User:TCozad/Universal design

Universal design emerged from slightly earlier barrier-free concepts, the broader accessibility movement, and adaptive and assistive technology and also seeks to blend aesthetics into these core considerations. As life expectancy rises and modern medicine increases the survival rate of those with significant injuries, illnesses, and birth defects, there is a growing interest in universal design. There are many industries in which universal design is having strong market penetration but there are many others in which it has not yet been adopted to any great extent. Universal design is also being applied to the design of technology, instruction, services, and other products and environments. Several different fields, such as engineering, architecture, and medicine collaborate in order to effectively create accessible environments that can lend to inclusion for a variety of disabilities.

Examples
'''Spaces and buildings that use universal design often comply with broad areas of accessibility. On the other hand, homes and personal spaces comply with the specific disability or capabilities of a resident. "Gesture movements" are activities that are normally autonomously accomplished on a daily basis. These gesture movements are the foundation for what elements need to be incorporated into a design in order to achieve a space that lends itself to a livable and comfortable environment for somebody with a disability . A study conducted in 2015 revealed that the words homeowners use to describe conditions of comfort and safety in their own home overlaps with words that are commonly used in discussions regarding accessibility, utility and universal design . These concepts include temperature, lighting, social atmosphere, and other sensory qualities of an environment .'''

Color-contrast dishware with steep sides that assists those with visual or dexterity problems are an example of universal design. Anyone can use the dishes, and more people can use this than a flat plate.

There are also cabinets with pull-out shelves, kitchen counters at several heights to accommodate different tasks and postures. In many of the world's public transit systems, low-floor buses that "kneel" (bring their front end to ground level to eliminate gap) and/or are equipped with ramps rather than on-board lifts.


 * Chile - Ley nº 20.422, "ESTABLECE NORMAS SOBRE IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDADES E INCLUSIÓN SOCIAL DE PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDAD."
 * U.S. - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
 * More Disability Rights Laws in the United States:
 * Fair Housing Act 
 * Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act 
 * Telecommunications Act 
 * Air Carrier Access Act 
 * National Voter Registration Act 
 * Civil Rights for Institutionalized Persons Act 
 * Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
 * Architectural Barriers Act 
 * Italy - legge n. 13/1989; D.M. n. 236/1989; legge n. 104/1992; D.P.R. n. 503/1996; D.P.R. n. 380/2001 (artt. 77–82)
 * Australia - Disability Discrimination Act 1992
 * India - Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights & Full Participation) Act, 1995
 * United Kingdom - Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and Equality Act 2010
 * Ireland - Disability Act 2005
 * France - Loi n°2005-102 du 11 février 2005 pour l'égalité des droits et des chances, la participation et la citoyenneté des personnes handicapées (Act n°2005-102 of 11 February 2005 for equality of rights and of opportunities, for participation and for citizenship of people with disabilities)
 * South Korea - Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities, 2008
 * Norway - Discrimination and Accessibility Act of 2009
 * Vietnam - National Law on Persons with Disability, enacted 17 June 2010.
 * Canada - Accessible Canada Act, enacted 11 July 2019.

Barrier-free is also a term that applies to accessibility in situations where legal codes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applies. The process of adapting barrier-free public policies started when the Veterans Administration and US President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped noticed a large amount of US citizens coming back from the Vietnam War injured and unable to navigate public spaces . The ADA is a law focusing on all building aspects, products and design that is based on the concept of respecting human rights. It doesn't contain design specifications directly.

Laws and policies related to accessibility or universal design

 * Ontario, Canada


 * United States of America.
 * Mexico City, Mexico. "Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo's Plan for Government." 
 * Document describing 12 points of intention for the government, the following are directly related to accessibility in Mexico City 
 * 6. Public Spaces 
 * 7. Mobility 
 * 9. Human rights and equality 
 * 10. Equality and inclusion 
 * Mexico City, Mexico. "Plaza Pública." Reconstruction Commission.
 * Following the 2017 earthquake that destroyed a lot of Mexico City, this policy was released that involved the public in the rebuilding process, creating a good platform for requesting accessibility and universal design .
 * Madrid, Spain. "PLAN ESTRATÉGICO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DEL AYUNTAMIENTO DE MADRID." 
 * A 19 point plan describing the rights of elderly citizens, where the following are directly related to accessibility 
 * 11. Right to live free from discrimination and violence 
 * 19. Right to a sustainable city environment that provides mobility and quality of life 

Funding agencies
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on universal design in the Built Environment funded by what is now the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research completed its activities on September 29, 2021. Twenty RERCs are currently funded. The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access at the University at Buffalo is a current recipient.

Aswan Case Study
'''One study conducted in Aswan, Egypt published in the Journal of Engineering and Applied Science aimed to explore the accessibility in three administrative buildings in the area. They were looking for universal design in entrances and exits, circulation of traffic within the building, and wayfinding within the building's services. They decided to focus their case study on administrative buildings in order to exemplify universal design that granted access for all citizens to all locations. Among the buildings, there were some shared issues.'''

The Local Unit of Aswan City
'''In here, the researchers found that vertical movement was difficult for disabled patrons, given that there were no elevators. There was also no dropped curb, no Braille system, and the handles of doors were difficult to open, and there were no sensory indicators such as sounds or visual signs .'''

Aswan University
'''The entrances of this building, like many others, did not include any textures indicating where ramps or stairs are. In the case of this building, there was an elevator, but it was not large enough to turn a wheelchair in. Although the elevator wasn't a successful adaptation of universal design, the building did include double doors and wider halls, which make the location easier to navigate in a wheelchair'''.

National Organization for Social Insurance
'''This case highlights the importance if demographics when considering needs for universal design. Over 60% of the citizens who use this building on a daily basis are elderly, but there aren't accommodations that are helpful to their capabilities. Along with the lack of tactile features to guide the visually impaired, the space within the building is very congested, especially for one who may not have full physical capabilities and must use a wheelchair. The circulation suffers as a result, as well as the wayfinding in the structure. '''

Guadalajara
Although there have been attempts to create more accessible public and outdoor spaces, the restorations made have ultimately failed to meet the needs of the disabled and elderly .