The Future….
in Universal Design
Presenters:
Sue Lin, Project Director
Karla Kmetz, Project Specialist
Association University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
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Who we are
What is Universal Design (UD)?
How can UD be applied to National Service
and within the disability community?
A look at how people currently use UD
◦ Young Adult Transition Corps (YATC)
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Activity: How do you move this beyond the
physical to enhanced program design?
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67 University Centers
of Excellence on
Developmental
Disabilities (UCEDD)
38 Leadership
Education in
Neurodevelopmental
and Related
Disabilities (LEND)
21 Developmental
Disabilities Research
Centers (DDRC)
Research & Evaluation
Community
Services
Interdisciplinary
Training
Technical Assistance and
Information Dissemination
Introduce yourself!
 Name
 Organization
 Location
 Hobbies/Interests/Something interesting
about you
 How you are involved in National Service
 Explain how the object you picked describes
you
 What you hope to take away from this
workshop
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Universal Design in
Architecture and
Physical
Environments –
design of structures
that anticipates the
needs of individuals
with disabilities and
accommodates
these needs from
the outset
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American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
◦ 1961: Specifications for Making Buildings and
Facilities Accessible to and Usable by people with
physical disabilities
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Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard (UFAS)
◦ Adapted ANSI standard for federally funded
construction
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Fair Housing Amendment
◦ 1988: Access guidelines to multiple housing units
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Americans with Disabilities Act
◦ 1990: Mandatory conditions for public spaces
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Universal Design for
Learning – design
curricula with the
needs of all learners
in mind, so that,
methods, materials
and assessments are
usable by all.
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Assistive technology device is
defined as “any item, piece of
equipment, or product
system, whether acquired
commercially off-the-shelf,
modified or customized, that
is used to increase, maintain,
or improve functional
capabilities of individuals with
disabilities.” – Assistive
Technology Act of 1998
1.
2.
3.
4.
Equitable Use
Flexibility in
Use
Simple and
Intuitive Use
Perceptible
Information
Tolerance for Error
6. Low Physical Effort
7. Size and Space for
Approach and Use
5.
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The design is useful and marketable to
people with diverse abilities
◦ Provide the same means of use for all users:
identical whenever possible; equivalent when not.
◦ 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.
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The design accommodates a wide range of
individual preference and abilities.
◦ 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.
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Use of the design is easy to understand,
regardless of the user's experience,
knowledge, language skills, or current
concentration level.
◦ 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.
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The design communicates necessary information
effectively to the user, regardless of ambient
conditions or the user's sensory abilities.
◦ Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) 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
(i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions).
◦ Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or
devices used by people with sensory limitations.
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The design minimizes hazards and the
adverse consequences of accidental or
unintended actions.
◦ 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.
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The design can be used efficiently and
comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.
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Allow user to maintain a neutral body position.
Use reasonable operating forces.
Minimize repetitive actions.
Minimize sustained physical effort
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Appropriate size and space is provided for
approach, reach, manipulation, and use
regardless of user's body size, posture, or
mobility.
◦ 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.
Universal Design for Learning
Principles
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Principle 1: To support recognition learning,
and provide multiple, flexible methods of
presentation
Principle 2: To support strategic learning, and
provide multiple, flexible methods of
expression
Principle 3: To support affective learning, and
provide multiple, flexible options for
engagement
Accommodate individual learning differences
◦ Multiple means of representation to give learners
various ways of acquiring information and
knowledge,
◦ Multiple means of expression to provide learners
alternatives for demonstrating what they know, and
◦ Multiple means of engagement to tap into learners'
interests, challenge them appropriately, and
motivate them to learn
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) reauthorized in 2004 and No Child Left
Behind of 2001
◦ IDEA and NCLB - Require accountability of schools
in providing equal access to curriculum by all
students and all types of learners
◦ IDEA - Guarantees a free and appropriate public
education to every child identified as needing
special education in least restrictive environments
Higher Education Opportunity Act 2008
 Incorporates Universal design for learning
 Creates statutory definition:
◦ UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING..—The term ‘‘universal design
for learning’’ means a scientifically valid framework for guiding
educational practice that—
(A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the
ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and
in the ways students are engaged; and
(B) reduces barriers in instruction,, provides appropriate
accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high
achievement expectations for all student including students with
disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.
