NAAEE

Universal design (UD) refers to the practice of designing products and the built environment to make them accessible and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age or ability. The purpose of UD is to reduce discrimination, facilitate inclusion, and enhance social participation. This scoping review of the literature sought to determine if UD could support outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion in public playgrounds.

A systematic search of eleven databases from multiple disciplines (including health, science, education, and humanities) identified 15 documents meeting the inclusion criteria for this review. Twelve of the papers were published between 2009 and 2019; three between 1999 and 2008. More than half of the studies (53%) were conducted by scholars in Europe; approximately one-fourth in the US; and the remaining in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The total number of participants was 1270; of these, only 26 were children. Most of the studies used qualitative methods to gather users’ perspectives of public playgrounds, with special attention to current conditions that, by design, include and/or exclude children in the use of the playspace.

Overall results showed that children with disabilities often face considerable physical and non-physical/social barriers to accessing the playground space or parts of the structure. Physical barriers include lack of routes to access elevated play items, play features or items not designed for children with disabilities, and the absence of specific spaces that support social or physical inclusion. Non-physical/social barriers include negative attitudes, limited knowledge, and insufficient training. Social barriers were associated with physical design barriers, highlighting the importance of the physical environment for social participation and inclusion in playgrounds. Some playground features or equipment designed specifically for children with disabilities were identified as barriers to inclusion, especially when such features or equipment are located a distance from the main features of the playspace. This segregated design is referred to as a “stigmatizing design” and results in “unfair social opportunities” for children with disabilities. There were other specific spaces in the playground noted to be of benefit for all children and as facilitators of inclusion. These spaces include observation points, comfortable places, and green spaces. Truly natural places were noted for their ability to increase creativity and physical accessibility, while also decreasing maintenance cost.

None of the studies in this review examined UD solutions for playgrounds or tested UD features for effectiveness. More research is thus required to determine if UD could support outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion in public playgrounds.