When people feel excluded because of how a space is arranged, how information is shared, or how decisions are made, they're less likely to engage fully. Exclusion isn’t always intentional, but its effects are real: missed contributions, discomfort, and disengagement. Over time, this can affect learning, performance, and a sense of belonging in both classrooms and workplaces.
More people are entering learning and working spaces with different needs and perspectives, but the way those spaces are designed hasn’t always kept up. Many environments still reflect narrow ideas about how people learn, work, and communicate. When inclusion is treated as a one-time fix or limited to accommodations, the responsibility shifts to individuals to adapt—rather than addressing the structures that create barriers in the first place. This slows progress, affects morale, and leads to missed opportunities for innovation, learning, and connection. Inclusive design is a practical way to close this gap by rethinking how systems and spaces are built in the first place.
This workshop offers practical strategies for making your learning or working environment more inclusive from the outset. You’ll explore how design affects participation, how to recognize common barriers, and how to make small changes that have a meaningful impact on people’s ability to engage.