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Includes UDL in several provisions related to teacher training
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Development of postsecondary teaching strategies and methods,
and curriculum development consistent with UDL
Provide multiple examples
 Highlight critical features
 Provide multiple media and
formats
 Support background
context
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Provide flexible models of skilled
performance
Provide opportunities to practice with
supports
Provide ongoing, relevant feedback
Offer flexible opportunities for demonstrating
skill
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Offer choices of
content and tools
Offer adjustable
levels of challenge
Offer choices of
rewards
Offer choices of
learning context
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Are you using
components of UD in
your programs?
◦ Example of
physical/structural UD
◦ Example of
programmatic UD
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Young Adult Transition Corps is committed to
improving the quality of life for youth with
disabilities who are transitioning from school
to adult life through activities that promote
community service, community access, and
social skill development.
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10 members, 5 with disabilities & 5 without
Including:
◦ Learning Disabilities
◦ Physical Disabilities
◦ Sensory Disabilities
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Backgrounds:
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Social Work
Occupational Therapy
English
Psychology
Art Education
Special Education
Speech and Hearing Science
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Design of YATC Office
Meeting materials
◦ Available in print, electronically, and projected
during meeting
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Working in teams
Flexible hours
Choice of service activities
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Preparation
◦ Choose a project, planning
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Action
◦ The project (including any small projects that need to be done
before the main project)
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Reflection
◦ Connect the project with learning objectives
◦ Students connect to the contribution they have made
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Celebration
◦ Recognize everyone’s contribution
◦ Party!!
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The project:
◦ Garden Party at local Senior Center
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Skills gained:
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Letter writing
Presentation
Time and Money Management
Teamwork and Social
Decision Making
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Preparation
◦ Identifying a need and choosing a project
 Garden Party for Senior Residence Home
◦ Breaking the project into tasks and creating a
timeline
◦ Preparing a list of supplies needed and a budget
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Action
◦ Preparing materials for and practicing activities for
the event (bird feeder, garden collage, and songs)
◦ Writing and delivering donation letters
◦ The Garden Party
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Reflection
◦ Guided reflection worksheets/journal
◦ Class discussion
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Celebration
◦ Corps members recognized contributions of each
student
◦ Party!
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Transportation
Transition
◦ Staff and corps members leaving the program need
to pass on knowledge and skills
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Resource Mapping
◦ Service systems
◦ Education system
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Service Members
◦ Volunteer Burnout
◦ Tensions within the Corps
Applying Universal Design –
from learning to practice
Five Groups
1. School administrators,
teachers, and other related
staff
2. Individuals with physical
disabilities
3. Individuals with sensory
disabilities (vision and hearing)
4. Individuals with learning
disabilities
5. Community Partnership
Organizations receiving service
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School would like to foster a UD service learning
environment.
In order to design and effectively implement the
program, it requires the collaborative efforts by
school staff, members of the disability community
and community partner organizations.
Process: Through a series of group discussion
questions, participants will practice ways to analyze
universal design issues, build consensus, and
create goals and objectives.
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Implement recycling program
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Working with city environmental agency
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Develop public awareness and
communication outreach materials
Host service days for students in local middle
school
 Each group has 12-15 minutes to answer and
review the list of guiding questions
1. Program directors and staff – develop an UD service2.
3.
4.
5.
learning program
Individuals with physical disabilities – generate desired
UD features
Individuals with sensory disabilities (vision and
hearing) - generate desired UD features
Individuals with learning disabilities - generate desired
UD features
Community Partnership Organizations – support
UD service-learning program
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CAST
◦ http://www.cast.org/
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UCEDD
◦ http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=24
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RERC
◦ http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/resprogram.html#RERC
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National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
◦ http://www.servicelearning.org/
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NSIP
◦ http://www.serviceandinclusion.org/
Karla Kmetz
Project Specialist
AUCD
kkmetz@aucd.org
Sue Lin
Project Director
AUCD
slin@aucd.org