What is the difference between universal design and assistive technology?
Both universal design and assistive technology increase accessibility for students who have disabilities. However, universal design differs from assistive technology in several ways. Universal design alters the environment and information, while assistive technology lets the individual adjust to an unaltered environment or information source. With universal design, the burden of changing things rests with the designers. With assistive technology, the burden of changing things rests with the users. Universal design serves many people at once, and assistive technology is individualized. Lastly, assistive technology is usually more costly than using universal design. However, keep in mind that universal design will not entirely eliminate the need for assistive technology.
