Course Descriptions

This page lists courses that are currently part of the cirriculum with a brief description of each. All four-week courses are online include video lectures (provided with transcripts), readings, tests, projects, and a discussion board. There are no required log-in times so you can take the courses based on your schedule. We only ask that you complete assignments by their due dates. See the Continuing Education Overview page for more information.

Core Course I:

The Nature of Barriers and the New Demographics

This course provides an introduction to the philosophy behind the concept of inclusive design. The social meaning of barriers in architecture is explored and universal design is introduced as one means to break down unnecessary barriers to social participation. The course also provides background material to understand disability demographics and, specifically, the aging of post-industrialized societies. The readings examine the "barrier" as encountered in everyday life and as an important theme in art and science and present the demographic rationale for universal design. Additional readings describe psychological and social issues of late adulthood, what aging means to older people and their families and the impact of culture on the experience of aging. AIA members will receive 15 CEU Credits.

Universal Design Principles and Practices

This course introduces universal design as part of the phenomenon of innovation. Universal design is viewed as an evolutionary process that functions within a social ecology that varies by industry. The readings introduce students to the most widely adopted definition of universal design through the construction of seven principles and associated guidelines. Additional readings reformulate the Principles of Universal Design for use in building and urban design and provides extensive best practice guidelines and examples of how those Principles can be applied. The course will also give examples of how the Principles of Universal Design can be applied to design of bathrooms and kitchens. Additional articles describe how the process of innovation can be used to understand how to introduce universal design into the marketplace and how that process might play out differently in different industries, as well as provide more detailed case studies of noteworthy universal designs, the companies that produced them, and the basis for their success. AIA members will receive 15 CEU Credits.

Design for Anthropometric and Biomechanical Fit

Anthropometry is the study of human body sizes and related abilities like reaching and lines of sight. Anthropometry is a critical issue in inclusive design because it provides information to design spaces, equipment and products that fit with the users' size and abilities. In particular, inclusive design requires an understanding of the anthropometry of wheeled mobility. The reading provides an overview of issues that are emerging as wheeled mobility technology evolves. Biomechanics is the study of how muscles and the skeletal system respond to physical forces caused by interaction with space and objects. Design for fit with biomechanical abilities involves concern for prevention of injury, design within the limits of stamina and design for comfort. AIA members will receive 15 CEU Credits.

Design for Perception and Cognition

Perception is the use of the senses to perceive the features of the world around us. The first part of this course describes some key changes in perception related to aging and provides some recommendations for design to compensate for those changes. Cognition is the process of understanding the world around us. While perception gives us information, cognition gives that information meaning. This part of the course describes how design affects our understanding of the world, how events can disrupt that understanding, and the impact on our performance of critical tasks.

Visitability

The purpose of this course is to educate design and development professionals, government officials, advocates, and other interested students on visitability and related initiatives that support the development of single-family housing with basic access for people with disabilities. This course provides a basic understanding of the concept of visitability, provides good practice examples and cost estimates for visitable features, and describes advocacy strategies for developing visitability projects in local communities. AIA members will receive 15 CEU Credits.

Universal Design and Transportation

This course provides an in depth look at one industry, mass transportation. Strategies for introducing universal design in this sector are described with examples from around the world.

Inclusive Housing

This course presents a new resource for designing communities and housing that accommodate social diversity. Its primary reading, Inclusive Housing: A Pattern Book, provides tools and examples to help architects introduce accessibility and design for aging in place into new and existing communities without compromising aesthetic character and other design goals. It emphasizes that design for an aging population is an important consideration for producing a sustainable and equitable culture. This course is designed to help architects and urban designers create accessible neighborhoods, blocks, lots and houses. An emphasis will be placed on an approach to neighborhood and housing design that recognizes the contribution of all these elements to the success of the whole. It will also illustrate how the goals of inclusive design are compatible with the goals of developing livable, healthy, and sustainable neighborhoods. Examples will demonstrate how accessibility can be achieved in different types of neighborhoods and housing forms, including traditional neighborhood and housing design. **Enrollment in Inclusive Housing requires separate purchase of, Inclusive Housing: A Pattern Book, available online for up to $40 USD, plus shipping. You must receive delivery of the book prior to the start of this course. No refunds granted for failure to obtain book on time. You can purchase the book at: W.W.Norton & Amazon.

Accessible Building Design/Public Buildings

This course introduces to the basic concerns of accessibility, the concept that gave birth to universal design and often a critical component of universal design, especially in professional practice. It provides a foundation for how most building codes and standards address accessibility in public buildings. The reading is a set of 3 articles on the history and key issues of accessible design including explanations for most common design criteria.