Introduction to the Universal Design Guidelines

www.nisenet.org

Introduction to the Universal Design Guidelines

Section Overview

Participant Goals1. Understand how the

guidelines were developed and continue to develop.

2. Understand and apply the three main concepts.

3. Understand how to use the planning tools.

How were the UD Guidelines developed?

• The guidelines were developed through a design charrette held at the Museum of Science, Boston on December 6 and 7, 2007, on behalf of NISE Net

• (Note: A design charrette is an intensive effort to develop a new or innovative design that takes place over a short period of time. It involves people from a variety of backgrounds and expertise)

• This charrettee included 4 experts from the field of UD who have disabilities and 20 museum professionals from a variety of organizations

UD Guidelines: A Working Document

• The UD Guidelines are a working document.• The guidelines are expected to

change as we develop and test more programs that reflect principals of UD.

• The guidelines should not be considered exhaustive.• While they provide many ways to

design a program, every program and situation is different.

Three Main Concepts

Three main ideas that emerged that can be used by museum educators to frame their thinking while developing and implementing inclusive museum programs.1. Repeat and reinforce main ideas 2. Multiple entry points / ways of

engagement3. Physical and sensory access

The Three Main Concepts

1. Repeat and reinforce main ideas

2. Multiple entry points / ways of engagement

3. Physical and sensory access

UD Program Concept 1: Repeat and Reinforce Main Ideas

Repeat and Reinforce Main Ideas

• Why?• Considerations:

• Developing a Program• Designing Props & Materials• Delivering your Presentation


Why repeat and reinforce main ideas?

• Learners have difference preferences for receiving information:• Audial • Tactile • Visual

• Helpful for those with different attention spans or short-term memory.• Can relate to a disability or context of the

situation


Considerations for Developing a Program

• Explicitly state and focus on the main idea.

• Break down the program into distinct pieces.

• Be explicit about this breakdown

Lets look at a few slides from the Snowflakes: Nano at its Coolest program

What do you know about snow?

Outline• When does it snow?• Why do snowflakes have six sides?• Is every snowflake different?

When does it snow?

It snows when…• It’s cold (below freezing)• It’s cloudy (water vapor in the air)

Review• When does it snow?

–Cold, cloudy conditions• Why do snowflakes have six sides?

–Molecular structure of ice crystals• Is every snowflake different?

–Temperature and humidity


Developing a Program

• Video: Tiny Solutions to Our Big Energy Problem

oVideo• Presenter identifies her main ideas in the

form of questions.

http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/tiny_solutions_our_big_energy_problem

Designing Props and Materials


• All information (visual, aural, and tactile) should support one another.

• Have hands-on elements that can be passed around to reinforce main ideas.



• Video: Intro to nano cart demo• Video

• Presenter passes around tactile elements.• There is also an accompanying PowerPoint

presentation that breaks down nano into 3 things, small, different, and useful.

http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/intro_nano_cart_demo


Delivering your Presentation

• Repeat key ideas.• Use images and text for

emphasis.• Check in with the

audience along the way.• Next level: Offer

opportunities to preview materials before the program.


Repeat and Reinforce Wrap Up• Learners have different preferences

for receiving information:• Audial • Tactile • Visual

• Helpful for those with different attention spans or short-term memory.• Can relate to a disability or context

of the situation


Questions?




3. Physical and sensory access

Multiple Ways of Engagement


• Developing a Program• Delivering your Presentation

UD Program Concept 2: Multiple Entry Points/Ways of Engagement

Why make multiple entry points and multiple ways of engagement available?

• Different levels of content knowledge and personal experiences

• Gives a wide range of visitors an avenue for understanding

• Multiple examples provide visitors ways to connect to the content


Developing a program

• Connect to a range of prior experiences• Make it fun and engaging for all learners• Consider multiple analogies for the same

idea• Use examples and non-examples• Build multiple layers into the program




• Video: Intro to Nano• Video

• Presenter uses multiple examples and analogies for explaining what “nano” means


http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/intro_nano_cart_demo



• Find ways to engage audience members in the program

• Ask questions during the program

• Have volunteers help with portions of your presentation

Multiple Entry Point and Engagement Wrap Up

• Different levels of content knowledge and personal experiences

• Gives a wide range of visitors an avenue for understanding

• Multiple examples provide visitors ways to connect to the content


Questions?





3.Physical and sensory access

UD Programs Concept 3: Physical and sensory access

Physical and Sensory Access


• Props & Materials• Set Up & Prep• Delivering your Presentation


Why provide physical and sensory access?

