Accessibility and are crucial elements of sustainable urban planning. These principles ensure that built environments and public spaces are usable by everyone, regardless of age, ability, or circumstance. They promote inclusivity and equal participation in society.
Implementing accessibility standards benefits communities socially and economically. It reduces barriers for people with disabilities, enhances safety, and creates more livable spaces for all. From building design to digital environments, accessibility considerations shape how we interact with our surroundings.
Provides the same means of use for all users, identical whenever possible or equivalent when not
Avoids segregating or stigmatizing any users
Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users
Makes the design appealing to all users
Flexibility in use
Provides choice in methods of use
Accommodates right- or left-handed access and use
Facilitates the user's accuracy and precision
Provides adaptability to the user's pace
Simple and intuitive
Eliminates unnecessary complexity
Consistent with user expectations and intuition
Accommodates a wide range of literacy and language skills
Arranges information consistent with its importance
Provides effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion
Perceptible information
Uses different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information
Provides adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings
Maximizes "legibility" of essential information
Differentiates elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions)
Provides compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations
Tolerance for error
Arranges elements to minimize hazards and errors (most used elements, most accessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded)
Provides warnings of hazards and errors
Provides fail-safe features
Discourages unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance
Low physical effort
Allows user to maintain a neutral body position
Uses reasonable operating forces
Minimizes repetitive actions
Minimizes sustained physical effort
Size and space for approach
Provides a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user
Makes reach to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user
Accommodates variations in hand and grip size
Provides adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance
Universal design standards
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life
Requires businesses and public facilities to provide reasonable accommodations and ensure accessibility
Sets standards for in the built environment (ramps, elevators, restroom dimensions)
Ensures equal access to employment, transportation, and communication
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
International standards for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities
Provides guidelines for perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust web content
Includes recommendations for text alternatives, keyboard accessibility, and distinguishable content
Adopted by many countries and organizations as the standard for web accessibility
Accessible design vs universal design
Accessible design focuses on meeting specific accessibility standards and regulations (ADA, WCAG)
Universal design aims to create products and environments that are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design
Accessible design is often seen as a subset of universal design
Universal design goes beyond accessibility to consider usability, aesthetics, and social inclusion
Accessibility in the built environment
Accessible entrances and exits
Provides level or ramped access to building entrances
Ensures adequate clear width for doorways and passages
Includes automatic door openers or easy-to-grasp handles
Provides accessible emergency exits and evacuation plans
Accessible routes and pathways
Ensures clear, level, and slip-resistant walking surfaces
Provides adequate width for wheelchairs and other mobility devices
Includes ramps or lifts to navigate level changes
Offers handrails and guardrails for support and safety
Accessible restrooms and facilities
Provides adequate clear floor space for wheelchair maneuverability
Includes grab bars and accessible fixtures (sinks, toilets, showers)
Ensures proper height and reach for all controls and dispensers
Provides accessible signage and emergency alarms
Accessible parking and transportation
Designates accessible parking spaces close to building entrances
Ensures accessible routes from parking to building access points
Provides accessible public transportation stops and vehicles
Includes accessible wayfinding and signage for navigation
Accessibility in public spaces
Parks and recreational areas
Provides accessible paths and trails for exploration
Includes accessible picnic areas, playgrounds, and sports facilities
Offers accessible restrooms and drinking fountains
Ensures options
Sidewalks and pedestrian zones
Ensures adequate width and clearance for wheelchair users
Provides level and slip-resistant surfaces
Includes curb ramps and detectable warning surfaces
Offers accessible street crossings and signals
Public transportation systems
Provides accessible vehicles with ramps or lifts for boarding
Ensures accessible routes to and from transit stops
Includes accessible seating and priority areas for people with disabilities
Offers accessible signage, announcements, and real-time information
Accessibility in housing
Accessible residential units
Provides and interior routes
Ensures adequate clear floor space for wheelchair maneuverability
Includes accessible kitchens and bathrooms with appropriate fixtures and controls
Offers accessible bedrooms and living areas for ease of use
Adaptable housing designs
Allows for future modifications to accommodate changing needs
Includes reinforced walls for grab bar installation
Provides accessible wiring for home automation and assistive technologies
Ensures adaptable cabinetry and storage solutions
Visitability standards
Ensures basic accessibility features for all new homes
Provides at least one zero-step entrance
Includes wide doorways and clear passages on the main floor
Offers an accessible bathroom on the main floor
Accessibility in digital environments
Accessible websites and applications
Follows WCAG guidelines for perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust content
Provides text alternatives for non-text content
Ensures keyboard accessibility and logical navigation
Offers accessible forms, tables, and interactive elements
Assistive technologies
Includes screen readers for visual impairments
Provides voice recognition and dictation for physical impairments
Offers switch devices for limited mobility
Includes closed captioning and transcripts for hearing impairments
Accessible content and media
Provides alternative text for images and graphics
Ensures captioning and audio descriptions for videos