Universal Design, Accessible
Design, & Adaptable Design:
Definitions and Examples
Goal: Define
•Universal design
•Accessible design
•Adaptable design
•Specify their relationship to the broader notion of
design in general
Scope of the Discussion
“universal design” and "accessible design" are often
used interchangeably
• Both terms focus on designing products and services
so that as many people, with as broad a spectrum of
abilities as possible, can use them.
•Yet "accessible design" and "accessibility" have taken
on legal meanings that force a distinction to be drawn
between universal and accessible design.
• In essence, accessible design is mandated by law
while universal design is not.
Scope of the Discussion
•
Additional design categories have been proposed, in
particular adaptable and transgenerational design
(Story, 1998).
•
Of these only adaptable design will be discussed
because it is closely related to accessible design.
•
Adaptable design is mentioned in the laws
mandating accessibility of telecommunication
products and services as well as electronic and
information technology products and services.
Scope of the Discussion
The discussion will start with a definition of design
and move to the narrower definitions of
•Accessible design
•Universal design
•Adaptable design
Defining Design
Design can be a noun or a verb
•As a noun, design refers to an object or entity
•As a verb, design refers to a process
For this discussion, design will be used as a verb,
that is, design is a process.
Defining Design
"Design is the thought process comprising the
creation of an entity" (Miller, 1996).
More simply, the designer needs to see the connection
between “problem and possibility" (Miller, 1996).
Universal Design
Universal Design
Universal design - the design of entities that
can be used and experienced by people of
all abilities, to the greatest extent possible,
without adaptations.
Buildings, work places, products, services, and educational
activities/materials can all be universally designed.
Universal Design
Curb cuts are the prototypical example of universal design.
People in wheelchairs use curb cuts, but so do bike riders,
skate boarders, and people pushing baby strollers.
Accessible Design
Accessible Design
Accessible design - the design of entities that
satisfy specific legal mandates,
guidelines, or code requirements with
the intent of providing accessibility to
the entities for individuals with disabilities.
This definition focuses on the legal implications of the term.
Accessible Design
Accessible design derives its legal
meaning from:
•Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
•Section 255 of the
Telecommunication’s Act of 1996
•Section 508 amendments to the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998
Accessible Design
These laws also state that either
•products need to be compatible with assistive
technology devices used by people with
disabilities
or
•products are able to be modified so as to be
rendered accessible
Accessible Design
Note: systems may be designed so that they are
not accessible, but with specific modifications be
made accessible to individuals with specific
disabilities.
Such modifications are termed accommodations
and characterize the process of adaptable
design.
Adaptable Design
Adaptable Design
Adaptable design - features are modifications made
to the standard design for the purpose of
making the design usable for an individual,
as needed.
This definition focuses on modifications made to existing entities
which make the entity accessible to people with disabilities.
Adaptable Design
•Van conversion provides wheelchair
accessibility for occupants.
•Vans are a standard, non- wheelchair
accessible, design. After modifications, vans
are wheelchair accessible.
•Van accommodation is not required or
mandated by any law, code or guidelines;
hence, it is not considered accessible design,
but adaptable design.
Adaptable Design
How adaptable design differs from accessible design:
•adaptable design is not mandated by laws
•adaptable design focuses on modifying an
existing standard design
Adaptable Design
How adaptable design differs from universal design:
•universal design creates products and services
that are accessible and usable without adaptations
•adaptable design focuses on modifying an existing
standard design
•universal design occurs at the beginning of the
design process
•adaptable design occurs after the design process
is complete and the product has been produced
Relationship Between
General Design,
Universal Design,
and Accessible Design
Relationship Between General Design, Universal Design, and Accessible Design
Relationship Between General Design, Universal Design, and Accessible Design
•The rectangle labeled “Entities that are accessible” is
explicitly used to emphasize the fact that accessibility
can be achieved by design strategies from all design
categories.
•If accessibility is achieved because it is mandated, then
it results from accessible design strategies.
•If accessibility is achieved as a result of an
accommodation, it is an adaptable design strategy.
•Accessibility can also result from applying universal
design principles.
Examples of Entities from
Each Design Category
Example from:
Examples of Entities from Each Design Category: Universal Design
Universal Design
•
ADJUSTABLE SEATS, STEERING WHEEL, AND FLOOR
PEDALS ON CARS AND TRUCKS: The collection of
adjustable features enable people with very different
body sizes to use the car or truck. These adjustability
features are not required or mandated by laws or
regulations.
•
AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENERS: The automatic door
openers at malls, shopping centers, and other public
places are examples of universal design if they are not
mandated by laws or codes.
Examples from Universal & Accessible Design:
Examples of Entities from Each Design Category: Accessible & Universal Design
Accessible Design and Universal Design
•
CURB CUTS: Curb cuts were designed to allow
wheelchair users to navigate and thereby have
access to city streets and sidewalks, and the
amenities they afford such as access to public places,
buildings, shops, and restaurants. Curb cuts are
mandated by ADA (Access Board, 1999) and as such
an example of accessible design. However, curb cuts
are used by people on roller-blades, skateboards,
bicycles, tricycles, people pulling shopping carts and
people pushing strollers, and therefore provide an
example of universal design.
