Lauren Lee & Norah Sinclair | December 2, 2024 - Atlanta, GA

Universal Design is a concept that started in building design. The idea is to create spaces that anyone can access and use, regardless of their age, size, or ability. In the physical environment, this can involve things like:

• curb cuts
• ramps
• automatic doors
• door lever handles

Everyone benefits from design that works for everyone. For example, people who use wheelchairs benefit from ramps. But people who are using baby strollers also benefit from ramps. By helping people who are disabled access the physical world, the world is more accessible for people who aren’t disabled. 

Universal Design goes beyond the physical world. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the process of designing educational environments for diverse groups of people. With UDL, care is taken to make learning accessible for people who do not: 

• see well or see at all,
• hear well or hear at all,
• move well or move at all,
• speak well or speak at all, or
• understand information presented in some ways well or at all.

This is done through the three principles of the UDL framework: 

• Help people understand why they are learning what they are learning (the Why)
• Provide different ways to engage in the materials (the What)
• And let people engage with the materials the way that works best for them (the How)

For example, if a student is blind, he might prefer an audio-first format like a podcast to learn about relevant topics to him. But by providing this option, students who are just audio learners benefit as well. 

Plain Language is another important part of UDL. Most Americans understand reading at writing at a sixth grade level. By using more simple sentence structures, common words, and avoiding jargon, you can communicate much more effectively to whoever your audience might be. 

Thank you for reading the first part of our new miniseries! We will be breaking down common buzzwords often found in disability spaces. Have a buzzword you want explained? Contact Lauren Lee at llee344@gatech.edu to submit ideas for the next buzzword brief.