Modern environments, such as cities, roadways, stores, and even our houses have become increasingly complex due to the desire for a clean, sleek look that matches the ever-changing societal standard. Though these changes may seem simple and forthcoming to some, these constant advances can put forth barriers to others. Our road systems, for example, grow increasingly complex each year, with unique signs, speed limits, right of way rules, and more. Though this is good for organizing travel and ensuring people’s safety, special measures need to be implemented in order to ensure the wellbeing of everyone, despite individual ability. Universal design is a way in which particular environments are designed so as to provide equal opportunity and accessibility to all personal discounting age, size, ability, or disability (National Disability Authority, 2020). An example of the implementation of universal design would be stop signs. Stop signs have been around for many years, but recently they have not only grown in dimension but also have bright flashing red lights around them. By engineering these alterations, it ensures that everyone, even those with poor vision can see the warning sign. These new stop signs mediate the flow of traffic and also ensure the safety and viewing of people with visual deficits.
Related to the topic of design advancement is learning. A provisional transition from a “one size fits all” method of education, in which teachers design lesson plans to specifically accommodate “typical learners” and commonly fail to provide structured support for “atypical” learners, to a universal learning design (UDL), whereby the environment and strategy in which information is taught caters to the needs of all individuals irrespective of their ability. By identifying the various barrier present in a student’s learning environment, a framework for effective learning can be developed that supports the needs of every individual, thus modernizing the traditional perspective of how students learn. An example of universal learning design in the classroom is digital and audio text, whereby taught information is available digitally, thus supporting students with visual impairment, in that, they can enlarge the text, while also providing an alternative means of learning to students without disability.
In this way, ULD takes inspiration from engineered universal design, whereby inclusiveness and equal opportunity are promoted. UDL provides students with an equal opportunity to thrive in their learning environment, in the same way,that universal design engineering allows accessibility and opportunity to all.
Sources
National Disability Authority, 2020. What is Universal Design. Retrieved from: http://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/