About

Universal Design Lab Core Values

We believe in the people we serve

We care deeply for the individuals with and without disabilities that we serve through our work. Simply put, we believe in them.

We are passionate about serving the community through universal design

We love what we do and are thankful for terrific community partnerships where we can serve the community through practicing Universal Design to make the world a more accessible place.

We focus on interventions that combine good teaching with technology, through a theory driven approach

Innovative technologies hold so much promise and are most useful when thoughtfully combined with high quality intervention methods or “good teaching”. The Universal Design Lab is focused on combining good teaching and technology through a theory driven implementation approach.

We focus our work on research and development, educational content, and community service.

We believe that research and development can bring new useful technologies and practices into existence that can make terrific differences in the lives of people with disabilities. Through rigorous research we can validate the tools and practices we use so that we as a community can know the way, go the way, and show the way. Our work is driven by close service work in the community.

Background

Samuel Sennott, Ph.D., the director of the Universal Design Lab (uLab) co-created the popular Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app, the original Proloquo2Go for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. This AAC system has helped tens of thousands of individuals gain access to communication. This invaluable experience provided him with executive leadership, design, technology, and advocacy experience that he now brings to the new lab. Dr. Sennott sold his share in the Proloquo2Go Project to his co-creator at AssistiveWare as an early stage startup and then worked to complete his Ph.D from The Pennsylvania State University and focused on AAC, assistive technology, and special education. He recently founded the Universal Design Lab at Portland State University to create a collaborative entity originated to innovate in the areas of AAC, assistive technology, and Universal Design. Read More…

Our Services

The Universal Design Lab (uLab) is focused on serving the community through innovative research and development, educational content at PSU and beyond, and community service through various local partnerships.

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Research and Development

We are currently engaged in research and development sponsored at the federal, state, and local levels. Please inquire about collaboration or about sponsorship opportunities.

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Educational Content

We conduct free and paid workshops, classes, and conferences, primarily in the Pacific Northwest. Please reach out if you need us to help you.

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Community Service

We provide direct service in the community through special partnerships and our projects. Please do not hesitate to inquire if you need help.