Back in September I was speaking at a conference in Madrid. I was asked about the future and my thoughts as to what trends would have the greatest impact upon people with a disability. My answer was a little complex, firstly that we are seeing a wave of innovation, often described as “disruptive technologies” that is changing the industry and how accessibility is being delivered.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.
