Environmental Access
and Universal Design
PWD
Brian J. Dudgeon, Ph.D., OTR
Associate Professor, Occupational TherapyRehabilitation Medicine
Chair, Standing Committee on Accessibility
Environmental Appraisal



Accessibility vs. Hospitality
Visible vs. Invisible Disability
Semiotics (interpretation of signs and
symbols) of Accessibility and Cultural
Construction* of Disability



Mini-ethnography
Spontaneity and accessibility do not mix well
“Othering” of the person with disability
*irony of terms 
Environmental Assessment

Goals:





Differentiate between personal versus public
accommodation practices
Acknowledge components of activity and
contexts of performance
Learn and apply standards for access
Discuss ‘Universal Design’ concepts
Debate about needs of “others”
Occupational Therapy & Design?




Concern with ability to
be active and to
participate
Uses of activity and
occupation as a means
(process) and ends
(outcome)
Disability (less than
expected)
Contexts: Physical,
Social, etc.
Activity Performance





Idea, Opportunity,
Expectation
Mobility
Manipulation
Communication
Cognition
Cognition
Activity Contexts






Habits
Environments
Home
School/Work
Community
Commuting Between
Activity Contexts


Personal Environments
 Personal interventions
 alternate methods, uses
of assistive/adaptive
devices
 Social Interventions
 assistance, 
expectations
 Physical Interventions
 rearrange environment,
additions to
environment, structural
changes
Public Environments
 Barrier Free Modification
 Universal Design
Personal Environments: Home
Assessment
 Interview



Site Visit



Descriptive
Self-Assessment
Team (OT, PT,
Others)
Client and Family
Recommendations
Personal Accommodation


Access and Egress
 Primary
 Emergency Alternative
Within Home
 Controls
 Levels Access
• Bathroom
• Bedroom
• Kitchen
• Social & Leisure Spaces
Access and Egress
Controls & Level Access
Controls & Level Access
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bedroom
Kitchen
Social & Leisure Spaces
Public Strategy: Population Based




Legislative Mandate and
Community Standard
ADA (Federal-UFAS)
UBC (State- ANSI)
Human Factors Design
(Anthropometry)
Public Strategy:
Population Based
“Barrier Free Design”
“Universal Design”
Anthropometry Standards
Typical Disability
Accessibility Standards
Accessibility Standards
Accessibility Standards
Premise of access

Mobility





fit through 32” wide space
turn around in 5’ x 5’ space
traverse incline 1:12 (30 ft maximum)
handle cross slope 1:48
hand rails if 1:20 slope
Premise of access

Manipulation





forward reach 15” to 48” high
side reach 9” to 54” high
standing reach 72” high
no grasp required (levers, pulls, push)
force 81/2 lbs exterior, 5 lbs interior
*Closed hand controls
Premise of access

Vision




lighting: outdoor 1 foot-candle, 5 footcandles with change of elevation
texture change for cane users
elimination of overhangs
Braille and signage size & content
Premise of access

Hearing

telephones
1 accessible, 1 of 3 with shelf for text-type
device
 25% with volume control
 1 TTY per 4 public phones


alarm systems: visible and sound signals in
corridors, lobbies, toilet rooms, hotel
rooms, public/common use areas
Washington State Guidelines

Route of Travel




Primary route to primary functions, common use
Directional signage
Max. walking distance 100 feet
Walks curbs, ramps, stairs, parking
 ramps: 1:12, 30’ rise, 60” square landing
 continuous handrails 12” beyond top and
bottom
 parking 1/10 medical,  1/25 residential

13’ x 20’ (van 16’ x 20’)
Washington State Guidelines

Building Access

50% of all public entrances
32” clear opening, 60” open space for turning
 Maximum 1/2” threshold sill


Corridors
36” minimum, 60” square each 100 feet
 44” suggested



Aisles/Seats  44” clearance
Elevator Controls 34”-54” high
Washington State Guidelines

Facilities

Public Toilets



32” opening, 60” turning
Sinks: 34” high, 24” knee clearance, 30”
wide, 17” deep
Kitchens: 60” turning space
Guideline Similarity- Source
http://www.access-board.gov/indexes/accessindex.htm
Universal, Designing What?






