Investigating the response of students with disabilities to earthquakes: Preliminary results

This research aims to investigate the responses of students with disabilities to earthquakes. To achieve the goal, this study investigated the perception of evacuation plans for earthquakes among students with visual impairments (n=32, junior and senior high schools) and their teachers (n=12) using in-depth interviews. The questions asked to the respondents encompassed the knowledge and experience of earthquakes, safe school buildings and designs, evacuation plans, and assistance during emergencies. An evacuation simulation for earthquakes was also performed to understand the ability of students to protect and evacuate themselves from earthquakes. Testimonials were also noted from students and teachers after the simulation to understand interventions needed to improve the students' response in facing earthquakes. The interviews and simulation processes were recorded using voice and video cameras, respectively. A qualitative content analysis was used to scrutinize the responses obtained from the interviews and evacuation simulation for earthquakes. The results of interviews showed that the majority of SWDs show poor (n=22) responses to earthquakes. Only a small number of students show moderate (n=4) and good (n=1 people) responses to earthquakes. The interviews revealed aspects need improvements, including the knowledge about earthquakes, reaction time to earthquakes, self-protection and evacuation procedures, safety of school buildings, and design of school building to support swift evacuation. Furthermore, the simulation for earthquakes exposed that the students are vulnerable to earthquake disasters. In addition to the lack of ability to protect and evacuate themselves during earthquakes, the students are not prepared mentally to face earthquakes. Capacity building through regular evacuation simulation for earthquakes, knowledge improvements in earthquakes, and self-protection training is likely to reduce the risk of being adversely affected by earthquakes.