The document summarizes a presentation given by June Gothberg and Jennifer Sullivan Sulewski on universal design for evaluation. They discuss the background and principles of universal design and how applying those principles can help make evaluations more inclusive of people with disabilities. They introduce their universal design for evaluation checklist, which is meant to help evaluators design more accessible and equitable evaluations. The presentation provides examples of applying universal design and opportunities for collaboration through the American Evaluation Association.

1. Universal Design for Evaluation
June Gothberg
National Secondary Technical Assistance Center
Western Michigan University
Jennifer Sullivan Sulewski
Institute for Community Inclusion
University of Massachusetts, Boston

2. Today’s Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
Background
Introduction to Universal Design
Universal Design for Evaluation
Opportunities with the American
Evaluation Association
5. Questions
6. Ideas for Collaboration

3. Background DC Group – Fall 2011
An expressed concern that:
• Evaluators need more knowledge and
skills to include people with disabilities
in their evaluation activities.
• Project PIs and their evaluators need to
more fully understand the complexities
and challenges inherent to designing,
implementing, and managing evaluation
studies which involve human subjects
with disabilities

4. Background June and Jennifer
• Co-Chairs of the Disabilities and Other
Vulnerable Population TIG at the American
Evaluation Association.
• Both of us have a vast background
working with people with differences and
including them in evaluations.

5. Background June and Jennifer
• Adapted the principles of Universal Design
(UD) to evaluation (2009)
• Created the UD for Evaluation (UDE)
checklist (2010)
• Piloted the UDE checklist (2010-11)
• Presented to and supported evaluators in
implementing the checklist (2010-11)
• Submitted a NSF PRIME proposal (2012)

6. Why We are Here Today
Several of the fall 2011 group
attended our session in October at
the American Evaluation Association
conference
We were invited to present UDE to you
and open channels to collaborate
with you on an on-going basis

7. What is Universal Design?
Universal Design is the design of products
and environments to be usable by all
people, to the greatest extent possible,
without the need for adaptation or
specialized design.
Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University

8. Why is UD important?
The elderly:
• 1 in 25 in 1900(3.1 million)
• 1 in 8 in 1994(33.2 million)
• 1 in 7 in 2010 (38.8 million)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2010
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/files/pop.html

9. Why is UD important?
Non-English speaking:
• 59 million people speak a language
other than English at home1
• 4.8% of U.S. households are
linguistically isolated because no one
in the home speaks English2
1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey
2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey

11. Why is UD important?
Persons with disabilities:
• 32 million adults
• 5 million children
• 51 million impaired*
*limitations just short of federally defined disability
U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 ,advertisinganddisability.com

12. Designed to be Useable by ‘All’
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Velcro
Electric toothbrush
Single tap facets
Flexible drinking straws
Audio books
Automatic doors
Q-drums
http://www.optimastudio.com/disenosparatodos/en/index.php

13. Principles of Universal Design
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Equitable use
Flexibility in use
Simple and intuitive use
Perceptible information
Tolerance for error
Low physical effort
Size and space for approach and use
Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University

14. Principle One: Equitable Use
The design is useful and marketable to
people with diverse abilities.

15. Principle Two: Flexibility in Use
The design accommodates a wide
range of individual preferences and
abilities.
Http://www.greatbuildings.com

16. Principle Three: Simple & Intuitive
Use of the design is easy to understand,
regardless of the user's experience,
knowledge, language skills, or current
concentration level.

17. Principle Four: Perceptible Information
The design communicates necessary
information effectively to the user,
regardless of ambient conditions or the user's
sensory abilities.
http://www.allbraille.com

18. Principle Five: Tolerance for Error
The design minimizes hazards and the
adverse consequences of accidental or
unintended actions.

19. Principle Six: Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently and
comfortably, and with a minimum of
fatigue.
©Pieter Hendrikse www.optimastudio.com/disenosparatodos/en/

20. Principle Seven: Size and Space
for Approach and Use
Appropriate size and space is provided for
approach, reach, manipulation, and use
regardless of user's body size, posture, or
mobility.
http://www. foreveractivemed.com

21. Importance of UD for Evaluation
• There is a need for more rigorous and
inclusive evaluation (Academic
Competitive Council, 2017).
• Little has been done to increase the
standard of program evaluation in
regards to increasing participation of
minorities (Building Engineering and
Science Talent, 2005).

22. Importance of UD for Evaluation
• Evaluation of programs and increased
research on the many dimensions of
underrepresented minorities’ experiences
help ensure that programs are well
informed, well designed, and successful
(National Academy of Sciences, 2011).
• Evaluation can contribute to the
outcomes of underrepresented
groups (Mertens & Hopson, 2006).

23. Meet people where they are at.
flickr.com/photos/robotbrainz/2535755932/

24. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

25. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

26. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

27. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

28. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

29. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

30. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

31. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist

32. Universal Design for Evaluation
Checklist
Next steps
• If funded – solicit 24 evaluators
interested in using the checklist to
improve evaluation design plans
• Create free materials and tools for
evaluators to use and modify as needed
• Create an UDE Toolkit
• In the future provide online modules

33. American Evaluation Association
Disabilities and Other Vulnerable
Populations TIG
• Average between 270-330 members
• Provide assistance to evaluators or
provide guidance in selecting an
evaluator with specific knowledge
• In the process of compiling a list of TIG
member ‘skills and competence’

34. Disabilities and Other Vulnerable
Populations TIG Presentations
1993-2009

35. American Evaluation Association
Opportunities:
• EVALTALK and AEA’s LinkedIn Group
• AEA Newsletter
• Aea365
• Topical Interest Groups
• Annual Conference
• eLibrary

36. American Evaluation Association
Thank you to Washington Evaluators for
hosting this session!
http://www.washingtoneval.org

37. Examples
The following are examples of items
modified for use with people with
disabilities.

38. Consent process

39. Consent process

40. Different survey versions for different audiences

41. Different survey versions for different audiences

42. A variety of formats

43. Questions?

44. Thank you!
June Gothberg
NSTTAC
Western Michigan University
269-387-2821 (office)
269-841-9279 (cell)
june.gothbeg@wmich.edu
Jennifer Sullivan Sulewski
ICI
University of Massachusetts, Boston
617-287-4356 (office)
617-287-4352 (fax)
jennifer.sulewski@umb.edu