Understanding Universal Design by Simulations About Socially Inclusive Environments

This book is about a research strategy to assess relationships between user's visual thinking processes triggered by exposure to a photo-questionnaire and user's experiential immersion in simulated activities that focused on mobility and wayfinding problems. Among visual resources a collection of photo montages suggested Universal Design related concepts such as integrated design features for social inclusion. Expectations were that this online material could function in one of the following ways: First it could foster reflective thinking about participants' involvement with the Universal Design model;Second it could stimulate reflective thinking shortly after hands-on active thinking in the role-playing simulation exercise;Third it could be a combination of previous functions creating a more receptive attitude and helping participants develop understanding of the role of design for user-friendly environments.Conclusive evidence suggests that the subtle and underlying messages of online material when presented after role-playing simulation could generate meaningful reflective thinking by gains in both interpretation and comprehension score levels of understanding.