Universal Design of Instruction: Definition, Principles, and Examples

Abstract

In the society of our present time where globalization and information technologies rapidly develops, priorities must be given in every area starting from the area of design, they must be given to the persons who produce information but not to information itself; to the persons who create technology but not technology itself and to the persons who use both of them together. Depending on the technological alterations making progress consistently, having the humans start to live for longer period of time and more independently, propounded the necessity to handle traditional design understanding again and at the same time, this has made out the requirement of a new design approach which provides more availability for the products and environments universally. This design approach is the design understanding of the future which provides participations of all user groups with the same possibilities and without limiting with special solutions or measures to different areas of life such as sheltering, education, working and entertainment by also covering handicapped users. Doing discrimination in the topic of service presented to human and preventing equal sharing of the possibilities do not comply with the design understanding of our age. Traditionally, designer have the tendency of doing design with the concept of average human''. Likewise, also existing design principles have been generally formed in average ergonomic dimensions and by taking women or men users in having average capacities as the basis. But, there is something clear and it is the fact that every human shows differences from the average more or less. Humans do not have the same characteristics in terms of their movement capacities, seeing, hearing abilities and ergonomic sizes. Their strengths in the arms, physical endurances and intellectualities are different from each other. There are also some users having limited movement capabilities because of elderliness, illnesses and temporary disabilities. On the other hand, since some humans have lost their movement abilities completely from birth or afterwards, they have to use wheelchairs. In conclusion, all users show different capacity characteristics in terms of their physical abilities. For this reason, instead of doing different designs for different needs of the persons, there is the requirement to design products which can be used by everybody. By being connected to these developments in recent years, importance of having the possibility of using the structures and environments under equal terms by all user groups having different dimensions and abilities was started to be realized and there has been a continuous progress faced in the direction of having the possibility to be used by everybody. This development is mostly seen in public buildings and houses which are required to have suitable living standard. Particularly, accessibility concept participated to the first stage of designed products. First of all, together with the unhindered design movement in 1950s, changeover has taken started in public policies and design applications. The fact for the occurrence of problem was accepted for the physical obstacles taking place in the environment regarding the persons who have difficulty in moving and improvement of national standards was provided for the buildings that do not have obstacles. In1970s, while environmental obstacles were getting eliminated, a new concept was put forward which would increase everybody's functional capacity by having broader and more universal characteristic than accessibility. This new concept is the concept of Universal Design. Universal design is the thought for everybody to have accessibility to every object and everywhere at all times. It is the environment, building and product design which embraces, shelters everybody with its generous soul by giving importance to details. Universal Design, is the design understanding which provides independence to users as much as possible, complying with the special requirements of the users, superior in aesthetics, providing information to user and at the same time, it is sustainable design understanding. While universal designers do designs for various user groups, they integrate rudiments accustomed during their works with the characteristic of usability by everybody. This approach style provides guidance to design method to include in the design so many user groups more who were often neglected before (kids, elders, short persons, weak people, etc.). Many universal concepts contained in Universal Design approach form the designs which are thought with a unique way to enable the persons who have physical restrictions life more independently. It is the design understanding to meet all needs of the users equally. For this reason, understanding the concept correctly has big importance in terms of its application and expansion. Universal design concept shall be narrated in the scope of the study and design principles and guides belonging to these guides shall be explained with examples.