created this illustration to help.

• 30"W minimum for leg space
• 19"D minimum for leg space
• 27"H clearance for under table knee space*
• 5% of tables in each classroom (minimum of one table per room) should meet these wheelchair guidelines

*Since the size of people and wheelchairs vary, the guideline recommends the table top height should adjust from 28"H-34"H.

If you would like additional information about these guidelines, please call our office at 281-535-2288 or contact us today.

Below are some of Computer Comforts' products that comply with these guidelines.