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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!