One factor that must be considered when it comes to classroom wheelchair safety is whether the child is capable of operating a power wheelchair. If used correctly, a power wheelchair can prevent fatigue and enhance learning. In order to operate a power wheelchair safely, the child must be equipped with a number of cognitive capacities, including an understanding of cause and effect, spatial awareness, and problem-solving concepts.
No matter what kind of chair a child is using, he will have to navigate through a variety of obstacles and terrains in the classroom and on the playground. According to the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North American (RESNA), those responsible for training children on proper wheelchair use should first ensure that they are capable of navigating around obstacles indoors. It sometimes may be necessary to alter the play area in order to accommodate a particular child's needs.
Depending on the environment, a child's classmates may raise some important safety issues. For example, RESNA reports that a child in one study faced safety issues from a classmate climbing on her manual wheelchair. Once she was equipped with a power wheelchair, she became more independent and was able to avoid the troublesome classmate. Each of the above factors must be weighed against each other in order to determine the best possible arrangement for each child.