Universal Design: Process, Principles and Applications (2023)

Most groups in educational institutions, workplaces, and other settings are diverse in terms of background, cultural and gender identity, mother tongue, socioeconomic status, age, skills, learning preferences, and myriad other characteristics. All human beings have an intersecting identity composed of a multitude of these unique facets. Some of us have characteristics that many consider "disabilities," including those who are blind, deaf, hard of hearing, on the autism spectrum, and have mobility impairments, attention deficits, learning disabilities, and health impairments.

How can educators design lessons to maximize learning for all students? How can employers create environments to maximize the productivity of all employees? How can IT professionals source and develop products that are accessible and usable for all? How can the Studierendenwerke include their offers for everyone? A number of proactive approaches discussed in the literature take a wide audience into account in design practices. These include universal design, accessible design, accessible design, usable design, inclusive design, and design for all. Of the proactive design approaches, there is no approach that appeals to a wider variety of users than Universal Design (UD).

Although UD has its roots in the design field of architecture and commercial products and information technology (IT), its applications in the educational field are growing in number. UD can provide a philosophical framework for the design of all products and environments at all levels of education - including technology, teaching and learning activities, academic spaces, student services and professional meetings. The following paragraphs specify the framework for the application of UD in education (UDE). Important aspects to address include the scope, definition, principles, policies, best practices and processes.

What is the scope of your application?

The scope of UD in Higher Education (UDHE) includes all products and environments that directly or indirectly support teaching and learning in higher education. Examples of more narrowly defined domains are applications of UD to online learning, informal science learning, student services, IT, or physical spaces.

What is the definition of UD?

According to theUniversal Design Center, UD is “the design of products and environments that can be used by all people to the maximum extent possible without the need for customization or special design.” This definition can be modified to narrow the scope. For example, to apply UD to teaching and learning activities, this basic definition can be translated into “the design ofteaching and learningProducts and environments should be usable by everyone as much as possible, without the need for customization or special design."

Characteristics of any UD product or environment are that they are accessible, usable and inclusive.

Which principles and guidelines are relevant for the UDE?

Three sets of principles provide guidelines for the application of universal design regardless of the area of ​​application.

1. Principles of UD

The seven principles of universal design, established by the State of North Carolina's Center for Universal Design, were developed to guide the design of any product, service, or environment. They follow along with an example of the application of each.

• Equal use.The design is useful and marketable for people of different abilities. A website designed to be accessible to everyone, including the blind, uses this principle.
• Flexibility in use.The design takes into account a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. A museum that allows a visitor to read or listen to a description of the contents of a case applies this principle.
• Simple and intuitive.Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills or current level of concentration. Scientific laboratory devices with clear and intuitive control buttons use this principle.
• perceivable information.The design effectively conveys the information required by the user, regardless of the environmental conditions or the user's sensory abilities. Video captions use this principle.
• tolerance for mistakes.The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintentional actions. An educational software program that provides guidance when the user makes an inappropriate choice uses this principle.
• Low physical exertion.The design can be used efficiently, comfortably and without fatigue. Automatically opening doors use this principle.
• Size and space for approach and use.The design provides adequate size and space for approach, reach, manipulation and use, regardless of the user's height, posture or mobility. A science laboratory with adjustable tables uses this principle.

It is important to incorporate relevant disability, accessibility and universal design content into engineering courses to enhance the knowledge and skills of future professionals. This will result in a workforce that is aware of and better able to address accessibility barriers. FindCurriculum around universal designon our website.

2. UDL Principles

Universal design principles can be applied to many environments, products, and services, including learning environments, resources, and teaching methods. Three principles have been established for the universal design of teaching and learning materials and activities that make the learning goals achievable for people with different characteristics, including large differences in the ability to see, hear, speak, move, read , write, understand and listen to English , organize, engage and remember. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is achieved through flexible curriculum materials and activities that provide alternatives for students with different abilities. These alternatives are built into the lesson design and operating systems of lesson materials - they are not added after the fact.

The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) has created a set of three principles with roots in cognitive neuroscience to underpin teaching and learning practices and curricula. The UDL principles are listed below.

• Multiple means of engagement. For purposeful, motivated learners, inspire interest and motivation to learn. UDL policies based on this principle encourage the development of curricula and instruction that include options for perception; language, expressions and symbolism; and understanding.
• Multiple means of representation. Present information and content in different ways for resourceful, knowledgeable learners. UDL policies under this principle encourage the development of curricula and instruction that include options for physical activity, expressive and fluency skills, and executive functions.
• Diverse opportunities for action and expression. For strategic, purposeful learners, differentiate the ways in which students can express their knowledge. UDL policies under this principle encourage the development of curricula and instruction that include options for attracting interest, sustaining effort and persistence, and self-regulation.

3. Principles for the UD OF IT

The third set of principles supporting the UD framework provides design guidance for IT used in many products and environments. In the early years of the Internet, UD practices were applied to the design of hardware and software to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, English learners, and other groups. These efforts resulted in the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and related practices are underpinned by four guiding principles. Together they require that IT components exhibit these four qualities:

• perceptible. Users must be able to experience the content, regardless of what device or configuration they are using.
• operable. Users must be able to operate the controls, buttons, sliders, menus, etc. no matter what device they are using.
• Understandable. Users must be able to understand the content and the user interface.
• Robust. Content must be encoded in accordance with relevant encoding standards to ensure that it is accurately and meaningfully interpreted by devices, browsers, and assistive technologies.

