Promoting universal design in public buildings An action research study of community participation Elise Copeland A thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Health Science (MHSc) 2014 School of Rehabilitation & Occupation Studies Table of Contents List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. v List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. vi Attestation of Authorship ......................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... viii Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... ix Key to Presentation of Data ...................................................................................................... xi Chapter One – Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Introduction.............. .................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction to the study methodology and methods ............................................................ 2 Context of this Study .................................................................................................................. 3 New Zealand context ............................................................................................................ 3 Auckland context .................................................................................................................. 6 Professional context .............................................................................................................. 7 Structure of the Thesis ................................................................................................................ 7 Chapter Two – Literature Review ............................................................................................. 9 Stage 1: Exploration of How Universal and Inclusive Design Have Been Defined in the Literature .......................................................................................................... 9 Stage 2: Selection of Keywords for the Database Search ........................................................ 11 Stage 3: Selection of Relevant Literature ................................................................................. 12 Results of the electronic search ........................................................................................... 12 Stage 4: Quality Assessment .................................................................................................... 15 Stage 5: Data Extraction ........................................................................................................... 15 Facilitators to universal design implementation ................................................................. 16 Barriers to universal design implementation ...................................................................... 19 Legislation .......................................................................................................................... 22 Participatory research .......................................................................................................... 22 Assessments ........................................................................................................................ 23 Summary............... ................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter Three – Methodology ................................................................................................. 27 Philosophical Underpinnings ................................................................................................... 27 Democracy .......................................................................................................................... 28 Learning .............................................................................................................................. 28 Situation .............................................................................................................................. 29 Origins and Philosophy of Action Research ............................................................................ 29 Pragmatic Action Research ...................................................................................................... 31 Creating arenas for dialogue and mutual learning .............................................................. 32 Cogenerative research ......................................................................................................... 32 Role of the researcher ......................................................................................................... 32 Justification of Methodology .................................................................................................... 33 Summary............... ................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter Four – Method: Planning the Study ......................................................................... 36 Design decisions ................................................................................................................. 37 Building selection ............................................................................................................... 43 ii Recruitment strategy ........................................................................................................... 44 Ethical considerations ......................................................................................................... 46 Partnership .......................................................................................................................... 47 Participation ........................................................................................................................ 48 Protection ............................................................................................................................ 48 Trustworthiness ................................................................................................................... 49 Search conference planning ................................................................................................ 49 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 53 Chapter Five – Enacting the Method ...................................................................................... 54 Recruitment.......... .................................................................................................................... 54 Co-researcher characteristics .............................................................................................. 55 Conducting the Search Conferences ......................................................................................... 56 Qualitative Data Analysis ......................................................................................................... 75 Audit trail ............................................................................................................................ 76 Chapter Six – Findings ............................................................................................................. 78 Influencing Universal Design By Forming a Group ................................................................ 79 Broadening their perspectives ............................................................................................. 79 Sharing knowledge, skills, networks and resources ............................................................ 85 Influencing Universal Design By Using a Tool ....................................................................... 89 Enhancing learning of the universal design principles ....................................................... 89 Critiquing the universal design principles .......................................................................... 92 Being equipped to assess universal design ......................................................................... 94 Needing access to a good universal design tool .................................................................. 98 Influencing Universal Design By Presenting Their Views .................................................... 102 Gaining access to new networks ....................................................................................... 102 Reflecting on influencing change ..................................................................................... 104 Reflecting on change in governance ................................................................................. 104 Summary............... ................................................................................................................. 106 Chapter Seven – Discussion ..................................................................................................