Universal Design (in 2001)

Here's the manuscript for the Speech Contest 2001 at TCFL.

I took a speech class when I was a second year student.
At first, it took courage to make a speech in front of people.
But now the experience comes in useful. People who are not used to talking in front of people tend to have some habits, like swinging or shaking themselves, uttering same pharases again and again.
The class gave me a chance to look at me objectively. Thank you my teacher, Mr. K!

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Today, I’d like to tell you about the universal designs.
First, I will tell you what the universal designs are.
Second, the deference between barrier free and the universal designs.
Finally, I’ll tell you why the universal designs are good.

Do you remember the TV program “beautiful life”?
The story is a love story.
It is about a man falls in love with a woman who is confined to a wheelchair.
When you watch the program,
you get an idea how hard it is to live in a wheelchair.
Today people try to make the world better for everyone.
Everyone includes the elderly and the disabled.
One of the ways to help is by using the universal design.
The universal designs are items that are usable by most people regardless of their level of ability or disability.

There are seven conditions of the universal designs.
1. Objective Use
The design is useful and marketable to people with different abilities

２．Flexibility in Use
The design helps a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.

３．Simple Use
Use of the design is easy to understand.

４．clear Information
The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user.

５．kindness for Error
The design minimizes risks and the consequences of accidental or unintended actions

６．Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently and comfortably with a minimum of fatigue.

７． Size and Space for Approach and Use
Proper size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use

You may wonder what goods are the universal designs.
The fact is you use these designs in your everyday life.
Let's look at shampoo.
On the side of the bottle, you can find some protrusions.
Do you know those protrusions stand for shampoo?
When you close your eyes in the shower or if you were blind,
the protrusions can tell you the difference the shampoo and the conditioner.
And imagine the doorknobs.
First, you turn a round doorknob with your right hand.
And then try to do with your left hand.
You'd know how difficult you turn the knob .
But how about lever handles?
You can use both hands easily.
Lever handles are user-friendly by almost everyone,
including people who have no hands.

You may have listened to the word “ barrier free” recently.
“The universal design” isn’t the same as “barrier free design”.
“barrier free” removes barriers between non-disabled people and the disabled people. 　
The universal design isn’t based on disabilities.
It is based on all people.
For example,
compare kneeling buses to one step buses.
The kneeling bus is the bus that is equipped with a lift for a wheelchair.
It could be one example of “barrier free design".
those buses sound nice,
but whenever people want to use the lift, they have to ask the driver.
A one-step or low step bus doesn’t have steps, so people can get on and off easily without help.
Such a bus is very convenient for the elderly, people with a wheelchair or children. It is a universal design.
They don't have to climb on a bus.
They don't have to need ask somone's aids.

Why isn’t the idea of barrier free enough?
Because each handicap is different.
It may be good for one disabled person, but not for others.
For example,
if the road has a step between the sidewalk and crosswalk,
people with a wheelchair can’t pass.
But for the blind person, it’s a good sign to locate a signal.
So the universal design is very difficult to make.
It requires being adjusted to everyone’s needs.
So we have to imagine many situations to be happened
and know many things to make the goods better.
On the way to increase the universal goods, we could learn and help each other. That’s why the universal designs help our world getting better and better.
Fortuately, those goods are increasing.
You have a chance to get a good.
If you had,
let's imagine how come the good is called the universal design and how come it is convenience for everyone.
And compare the universal design goods with other goods.
You may notice how inconvenience the conventional goods and ways.
You may hit upon the idea of improving them.
If you discover something,
it could be one step to make the world better for everyone.

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For your interest,

http://www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/pubs/center/fact_sheets/housdef.htm