DOES UNIVERSAL DESIGN EDUCATION IMPACT ON THE ATTITUDES OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY?

Authors

  • Danielle Hitch
  • Kelsey Dell
  • Helen Larkin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17411/jacces.v6i1.103

Keywords:

universal design, attitudes, architecture, professional education

Abstract

The impact of the built environment on the participation and engagement of all people in the community is now widely recognized. The principles of universal design originated from the field of industrial design and architecture, as a design foundation for more useable products and environments. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of architecture students towards people with a disability, comparing those who received inter-professional universal design education with those who had not. A sample of 147 Australian undergraduate architecture students (response rate 39.7%) completed the Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale (IDP). Quantitative descriptive analysis of their scores was undertaken, along with inductive analysis (Mann-Whitney U tests and ANCOVA). Architecture students who had previously participated in inter-professional universal design education had significantly less negative attitudes on  two items of the IDP – ‘I wonder how I would feel if I had this disability’ and ‘I am grateful that I do not have such a burden’. They also expressed significantly less fear towards people with a disability, as measured by that factor on the IDP. This study suggests education around universal design may promote more positive attitudes towards people with a disability for architecture students, but further research is required to gain a comprehensive understanding of this topic. This study also raises the issue of the need for the development of more contemporary attitudinal scales in relation to disability and impairment.

References

Afacan, Y., & Demirkan, H. (2010). A priority-based approach for satisfying the diverse users’ needs, capabilities and expectations: A universal kitchen design case. Journal of Engineering Design, 21(2-3), 315-343.

Altay, B., & Demirkan, H. (2013) Inclusive design: Developing students’ knowledge and attitude through empathic moAuthoring. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 18(2), 196-217. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2013.764933

Antonak, R., & Livneh, H. (1988). The measurement of attitudes toward people with disabilities: Methods, psychometrics, and scales. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

Australian Human Rights Commission. (2013). 20 years stories. Retrieved October 2, 2013, from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/twentystories/timeline.html

Bernardi, N., Kowaltowski, D. (2010). When role playing is not enough: Improved universal design education. International Journal of Architectural Research, 4(2-3), 376-390.

Brown, T., Mu, K., Peyton, C., Rodger, S., Stagnitti, K., Hutton, E., Casey, J., Watson, C., Swee Hong, C., Huang, Y., Wu, C. (2009). Occupational therapy students’ attitudes towards individuals with disabilities: A comparison between Australia, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 30, 1541-1555.

Burgstahler, S. (2012). Universal design in education: Principles and applications. Retrieved July 15, 2015, from http://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-education-principles-and-applications

Chang, B., Tremblay, K., & Dunbar, B. (2000). An experiential approach to teaching universal design. Education, 121(1). 153-158.

Chenoweth, L., Pryor, J., Jeon, Y., Hall-Pullin, L. (2004). Disability-specific preparation programme plays an important role in shaping students’ attitudes towards disablement and patients with disabilities. Learning in Health and Social Care, 3(2), 83-91.

Connell, B. R., Jones, M., Mace, R., Mueller, J., Mullick, A., Ostroff, E., Sanford, J., Steinfeld, E., Story, M., & Vanderheiden, G. (1997). Principles of Universal Design. Retrieved July15, 2015, from http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_ud/udprinciples.htm

Devlin, M., James, R., & Grigg, G. (2008). Studying and working: A national study of student finances and student engagement. Tertiary Education and Management, 14(2), pp. 111-122.

Evcil, A. (2012). Raising awareness about accessibility. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 47, 490-494.

Findler, L., Vilchinsky, N., Werner, S. (2007). The Multidimensional Attitudes Scale towards persons with disabilities (MAS): Construction and validation. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 50(3), 166-176.

Forlin, C., Fogarty, G., Carroll, A. (1999). Validation of the factor structure of the Interactions with Disabled Persons Scale. Australian Journal of Psychology, 51(1), 50-55.

Froyen, H., Verdonock, E., De Meester, D., Heylighen, A. (2009). Mapping and documenting conflicts between users and built environments. Include, 2009, 1-6.

Gething, L. (1991). Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale: Manual and kit. Sydney: University of Sydney.

