Applying Universal Design to Disability Service Provision: Outcome Analysis of a Universal Design (UD) Audit.

Abstract

This article presents out an outcome analysis of a Universal Design (UD) audit to the various professional facets of a disability service (DS) provider’s office on a large North American campus. The context of the audit is a broad campus-wide drive to implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in teaching practices. In an effort for consistency and transparency, the DS staff decided to apply the principles of UDL that were being promoted to the very core of the user interface. The authors’ hypothesis is that DS providers themselves create environmental and procedural barriers and that, as promoters of barrier free access, they must carefully examine their professional framework. The data analyzed in the audit was qualitative and has been collected from unit staff and service users over a one year period.