UNIVERSAL DESIGN EDUCATION: BRAZILIAN STUDENTS REFLECTIONS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

The seven principles of universal design are based on equitable use, flexibility of use, simplicity and intuitive use, noticeable information, error tolerance, low physical effort and size and space for approximation and use, and can be applied to products, services, devices, buildings and urban furniture. In Brazil, there has been a change in the accessibility rule, including the principles of universal design, aiming to spread its concept and encourage its use. However, there is still no obligation to use and respect this regulation. Thus, this study aims to investigate how students identify and interact with products, devices, buildings and urban furniture, and how they solve the accessibility problems based on the principles of universal design. The method used was exploratory, following a qualitative approach and conducted through a survey of literature. A descriptive research was also carried out, observing and analyzing interactions with students of an Ergonomic and Product Design discipline in 2015 and in the same discipline in 2016. As results, interactions among students were identified, helping to use and seeking solutions to the obstacles encountered in the use of products, services, devices, buildings and urban furniture. Another aspect observed was the surprise with the lack of concern for accessibility by the people with disabilities or reduced mobility. The students identified points that made the use of products, devices, buildings and street furniture impossible by these people, but would be easy to solve if the principles of universal design were used in the project of these items.