Gething, L., & Wheeler, B. (1992). The Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale: A new Australian instrument to measure attitudes towards people with disabilities. Australian Journal of Psychology, 44(2), 75-82.

Helvacioglu, E., Karamanoglu, N. (2012). Awareness of the concept of universal design in design education. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 51, 99-103.

Heylighen, A. (2008). Sustainable and inclusive design: A matter of knowledge? Local Environment, 13(6), 531-540.

Heylighen, A., Herssens, J., & Froyen, H. (2009). Architecture criticism blindfolded. Include, 2009, 1-6.

Author, D., Author, H., Watchorn, V., & Ang, S. (2012). Community mobility in the context of universal design: Inter-professional collaboration and education. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 59(5), 375-383.

Karol, E. (2008). Inclusive design and the new home market: The West Australian situation. Architectural Science Review, 51(1), 80-83.

Author, H., Ang, S., Watchorn, V., Segrave, S., McCracken, M., Elkadi, H., Holt, D., & Author, D. (2010a). Design 4 Diversity enhancing inter-professional learning for architecture and occupational therapy students: Literature review. Geelong, Australia: Deakin University.

Author, H., Author, D., Watchorn, V., Ang, S., & Stagnitti, K. (2013). Readiness for interprofessional learning: A cross-faculty comparison between architecture and occupational therapy students. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 27(5), 413-419.

Author, H., Author, D., Watchorn, V. & Ang, S. (2015). Working with Policy and Regulatory Factors to Implement Universal Design in the Built Environment: The Australian Experience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, online.

Marshall, R., Case, K., Porter, M., Summerskill, S., Gyi, D., Davis, P., & Sims, R. (2010). HADRIAN: A virtual approach to design for all. Journal of Engineering Design, 21(2-3), 253-273.

Olgunturk, N., & Demirkan, H. (2009). Ergonomics and universal design in interior architecture education. Middle Eastern Technical University Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, 26(2), 123-138.

Paulsson, J. (2005). Universal design education project – Sweden. Include, 2005, 1-7.

Portney, L., & Watkins, M. (2009). Foundations of clinical research: Applications to practice (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Preiser, W. (2008). Universal design: From policy to assessment research and practice. International Journal of Architectural Research, 2(2), 78-93.

Punch, K. (2005). Introduction to social research quantitative and qualitative approaches (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications.

Sahin, H., Akyol, A. (2010). Evaluation of nursing and medical students’ attitudes towards people with disabilities. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19(15-16), 2271-2279.

Shannon, C., Schoen, B., Tansey, T. (2009). The effect of contact, context, and social power on undergraduate attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 75(4), 11-18.

ten Klooster, P., Dannenberg, J., Taal, E., Burger, G., & Rasker, J. (2009). Attitudes towards people with physical or intellectual disabilities: Nursing students and non-nursing peers. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(12), 2562-2573.

Tervo, R., Palmer, G., Redinius, P. (2004). Health professional student attitudes towards people with disability. Clinical Rehabilitation, 18(8), 908-915.

The Center for Universal Design. (2008). The Center for Universal Design environments and products for all people. Retrieved July15, 2015, from http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/index.htm

Watchorn, V., Author, H., Ang, S., & Author, D. (2013). Strategies and effectiveness of teaching universal design in a cross-faculty setting. Teaching in Higher Education, 18(5), 477-490.

Watchorn, V., Author, H., Author, D. & Ang, S. (2014). Promoting Participation Through the Universal Design of Built Environments: Making it Happen. Journal of Social Inclusion, 5(2), 65-88.

World Health Organization. (2013). International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Retrieved July 15 2015, from http://www.who.int/classifications/icf/en/

World Health Organization. (2014). Disability and Health. Retrieved July 15 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/

Yuker, H., Block, J., & Younng, J. (1970). The measurement of attitudes toward disabled persons. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED044853.pdf

Downloads

Published

2016-05-31

How to Cite

Hitch, D., Dell, K., & Larkin, H. (2016). DOES UNIVERSAL DESIGN EDUCATION IMPACT ON THE ATTITUDES OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY?. Journal of Accessibility and Design for All, 6(1), 26–48. https://doi.org/10.17411/jacces.v6i1.103

Issue

Section

Architecture and Construction