The RERC on Workplace Accommodations identifies, develops and promotes new assistive and universally designed technologies that maximize independence and participation of people with disabilities in the workplace. A primary focus of the Workplace RERC is the use of universal design concepts — the design of products and environments to be usable by all workers, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
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.
