Accessible Design and Universal Design
The terms “accessibility” and “universal design” are often used interchangeably. However, they do differ in terms of scope.
Where accessible design focuses on the needs of people who are differently abled, universal design is focused on all people’s needs.
Universal design describes a set of considerations made to ensure that a product, service, and/or environment is usable by everyone, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
If a wheelchair lift is an example of accessible design, an elevator, which is usable by those with wheelchairs, parents with small children, people moving large furniture, or just tired adults, is an example of universal design.
Guide Dogs
We’re all familiar with the image of dogs guiding people with vision loss along streets and through public spaces. But unless you’ve actually benefited from one of these specially trained animals, you probably have no idea what wonderful mobility tools and loving companions they can be.
The guide dog is a “mobility aid” that can enable people who are blind or have low vision to travel safely. Guide dogs can guide people around obstacles and through crowds, stop at curbs and stairs, and sometimes even be trained to find a limited number of objects that are within sight when given orders such as “Find the chair,” “Find the door,” or “Find the elevator.” The guide dog user can also train (or “pattern”) the dog to find frequently used landmarks, such as a bus stop pole or a mailbox.
One common misconception is that people who are blind or have low vision and don’t have orientation and mobility (O&M) travel skills can use a guide dog to travel safely and independently; people mistakenly assume that it is the dog that shows the person where to go. This is not true. The person who is blind or has low vision directs the dog; the function and purpose of the dog is to merely guide the person around obstacles and indicate the location of steps and curbs.
Another misconception is that guide dogs indicate when it is safe to cross the street. This is also not true. For example, at a traffic signal, the guide dog does not know when the light changes from green to amber to red. It is the person who determines when it is safe to cross the street and which way to go; the dog then guides the person across the street to reach the other side. Although the dog does not know when it is safe to cross the street, if it sees a car approaching too close, it has been trained to stop or attempt to move the person out of the way.
There are many independent guide dog schools in the United States and around the world. Most of them use a similar training structure. Watch this brief video that summarizes the wonderful life of a guide dog.
Providing Directions
Use directions such as “right” and “left” in accordance with the direction the person who is blind is facing.
Give approximate distances and landmarks along the way, such as “The stairwell is about twenty feet down the hall to your right,” or “The elevator is on the left at the end of this hall. You will pass two doors along the way.”
Landmark clues can also be sounds and smells, so you could mention the smell of popcorn at the cafeteria or the sound of a loud machine at the transition to a production floor.
If outside, give distances in blocks and numbers of streets the person will cross. “City hall is three blocks up on your left” or “You will cross two streets and the bus stop will be at the end of the block on your right.”
The Mobility Cane
When used correctly, the mobility cane searches the ground ahead of each step. Like vision, the cane tells the VI person what is ahead, detects what is to be avoided or approached, and gives general preview, not only of where the traveler will be stepping next but also echolocation information of objects further away.
Aside from providing safe travel, an essential function of a mobility cane, is to help as an identifier to others that the user is blind.
When we think of a person who is blind traveling, most of us picture a person using a solid white cane made of aluminum or other light weight material. However, there are canes made in different colors, and these colors have a meaning. For instance, a white cane with a red bottom means that its user may have some remaining vision, while a cane with red and white stripes may mean that its user is deaf-blind. There are also canes meant to glow in the dark or made with reflective materials for people to travel safely at night.
Most states in the US, have legislation based on the model White Cane Law which require vehicles to give the right of way to pedestrians carrying a white cane.
Other things to consider
- It is always polite to use “people first” language, putting the person before the disability. For example, refer to “the people who are blind” and not “the blind people,” and say “the man who is blind” instead of “the blind man.” Use the same terminology when referring to people with any other types of disabilities.
- It is generally okay to ask someone about his or her visual impairment if the topic comes up naturally.
- A final thought. As you will find out soon enough, individuals with visual impairments are as diverse as any other group, some individuals like to participate in sports activities, some others are couch potatoes; some individuals love to garden on a sunny day, some others prefer to take a walk; some like to play cards with their friends, some prefer to quietly read a book, cook a meal, or knit a scarf!
How to send electronic documents
For individuals using electronic media, having the agenda available in the body of an email will provide quick access to its content.
- The agenda should also be attached as an accessible Word document to the meeting invitation.
- Slide decks should be attached as an accessible PowerPoint to the meeting invitation. Even if you have not finished your final presentation, share your rough draft.
- Handouts should be included in accessible versions as an attachment to the meeting invitation.
What to consider when planning activities
When you design inclusive activities, participants will be able to bring different perspectives to your meeting. In addition, you may explore and find all kinds of innovative ways to present information that may benefit participants with different learning styles.
- Use real objects when it is appropriate
- Label print items with braille/large print labels
- Use a tactile drawing board to show a drawing
- Use alternative techniques to present a concept
Online Meeting Best Practices
In an era of social distancing and teleconferencing, a few key considerations will ensure you continue to have successful, accessible meetings.
In general, the guidelines for a remote meeting are the same as they are for an in-person meeting:
- Start your meeting with introductions
- Make materials, such as the agenda, available before the meeting
- Use descriptive language
Now, let us quickly go over why these steps are more important than ever when using teleconferencing.
Starting your meeting with introductions still matters when using teleconferencing apps because even though the information may be available in your screen, it is not always readily available to assistive technology, and it would be distracting to coworkers that are relying on screen readers and braille displays to review that information independently and potentially miss part of the meeting. Plus, it is a good habit to maintain, as we will eventually return to the office. To avoid people talking over each other while introducing themselves, assign a person to read the list of participants before the meeting begins.
Same thing goes for making materials available before the meeting. You might think, well my materials are available electronically to everyone, and I know my document is accessible, so I should be good to just share it during the meeting. No, please do not. If you wait to share your documents, you are expecting some of your participants to somehow review the document with a screen reader, listen to other people speak, and give their own contributions all at the same time. That is a lot of things competing for their attention! Please share materials at least 24 hours in advance of any planned meeting and with as much time as possible before a last-minute meeting.
Use descriptive language. Screen sharing is a common part of telecommuting and that means communicating what you are sharing on your screen. Avoid saying things like “click here” and “this button”. Say what you are doing clearly, like “And then I’m going to activate the Emboss button in the Tools tab”.
As a final note, it is best practice to identify yourself-say your name- before you speak, and to keep your microphone muted while other people speak. Muting your microphone helps minimize background noise and helps everyone better understand the content.
These key points are extremely important now that telecommuting is necessary. Screen sharing is new to everyone and many of us will be nervous having our computer skills so broadly on display. So take your time, remain calm, and be descriptive.