Examples from Accessible Design:
Examples of Entities from Each Design Category: Accessible Design
Accessible Design
•
THE ADA ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES (ADAAG): - covers the
construction and alteration of facilities in the private
sector (places of public accommodation and
commercial facilities) and the public sector (state and
local government facilities). For example, section 4.9
deals with stairs. Section 4.9.2 deals specifically with
Treads and Risers. It says that “On any given flight of
stairs, all steps shall have uniform riser heights and
uniform tread widths. Stair treads shall be no less than
11 in (280 mm) wide, measured from riser to riser.
Open risers are not permitted.”
Examples from Adaptable & Accessible Design:
Examples of Entities from Each Design Category: Adaptable & Accessible Design
Adaptable Design and Accessible Design
•
VOLUME CONTROLS FOR ATTACHING TO TELEPHONES: A volume
control that attaches to a telephone is an example of an adaptable design
that is also accessible design. It is a modification made to a standard
design for the purpose of making it accessible to persons who are hardof-hearing (Story, 1998). This design is accessible in that the
Telecommunication Act of 1996, Section 255, requires telephones that do
not contain volume controls to be compatible with technologies like the
attachable volume control unit so as to be accessible for individuals with
hearing difficulties (Access Board, 1998).
•
BASE CABINETS THAT ARE REMOVABLE FROM UNDER BATHROOM
SINKS (Story, 1998): Base cabinets that are removable from under
bathroom sinks not only allow wheelchair users access but also allows
dwarfs or short people to remove the base cabinet and use a chair. The
ability to remove the base units is not mandated or required by guidelines
or code as required by the definition of accessible design.
Examples from Adaptable, Accessible & Universal Design:
Examples of Entities from Each Design Category: Adaptable, Accessible, & Universal Design
Adaptable, Accessible, and Universal Design
•
RAMPS TO AN EXISTING PUBLIC BUILDING WHEN
RENOVATED: When an existing public building
undergoes major renovation it may come under ADA
accessibility requirements. One such adaptation is
the addition of a wheelchair ramp. Ramps not only
improve accessibility for people in wheelchairs, they
also improve accessibility for people pushing strollers,
or pulling suitcases, or people with walkers. The
ramps are like curb-cuts in that they improve
accessibility for all users and hence exemplify
universal design. Ramps provided under the
conditions described above are accessible designs
because they are mandated. They are adaptable
designs because they are added to a standard design.
Examples from Adaptable Design:
Examples of Entities from Each Design Category: Adaptable Design
Adaptable Design
•
DAMPERS FOR VIBRATION REDUCTION ON TENNIS RACQUETS: One may purchase
a variety of devices that fit around the strings of a tennis racquet near the frame. These
devices change the vibration patterns of the racquet. If the undamped racquet produces a
vibration pattern that cause undue stress on a player's elbow it can result in tennis elbow,
which is a painful condition. The string damping device changes the racquet’s vibration
pattern so that it no longer places undue stress on the player's elbow and thereby avoids
injury. The device is an adaptation in that it is a modification to a standard product that
makes the racquet usable to an individual. For any given racquet, the adaptation only
works for people with certain arm characteristics and not others; hence, it is not universal
design. The device is not mandated nor does it provide accessibility to individuals with
disabilities; hence, it is not accessible design.
•
VAN CONVERSIONS FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: There is an active aftermarket business centered on modifying vans to be wheelchair accessible for both drives
and passengers. Two examples of companies providing van conversions are Kino Mobility,
Inc. and New England Wheels, Inc. (Inc., 2002; New England Wheels, 2003). This is
adaptable design because a standard product is being modified so as to be accessible to
individuals using a wheelchair. This is not an example of an entity in the intersection of
adaptable and accessible design because the van conversions are not mandated by any
law, regulations, or code.
Conclusions
Conclusions
Design is the thought process comprising the creation of an entity.
•When conceptualizing the “problem and possibilities” from a
UNIVERSAL DESIGN perspective, THE POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE
AN ENTITY THAT CAN BE USED AND EXPERIENCED BY
PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT
POSSIBLE WITHOUT ADAPTATIONS.
• When approaching the same problem from an ACCESSIBLE
DESIGN perspective, THE POSSIBILITIES WILL FOCUS ON
HOW TO SATISFY LEGAL MANDATES, GUIDELINES, OR
CODES TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY.
• From an ADAPTABLE DESIGN perspective, THE POSSIBILITIES
INVOLVE MODIFYING OR ACCOMMODATING A STANDARD
DESIGN FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING IT USABLE FOR AN
INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY.
Conclusions
Forces Driving Universal, Accessible, & Adaptable Design
•highly competitive global
markets
•evolving accessibility
legislation
•require corporations to
maximize their products’
market potential and
services while addressing
the needs of individuals with
disabilities
Conclusions
Forces Driving Universal, Accessible, & Adaptable Design
• these
dual forces require that designers
understand and utilize different design
perspectives
•during the design thought
process, designers should
include a deliberate discussion
and analysis of which design
approach will be used to
address the specified problem
Conclusions
Forces Driving Universal, Accessible, & Adaptable Design
•forgoing such deliberations could
be very costly to a corporation in
terms of
•lost market share
•possible litigation for
failing to comply with
mandated accessibility
requirements