Curb cuts and automatic doors are a commonplace in the physical world as they provide access to our buildings for persons with disabilities. In the world of the web, millions of individuals have the legal right to rely on electronic curb cuts so they too can access the web. To this end, a new generation of information systems graduates must…

This practice brief highlights the collaborative work among a disability resource professional, a university architect, and students with disabilities to create a campus recreation center with universal design features. This partnership serves to illustrate that building to minimum compliance standards does not necessarily remove barriers to…

This Special Issues Brief from the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) offers recommendations for the design and implementation of educator evaluation systems that support the academic and social growth of students with disabilities. Teachers of students with disabilities work closely with specialized instructional support personnel…

Universal design (UD), a concept that grew from the field of architecture, has recently emerged as a paradigm for designing instructional methods, curriculum, and assessments that are welcoming and accessible to students with a wide range of characteristics, including those related to race, ethnicity, native language, gender, age, and disability.…

Using the examples of Owen D. Young School in Van Hornesville, New York, and the Tonawanda City school district in Buffalo, New York, describes how school planners should take the accessibility standards mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into account when renovating. (EV)

The authors stress the role of the multidisciplinary team in vocational rehabilitation, particularly the industrial engineer, in performing job analysis and workplace design to accommodate disabled persons in industry. Steps to effective job adaptation are charted, and methods of job analysis are discussed. (Author/MC)

This book presents a guide to the concept of universal design, the design of products and environments to be usable to the greatest extent possible by people of all ages and abilities/disabilities. Chapters 1 and 2 present a brief history of universal design and examine the spectrum of human abilities. Chapter 3 addresses the seven principles of…

Discusses multimedia Web site design that may include images, animations, audio, and video. Highlights include interfaces that stress user-centered design; using only relevant media; placing high-demand content on secondary pages and keeping the home page simpler; providing information about the media; considering users with disabilities; and user…

Designed for the handicapped, Will-A-Way Recreation Area in Fort Yargo State Park at Winder (Georgia) contains a day use area, cottages, and a group camp. Accessibility features were incorporated in 17 design aspects, including flooring, windows, toilets, showers, walks, lighting, games, equipment, and the beach area and fishing bridge. (RW)

Discussion of the rhetoric of disability, including physical, hearing, and visual impairments, highlights possible benefits that computer technology can provide. Designing for disabled individuals is discussed, and product development efforts by Apple Computer to increase microcomputer access to disabled children and adults are described. (LRW)

This column introduces Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by explaining the concept of universal design (initial design of buildings and other products to maximize accessibility for all people), universal design applied to educational materials, the central role of learning goals in universal design, and distinctions between universal design and…

This paper summarizes information from interviews with four states regarding their Universal Design for Learning (UDL) initiatives, i.e., state or regional level efforts to promote the principles and practices of UDL via professional development or the production and/or dissemination of universally designed instructional materials. Discussion of…

Adaptive aids which can help individuals with disabilities to get around more easily are described, including ramps, portable ramps, lifts, doors, and doorways. The use of professional assistance in selecting adaptive aids and use of the ABLEDATA database are noted. Appended is a list of companies which manufacture adaptive equipment. (JDD)

Examines universal school design that is both user-friendly for all students and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This approach provides the basic functional design issues for easy traffic control, as well as orientation and classrooms that are adaptable to future curricular changes. Discusses new standards that impact design…

This article describes the process of designing the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site to illustrate both the principles and the practice of universal design for learning. How the Web site overcame barriers to learning, information representation, interaction and navigation, and engagement barriers is addressed. (CR)