UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN THE WORKSPACE
In order for Universal Design to be in effect, peoples who identify as having a disability need to have the same universality in the work environment. There are withstanding policies and resources that those with a disability looking to enter the workforce can be involved with to promote an inclusive environment.
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WHAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE TO HELP?
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The Social Security Program is in place in order to be able to acknowledge the needs of individuals who are unable to work and provide the proper financial assistance (Bruyère, S. M., Barrington, L. & Albrecht, G. L. ). Many individuals can not work due to their disability, whether it be congenital or caused from work.
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The reality of this situation is that if social security benefits are not received for some, they can go from working class to below the poverty line in a matter of days (Denny-Brown, N., O’Day, B., & McLeod, S). Many of those individuals who are part of the working class could fall below the poverty line if they do not work due to the bills that laugh in the face of college debt.
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SUPPORT IN THE WORKPLACE
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Now imagine you arrive to class, and you sit down to take your test. Everyone else is allowed to use their laptop, but you are the only one who has a pencil and the test is online. What would you do? Say you ask the teacher for assistance and if she could help you out, but she says no and that you can figure out a way to take the test like everyone else. You are stuck, you physically can not take the test because you do not have the right materials, and .
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That feeling, of your needs not being met, is how those with a disability feel when the workplace does not provide them adequate accommodations. Those who are hearing impaired need assistive tech to alert them to ongoing events. Those who are blind need to have access to braille embosser technology in order to proactively do their job. Those who need to attend physical therapy in order to promote stimulation in their muscles need flexible schedules and a modified contract.
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The image above represents the percentage of disabled individuals in a 15 person case study who reported the supports they use in the workplace (Denny-Brown, N., O’Day, B., & McLeod, S). We can see that the supports most used are ones that do not require added structural support, rather support by others and by those in charge.
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Other than that, most of these seem like expensive demands, right? They actually are not. Apple technology has a series of disability friendly software that can be downloaded in order to assist those around. Whether it be on a laptop, iPad, or iPhone, the technology can be used wherever, whenever. There are inexpensive changes that can be done within the workspace, like adjusted desk heights and keyboards and accessibility for those who need it, that would benefit everyone.
Think about it, what’s not to love about a wider laptop screen and extra supported desk chair?