A simple concept of designing all products, buildings, etc. to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible. Often conventional products can be used with careful planning. Universal and adaptable features are no more costly than traditional ones especially if they are planned for in the early design stages.

There are many misconceptions about people with disabilities. These notions include that people with disabilities don't want to work or that people with disabilities don't travel or go out much. That is erroneous thinking for people with disabilities truly want to participate in all kinds of activities if they have access to them.

Disability is very broad in its definition. It covers many people. It includes not just people in wheelchairs or people with mobility impairments, but other disabilities also such as people with low vision and those with speech or hearing losses, neurological disorders (I.e. Parkinson's Disease) as well as those with mental retardation or mental illness. These are just some of the lengthy list of people with disabilities.

Very few people are actually born with a disability. A disabling condition often is acquired over ones life span. Advances in medical technology saves lives which would have been lost in the past. But by far the enormous increase of this population is simply due to aging and living longer.

Universal design allows for the changes over one's life without having the "clinical" look often associated with disabilities. Architects and builders can design and construct a truly user-friendly home that is pleasing to look at. Manufacturers have made a variety of products which increase accessibility that come in a wide selection of styles and colors.