• People are diverse in their abilities:• How they can navigate an area• How much they can hear & see• How much they can sit or stand



• Large and high-contrast text and images

• Caption video • Use color • Tactile models

• Next level: Provide handouts



Large and high-contrast text and images• Exploring Size:

Powers of Ten Game



Tactile Models • Exploring

Products – Nano Sand activity


Set Up and Prep

• Good visibility of presenter’s face• Good visibility of materials on cart• Don’t block your slides / demos

• Next level: Consider available seating • Next level: ASL interpreter


Set Up and Prep

Video: Intro to Nano – Alka-Seltzer demo

• Video

• Presenter makes sure the participants do not block the reaction of the demo

http://vimeo.com/11049097



• Announce accessibility options• Encourage all learners to participate• Include pauses for processing ideas• Provide auditory descriptions



Use auditory descriptions of models and images• Video

• Presenter shows the model of the tumor while explaining what it looks like

http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/treating_tumors_gold


Questions?

UD Planning Tools

• Content Maps• Planning Pyramid• UD Program critique form

UD Planning Tools

UD Planning Tools: Content Maps

Content Maps

• Help visitors to follow along with presentations

• Aid memory for visitors who are receiving all of their information aurally

• Places new vocabulary in context




UD Planning Tools: Planning Pyramids

Planning Pyramids

• Outline the main ideas you think everyone should know by the end of the program

• Lists related concepts that a smaller portion of the audience may come away with

• Helps to ensure that younger visitors, visitors with developmental disabilities, and content novice will learn as well as visitors who are already familiar with the content

UD Planning Tools: Planning Pyramid

UD Program Critique Form

• This form is intended to help museum educators compare their programs to the universal design guidelines

• Use this as a starting point for assessing the inclusiveness of your program

UD Planning Tools: Program Critique Form

Universal Design Guidelines CommentsRepeat and reinforce main ideas and concepts

☐ Explicitly state overarching main idea and supporting concepts visually and aurally.

☐ Present a content map (outline) visually and aurally.

☐ Actively engage visitors with the content visually, aurally, and tactilely.

☐ Deliver one core concept at a time.

☐ Repeat core concepts frequently during the program.

☐ Punctuate the delivery of key ideas by presenting them visually, aurally, and tactilely.

☐ Check in with the audience along the way.

☐ Provide handouts that summarize main ideas and concepts with text and images.

Universal Design Guidelines CommentsProvide multiple entry points and multiple ways of engagement

☐ Enable learners to enter at different places and take away different messages.

☐ Actively engage audience members in the program.

☐ Ask questions that encourage visitors to relate the content to their everyday life.

☐ Connect the content to a range of prior experiences and everyday life examples.

☐ Use multiple analogies to represent the same idea.

☐ Provide examples and non-examples.

☐ Engage more than one sense with delivering jokes and special effects.

Universal Design Guidelines CommentsProvide physical and sensory access to all aspects of the program

☐ Provide good visibility of the presenter's face.

☐ Position the presenter so that he/she does not block the presentation.

☐ Speak slowly and provide extra time for people to process important ideas.

☐ Provide auditory descriptions of models and images.

☐ Make announcements that inform visitors of available accessibility options.

☐ Position materials so the can be viewed by visitors of a range of heights.

☐ Place all elements of the program (presenter, props, and presentation) in a well-lit area.

☐ Use high-contrast demonstration materials and models that can be seen at a distance.

☐ Provide tactile models that are easy to handle and manipulate.

☐ Use color and/or tactile designs to impart meaning on models and images.

☐ Use large, high contrast, easy-to-read text and images for all graphics.

☐ Caption video presentations.

UD Planning Tools Wrap Up• Content Map

• Help visitors to follow along with presentations• Aid memory for visitors who are receiving all of their

information aurally• Places new vocabulary in context

• Planning Pyramid• Outline the main ideas you think everyone should know by the end of

the program• Lists related concepts that a smaller portion of the audience may come

away with• Helps to ensure that younger visitors, visitors with developmental

disabilities, and content novice will learn as well as visitors who are already familiar with the content

• UD Critique Form• This form is intended to help museum educators compare their

programs to the universal design guidelines• Use this as a starting point for assessing the inclusiveness of your

programUD Planning Tools

• To reinforce the information we are going to apply the UD program critique form while watching the Museum of Science, Boston's Lightning Show

Applying the Tools

Lightning Show

• Groups of 3 people will work together to complete the program critique form while watching the show

• After the show we will regroup to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the stage program as they relate to UD

Documents

Introduction to the Universal Design Guidelines