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Entering through the same door - Universal design put simple
• Soren Ginnerup• Danish Building
Research Institute• Consultant to the
COE group on Universal Design 2006
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Definitions converging
Headlines in Europe:• universal design• design for all• integral accessibility• accessible design• inclusive design• barrier-free design• transgenerational design• accessibility for all
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Universal Design: Strategy for all aspects of society
• Aiming at accessible and usable– built environments– communication– products– services
• Accessible and usable – to everyone– to the greatest extent
possible– preferably without
adaptations or special solutions
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Implementing the UN Convention
• What does the Council of Europe (COE) offer to member states on Universal Design?– Coordinated resolutions– Recommendations to governments– Plans– Examples
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Selected points in recent COE history
• ResAP(2001)1 ”Tomar” resolution on Universal Design– Curricula on the built
environment• Rec(2006)5 Action Plan
on promoting rights and full participation– Framework for actions
2006-2015• ResAp(3)2007 Full
participation through Universal Design– Recommendations on a
broader scale
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COE Recommendations to governments (1)
• Promote full participation in community life– prevent the creation of
new barriers– design solutions
usable by all– integrate Universal
Design principles into policies, legislation and practice
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COE Recommendations to governments (2)
• Succesful Universal Design: look at the process
• Promote the application of Universal Design in implementation of the 2006-2015 Disability Action Plan
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COE Recommendations to governments (4)
• Ensure widest possible dissemination of the 2007 resolution on Universal Design– awareness-raising
campaigns– co-operation with the
private sector – co-operation with civil
society • NGO’s of people with
disabilities
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Concentrate on the process stages
• Is everyone here a professional in processes?
• Ensure efficiency in– Adoptions and
decisions– Coordination– Implementation– Evaluation
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Adopting principles and making decisions
• What do we intend to do?– built environment,
transport, commu-nication, services?
• For whom?– groups to include?
• When?– In 5, 10 or 20 years ?
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Adoption and decisions
• Approaches should be:– Coordinated– Harmonized– Intersectorial
• Particular emphasis on:– Mainstream policies
with built in Universal Design
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Adoptions and decisions
Examples • Legislation: building
regulations– strictly enforced– refurbishing included– more than just persons in
wheelchairs
• Discrimination acts• Standards
– covering all user groups decided upon
– clear links from legislation to standards
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Co-ordination
• Making sure we work together– Locally, internally in
member states, internationally
– Acquiring more knowledge on UD: how do we get it down to earth?
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Co-ordination
• Examples:– Assigning
responsibility to high-ranking persons in organisations
– Information on legislative measures, social services, products, assistive technology
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Implementation
• Doing it!• Some of the
prerequisites:– Adequate funding and
resources for projects– Detailed requirements– Standards– Guidelines
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Evaluation
• Making sure we are getting there– Are we really
achieving full integration?
– Do we need to make corrections on the fly?
– Maybe change the whole setup?
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Evaluation
Examples:• Quality assessment• Feedback• Instruments for
measuring of effects• Follow-up procedures• Involvement of user
organisations
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COE Report on Universal Design
• Universal Design– What?– For whom? – How?
• Examples of UD aspects– Disability action plan
provides issues to be covered
– Focus on process stages
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COE and Universal Design in short
• COE provides backing to UD– Resolution 2007 (3) on Universal Design
• Recommendations to member states• Strong supplement to UN Convention
implementation of accessibility components
• COE Action lines for UD– Disability Action Plan 2006 – 2015
• points out Universal Design and accessibility issues
• COE Examples– Report on Universal Design
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Universal design put simple
• We should be able to enter via the same door, in all aspects of society– literally or metaphorically
• The concept is simple!• But it should be handled
professionally
- in all stages of the process!
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Thank you!