Developing a tool to assess the performance of educational built environments for students with multiple sclerosis

Statistics indicate that cases of multiple sclerosis (MS), which can cause mobility and sensory disabilities, are increasing worldwide. While design criteria for educational built environments that meet MS students’ needs have been researched, the creation of holistic design guidelines (DG-MS) has rarely been investigated. This study uses holistic DG-MS to create an educational building performance assessment tool (MS-BPAT) to evaluate the suitability of educational built environments for meeting MS students’ needs. A multimethodological approach is used in which academic and medical experts evaluate the MS-BPAT for its importance, affiliation, and clarity. The MS-BPAT is then tested by assessing two high school buildings in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that the MS-BPAT tool can accurately assess the fulfillment of MS-DG design criteria in educational built environments and detect the design barriers. The MS-BPAT’s validity as an assessment tool is confirmed by comparing its results with field visits, interviews, and student satisfaction. The MS-BPAT is then finalized, and recommendations are made for improving educational built environment performance to meet the needs of students with MS.