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International universal design conference starts Thursday
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Oct. 16, 2001 -- "Living in an environment designed with everyone in mind is the goal of universal design. From entrances with ramps and extra-wide doorways to adjustable hand tools and customized clothing, universal design has already permeated all aspects of our lives," says the Fashion Institute of Technology, which is hosting an international symposium on the issue Oct 18-20, "Integrating Differences: Theories and Applications of Universal Design." SUNY/Buffalo, home of the Fashion Institute of Technology, is also home to one of several National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research programs on universal design -- the Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access at SUNY/Buffalo (online at http://design6.ap.buffalo.edu/~idea/).
Ed Steinfeld of the Institute will be speaking to the conference on Friday, as will Elaine Ostroff, founder of Adaptive Environments, another NIDRR-funded program (online at http://www.adaptenv.org). On Saturday, Leslie Young of the NIDRR-funded Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University (http://www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/) will speak.
Other workshops and speakers include ones on "Aging-in-Place: Designing to an Emerging Market"; "Fair Housing and Universal Design" and design of accessible websites.
More information on Friday's sessions can be found at http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu/universaldesign/friday.html -- information on Saturday's sessions is at http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu/universaldesign/saturday.html