At the same time, they are compatible with common assistive hardware and software devices. These products are often designed to eliminate or minimize the need for assistive technologies. In the case of information technology, products that are universally designed are accessible to and usable by people with a wide variety of characteristics, including different types of disabilities. Human characteristics considered in universal designs may include age, gender, stature, race/ethnicity, culture, native language and learning preference. They benefit people with disabilities, parents with baby strollers, delivery workers, and others.
Sidewalks with curb cuts and doors that automatically open when a person moves near them are examples of universally designed products. Universal design is a broader concept that is defined by The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University as "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." The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium has also developed guidelines and comprehensive resources for designing accessible web pages. federal agencies, many states, educational institutions, and other entities have adopted them as one way to meet their ADA obligations. Although these standards apply directly to the development, procurement, modification, and use of information technology of U.S. The amendment mandated that the Access Board develop accessibility standards for software, hardware, websites, videos, and other information technology. In 1998 an amendment to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was passed.
Accessibility as a design concern has a long history, but public awareness about accessibility increased with the passage of legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandated that public facilities and services be fully accessible to people with disabilities. Accessibility sometimes refers to the characteristic that products, services, and facilities can be independently used by people with a variety of disabilities. Accessible DesignĪccessible design is a design process in which the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered. These concepts apply to design of the built environment, of customer services, and the other products and environments, including information technologies such as hardware, software, multimedia, distance learning courses, websites, curriculum, and instruction. The terms accessible design, usable design, and universal design are all approaches to design that can result in products that are easier for everyone to use, including people with disabilities. Several terms have emerged in recent years that describe similar though somewhat distinct design concepts.
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