Qualidade do Ambiente Construído e Acessibilidade: Desafios à Cidadania

Resumen

This article intends to discuss the accessibility to buildings and urban environment as a social right referred to the social inclusion process of people with special needs. A revision of the concepts related to impairment handicapped and their rights has been carried out, as well as the legislation concerned to accessibility to buildings. Although handicapped are perceived by the common sense as minority and homogeneous group, who defines differences between impairment, disability and handicap, widening in number and quality those with special needs (handicapped, old people, children, pregnant, etc.,). Dealing with the rights of the handicapped requires an approach that overcomes stigmas and point out new possibilities for understanding the diversity of human being and ways to dignify life, aiming social inclusion. Making environment accessible to handicapped, children, teens and old people means make it accessible to people in general, independently of lost of abnormalities concerning their psychological, physiological or anatomic structures.