Ep.124 - Universal Design & Disability Innovation

From limitation to liberation 💥This episode proves accessibility creates opportunity—for everyone 🔓✅ Andrew Houghton shares his journey from injury to global impact✅ How adaptive sports helped shape leadership and resilience✅ The role of mentors, community, and exposure in creating opportunity✅ What universal design really means in today’s built environment✅ Why accessibility laws were just the beginning—not the finish line✅ How companies are using inclusive design to attract and retain talent✅ The business case for accessibility in global organizations✅ A deep dive into innovative tools transforming accessibility audits✅ How lived experience drives better design and better outcomes✅ The next frontier: AI, genetic tech, and the future of disability inclusionWhen you design for the margins, you unlock possibilities for the mainstream. 🔑Website: https://disabilityinclusion.com/Andrew Houghton is a global disability expert who has used a wheelchair since a 1986 motorcycle accident resulted in paraplegia. Andrew has served as a consultant on disability issues and programs around the world, including Bosnia, Kosovo and Vietnam and has served in the public sector as a presidential and gubernatorial appointee. He is the founder and CEO of Disability Inclusion Solutions (DIS), a small business specializing in the development of programs and services that promote full inclusion for people with disabilities. Andrew is an expert in implementing Universal Design strategies into built environments and is often a featured subject matter expert at conferences, trade events and educational sessions. As a founding board member of the Global Universal Design Commission (GUDC), he participated in the creation of Universal Design standards used to help business achieve a more inclusive work environment. In addition, he helped lead Merck & Company, Oracle, Amazon, DHL, Nationwide Insurance, CUNA Mutual Group, and many other Fortune 500 organizations live their values by creating truly inclusive environments across their global footprint. Since 2017, his expert team has helped customers implement universal design strategies into offices, manufacturing, laboratories, distribution, and workspace facilities in thirty countries and across the US. In 2016, Andrew partnered with Bender Consulting Services to develop the iDisability Enterprise-Wide eLearning Solution. iDisability is a catalogue of 55 digital eLearning modules designed to educate organizations and ensure employees have the knowledge to effectively communicate with, interview, hire, accommodate, and engage people with disabilities in the workforce. iDisability has over five million users on platform with a 99% retention rate among existing customers.  Disabilityinclusion.comWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Disability Employment Solutions ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ⓒ 2026 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PodPro Entertainment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#SaveAsAbility #Ability #Inclusive #Inclusivity #LaborForce #Disability #DisabilityEmployment #ReasonableAccommodation #Accommodation #DisabilityInnovation #UniversalAccess #InclusionMatters #AccessibleWorld #DesignForAll #DisabilityLeadership #FutureInnovation #AdaptiveLiving #InclusiveWorkplace #TechInnovation #AccessibilityFirst #TheNewRadio