Beyond reasonable adjustment: autistic-friendly spaces and Universal Design

Universal Design (UD) is arguably preferable to design based on ‘the mythical norm’ or ‘the myth of the average’ (as described in this chapter), which is supplemented later by ‘reasonable adjustments’ to assist people who ‘do not conform’. Rose et al (2006) emphasise the pragmatic nature of the UD approach to eliminating barriers via initial design, rather than trying to overcome them subsequently through individual adaptation.

Principles of UD originated from the field of architecture and environmental design and were taken up within education as Universal Design for Learning (UDL). By planning to meet diverse requirements, UD is an integrative holistic approach that is for everyone’s benefit, rather than an inefficient system of multiple individual adjustments fitted retrospectively to try and solve access issues.