In the UK, inclusion is an important topic on different social levels and the need for
change in government, education and industry to reduce social exclusion is recognised.
Despite a range of datasets and methods having been created to help minimise
exclusion, the topic of inclusion and, in particular, inclusive design is not yet covered in
education i.e. the Design and Technology curriculum. Engaging school pupils with the
topic has the greatest potential to bring about long-term change towards a more
inclusive society. This paper reports on the outcomes of several design workshops on
inclusivity. The workshops were aimed at, and conducted with, key stage 3 and key
stage 4 pupils. The overall aim of the workshop was to establish the impact that current
inclusive design methods have on the mindset of the pupils. The methods used in the
workshop included impairment simulators and case studies. An assessment at the
beginning and end of the workshop evaluated changes in attitude. A total of 10
workshops were conducted with over 150 pupils. It was found that such methods do
provide insights that result in solutions that address inclusive issues. This paper
concludes with the view that inclusive design methods can impact and change the
mindsets of pupils as young as 11 years old. However, if a truly inclusive society is to be
achieved, there is a need to instigate change in the overall national design ethos i.e.
focusing more on principles than practice and preventing the immediate leap to solutions
rather than identifying the true nature of the problems.
History
School
Design
Citation
CLIFT, L. and ELTON, E., 2011. Designing for people that are WELL old. Include 2011 Proceedings. 6th International Conference on Inclusive Design: The Role of Inclusive Design in Making Social Innovation Happen. Royal College of Art, London, UK, 18th-20th April.
Publisher
Helen Hamlyn Research Centre (Royal College of Art)