How the three sets of principles and guidelines work together in a specific application

The combination of the principles discussed above can be used to make almost any product or environment universal. For example, in higher education, the combined set can be applied to create more inclusive physical spaces, instruction, and online resources. However, instead of memorizing the fourteen principles underlying Universal Design in Education (UDE), practitioners work towards adhering to them by following three simple guidelines:

• Provide participants with multiple opportunities to learn and demonstrate what they have learned.
• Offer multiple ways to interact.
• Ensure that all technology, facilities, services, resources and policies are accessible to people with a variety of disabilities.

One of the challenges with the current state of IT's UD, UDL, UD applications is that the three different communities making the most efforts in each category rarely talk to each other. UD advocates have made strides in the movement to design living spaces that can be used by people with disabilities or the elderly, but not so much in the design of laboratories and other academic settings; UDL proponents sometimes apply the three principles but use inaccessible IT; and UD of IT proponents often consider the design of the technology used in educational environments, but not how it interacts with the pedagogy used to deliver instruction.

A great example of how these three principles can be integrated together is when designing a class. Whether classes are in-person or online, class design should aim to involve all students, including those with disabilities, and allow all students to access course content and fully participate in class activities. Universal design principles can apply to lectures, classroom discussions, group work, handouts, web-based instruction, fieldwork, and other academic activities. The 7 principles of UD are particularly helpful in designing classroom settings such as computer labs; the 3 principles of the UDL guide the development of the curriculum and pedagogy; and the 4 Principles for the UD of IT underlying WCAG guide the creation and use of IT used in any application to ensure that it is accessible, usable and inclusive for all, including people with disabilities.

The following Universal Design of Instruction examples, employing all three sets of UD principles, were developed by theAccessCollegeproject ofDO-IT-Centerwith input from a nationwide collaborative team. There are eight application areas.

• inclusion.Introduce practices that reflect high values ​​of diversity and inclusivity. Example: Include a statement in your curriculum inviting students to meet with you to discuss disability accommodation and other special learning needs.
• physical access.Ensure that activities, materials and equipment are physically accessible and usable by all students and that all potential student characteristics are included in safety considerations. Examples: Develop safety procedures for all students, including blind, deaf, or wheelchair users; Identify safety equipment easily, in large print and in a place that is visible from different angles; repeat printed instructions orally.
• delivery methods. Use a variety of accessible teaching methods. Example: use multiple modes – e.g. Lectures, collaborative learning options, hands-on activities, web-based communication, educational software, fieldwork, etc. - to deliver content and engage and engage students.
• information resources.Ensure course materials, notes, and other informational resources are flexible and accessible to all students. For example, choose printed materials and prepare a syllabus well in advance to allow students the opportunity to start reading the materials and working on assignments before class begins, and allowing enough time to organize alternative formats such as audiobooks .
• interaction.Encourage effective interactions between students and between students and the teacher, and ensure methods of communication are accessible to all participants. Example: Assign group work that emphasizes collaboration and emphasizes diverse skills and roles.
• return message.Give specific feedback regularly. Example: Allow students to present parts of their work for feedback before the final project is due.
• valuation. Regularly evaluate student progress and adjust lessons accordingly. Example: Use a variety of accessible methods and tools to assess student performance in collaborative groups and as individuals.
• accomodation. Plan additional accommodations to meet specific student needs. Example: Prepare to provide materials in alternative formats, change class location, or arrange other accommodation for the disabled.

Although the use of Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) requires the need for special precautions - e.g. By applying UDI to courses as they are being created, educators minimize the need to make adjustments later. For example, giving all students access to your lesson notes and assignments on an accessible website can eliminate the need to provide materials in alternative formats. For more information on accommodation and examples of what to plan for, visit ouraccommodationsPages.

What UD practices are associated with scopes?

The UD framework can be fleshed out further by developing examples of practices that can be employed by individuals who wish to apply it to a specific application. For example in the publicationEqual access: universal teaching designYou will find a comprehensive list of examples, each explicitly linked to one or more of the principles of UD, UDL and ITAccessCollegecollaborative team helped develop example lists for the UD of practices reported inThe Center for Universal Design in Education. There you will find practices aligned with the UD of

• Instruction
• Services
• Technology
• physical spaces
• Projects, conference exhibitions, presentations and professional organizations

The table below provides examples of practices that build on each of the elements in the four sets of principles that underpin the UD Framework.

Source: Burgstahler, S. (2020).Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit. Harvard Education Press, p. 45.

What is the process for applying for UD?

The process is the last element in the UD framework. The list below is an example of a process for applying Universal Design in Higher Education (UDHE). It can be adapted to any application of UD.

1. Identify the application and best practices in this area.Specify the product or environment you want to apply UDHE to. Identify best practices in the area of ​​application (e.g. evidence-based teaching methods, technology standards, architectural design specifications).
2. Consider the different characteristics of potential users.Describe various characteristics of potential users that the application is designed for - e.g. B. relating to gender; age; ethnicity; Run; Native language; learning preferences; Size; Ability to see, hear, walk, manipulate objects, read, speak - and the challenges they might face when trying to engage with the product or the environment.
3. Integrate UDHE with best practices in this area. Integrate UDHE practices (underpinned by relevant UD, UDL, and WCAG principles) with best practices within the scope to maximize the utility of the application for people with a variety of characteristics.
4. plan accommodations.Develop processes for providing housing for people who are not automatically granted access by design (e.g. using assistive technology or sign language interpreters). Publicize these processes through signage, curriculum, publications, or websites.
5. Evaluate.After implementing the product or environment, collect feedback from people with different characteristics who use it (e.g. through online polls, focus groups). Make changes based on the results. Return to step 3 if there are any indications from your review that improvements should be made to your design.

Source: Burgstahler, S. (2020).Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit. Harvard Education Press, p. 47–8.

To further study the UD framework

See the book for more details and more examples of the UD frameworkCreating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkitand at theCenter for Universal Design in Education.

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