In-Tent-Ionally Accessbile Tent and Vestibule for People With and Without Disabilities

Rural communities benefit economically from revenues generated by outdoor recreationists. Participation in outdoor recreation provides numerous physical, social and health benefits. This project could increase the numbers of people who camp, and bring in revenue to rural areas by offering improved accessibility to campers with disabilities. Tents and vestibules are relatively inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs. The proposed vestibule will transform a tent into a universally accessible "home away from home" for rural and urban Americans with disabilities. The accessible vestibule will enable individuals to quickly and independently get in out of the rain and store their wheelchair in a dry space without bringing it into the tent. It also provides an area for an accessible, private toilet/commode. The vestibule allows easy, zipperless access via an accessible door. Inside the vestibule, there will be enough headroom for people in wheelchairs to sit upright, for others to assist in transfers, and there will be room to maneuver the chair. A secondary application for the vestibule will be to provide a stand-alone, accessible, private shelter for a commode in a group camping situation. Access to the countless benefits of outdoor recreation will be available to many more Americans.