A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The Americans with Disabilities Act is supposed to make public spaces more accessible. But more than 30 years after it was passed, about two-thirds of curb ramps and half the nation's sidewalks are still inaccessible. That's according to the Institute on Disability and Human Development. A program in Indiana wants to help children in wheelchairs overcome some of these obstacles. Here's Elizabeth Gabriel of Side Effects Public Media.
ELIZABETH GABRIEL, BYLINE: Census data shows that more than 300,000 children use a wheelchair in the U.S. Savannah Healton is one of them. She's 12 years old, and she has spina bifida, which means her spine didn't form properly. Lately, she's been practicing how to do wheelies.
SAVANNAH HEALTON: It's basically where you push two times, and then you pop into your wheelie. So that way, if you're going up, like, a curb, you can get into your wheelie so that you can go up the hill or the curb or wherever you're going.
GABRIEL: That's an advanced skill not often taught at school or in physical therapy. But Savannah is part of an Indiana University program called Skills on Wheels. Kids start off in a gym using props like ramps and wooden curves to learn how to get around. And on this day, they're practicing outside, learning how to use those skills in an everyday setting. Skills on Wheels program director Tony Chase says kids who use wheelchairs may skip certain social activities if they know there will be obstacles like narrow doors or stairs.
TONY CHASE: We would love to change the world and just make it all of a sudden accessible. But that's a little bit too lofty of a goal. So instead, let's try to make kids more confident in navigating this inaccessible world.
GABRIEL: There's a list of core skills essential for navigating a wheelchair in different environments. That includes going over curbs, up and down inclines and gaps in pavement. However, volunteer occupational therapist Maria Fuchs says she didn't learn a lot about hands-on wheelchair training during grad school.
MARIA FUCHS: A lot of times other things like feeding or dressing or play skills, things like that are kind of the priority.
GABRIEL: She says kids often just learn the basics, like using the wheel locks and taking their wheelchair apart. Some insurance companies, though, won't cover the cost of rehab that teaches people how to properly use wheelchairs. Some get tips from other wheelchair users or watch videos online. And large wheelchairs are heavy, so the skills program also teaches parents safety techniques. Savannah's mom, Chanda Healton, often holds onto a strap that connects to the back of her daughter's wheelchair when she practices with her therapist.
FUCHS: What did you work on so far? Let's recap.
SAVANNAH: Two of those hills.
FUCHS: Going down the hill.
SAVANNAH: And going up the hill.
FUCHS: And going up the hill. And then?
GABRIEL: The - I'm just going to say wheelie 'cause...
FUCHS: Yeah.
GABRIEL: The Skills on Wheels program also gives kids a rare chance to socialize with others in wheelchairs. And for Savannah, that means chatting about her favorite TV show, "Grey's Anatomy."
SAVANNAH: Like, Patrick Dempsey, his character is one of my favorite characters.
GABRIEL: Healton calls her daughter's confidence and new-found ability amazing.
CHANDA HEALTON: The first time I watched her, I had tears in my eyes. I'm like, oh, my gosh, that's my baby girl. She's not a baby anymore.
GABRIEL: The family plans to come back for more tips next year so Savannah and other kids can learn how to travel more efficiently and safely in their wheelchairs.
For NPR News, I'm Elizabeth Gabriel in Indianapolis.
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