Accessibility for All Abilities: How Universal Design, Universal Design for Learning, and Inclusive Design Combat Inaccessibility and Ableism

Authors

  • John L O’Neill University of Minnesota, Duluth

Abstract

Accessibility is the means of enabling everyone to participate in society as independently as possible. People with disabilities are those most often concerned about accessibility because of the many barriers they continue to encounter. The United States has passed laws with the objective of making society more accessible. This includes access to information. Still, there are significant ableist attitudes that prohibit people with disabilities from having their right to information respected. Discussions about accessibility surged at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as people became more dependent on accessing information from the web. This article will explore different disability models to understand the oppression of people with disabilities. It will examine how the different principles and methods of Universal Design, Universal Design for Learning, and Inclusive Design can be combined in innovative ways to ensure that all citizens have access to information without barriers.

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Published

2021-02-23