“Barrier-Free” 
“Life-Span Design”
“Trans-Generational
Design”
“Visitability”
“Accessible Design”
“Universal Design”
Public Strategy:
Population Based
“Barrier Free Design”
“Universal Design”
Basis of Design: Anthropometry

Who’s who?


Population Measures
Young, white, right
handed males

Who are they?

Generic disabled man
(in WC, sighted or
hearing)
New Understanding, Sources?
Who fits in?

Population based
design works for:





a young white, right
handed male
Not his grandparents
Not himself- 45 years
later
Not the “disabled”
“Peter Pan and his
friends”
Who fits in?

Accessible or
Universal design
works for:





a young white, right
handed male
Almost everyone else
too!
“Curb Cut Logic”
“Closed Captioning”
“Ergonomics”

“Accessible” implies deficient
Stigmatizing: “special products and environments
promote negative self concept”
“Universal” refers to a goal to be reached, an attitude,
rather than a strict absolute
Universal Design: What and Why?


Universal design is the design of
products and environments to be usable
by all people, to the greatest extent
possible, without the need for adaptation
or specialized design.
Universal Design is an effort to assure,
through careful planning and execution,
that a product, environment, or system
offers improved usability to the entire
population.
Universal Design: What and Why?



Intent: simplify life for everyone by
making products, communications,
and the built environment more
usable by as many people as possible
at little or no extra cost.
Benefits: people of all ages, sizes,
and abilities.
A simple idea. Why make a fuss!
Universal Design: What and Why?


Accessibility/Universality
Personal Strategy:




Personal Change
Social Expectations
Environmental Re-do
Public Strategy:
Population Based

Public Environments
becoming “Barrier Free”
Universal Design: What and Why?


Personal and Public
Space Accessibility
Principle of visitability,
applies accessibility to
private residences
“Visitability”
Universal Design: What and Why?




Legislative Mandate
and Community
Standard
ADA (Federal-UFAS)
UBC (State- ANSI)
Human Factors
Design
(Anthropometry)
Universal Design


More than Guidelines & Standards
Application of Concepts, Innovations
http://www.access-board.gov/indexes/accessindex.htm
Universal Design
http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/univ_design/princ_overview.htm
Principle 1: Equitable Use




Provide the same means of
use for all users: identical
whenever possible.
Avoid segregating or
stigmatizing any users.
Provisions for privacy,
security, and safety should
be equally available to all
users.
Make the design appealing
to all users.
Principle 1: Equitable Use
Principle 2: Flexibility in Use




Provide choice in
methods of use.
Accommodate right- or
left-handed access and
use.
Facilitate the user's
accuracy and precision.
Provide adaptability to
the user's pace.
Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive





Eliminate unnecessary
complexity.
Be consistent with user
expectations and intuition.
Accommodate a wide range of
literacy and language skills.
Arrange information consistent
with its importance.
Provide effective prompting
and feedback during and after
task completion.
Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive
Principle 4:





Perceptible Information
Use different modes/means for
redundant presentation of
essential information.
Provide adequate contrast
between essential information
and its surroundings.
Maximize "legibility" of
essential information.
Differentiate elements in ways
that can be described as in
directions.
Provide compatibility with
assistive devices
Principle 5: Tolerance for Error




Arrange elements to
minimize hazards and errors:
most used elements, most
accessible; hazardous
elements eliminated,
isolated, or shielded.
Provide warnings of hazards
and errors.
Provide fail safe features.
Discourage unconscious
action in tasks that require
vigilance.
Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
Principle 6: Low Physical Effort




Allow user to maintain a
neutral body position.
Use reasonable
operating forces.
Minimize repetitive
actions.
Minimize sustained
physical effort
Principle 7:




Size and Space Access
Provide a clear line of sight
to important elements for
any seated or standing user.
Make reach to all
components comfortable for
any seated or standing user.
Accommodate variations in
hand and grip size.
Provide adequate space for
the use of assistive devices
or personal assistance.
UD and UW?
Adoption of principles requires support from
upper management, and use of cross-functional
teams in design and development process.
Applications of Universal Design in Education (UDE)
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/app_ud_edu.html
Environmental Access
and Universal Design
Brian J. Dudgeon, Ph.D., OTR
Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy
Rehabilitation Medicine
Chair, Standing Committee on Accessibility